MIDDLEBURG – For eight minutes fans were treated to the highly anticipated showdown between No. 1 ranked Nease and No. 2 host Middleburg Friday night; in what was suppose to be a hotly contested tight showdown between two of the best girls teams in the area.
It turned out to be anything but that as a two point game at the end of the first quarter, quickly became a route as a 20-2 run in the second quarter helped Nease pull away for a 77-37 District 3-7A win over Middleburg.
Nease and Middleburg entered the game a combined 18-1 overall including a perfect 7-0 in the district, giving area fans a fantastic showdown between the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in the latest Duval Sports Fab Five poll.
It’s been a month since either team had been tested as nobody has been able to get closer than 13 points to Nease, who other than a 13 and 16 point wins over Sandalwood and Holy Spirit, the Panthers have won nearly every game by 30-40 points and have hit 70 points seven of their ten games, including their fifth straight game. While Middleburg hadn’t been in tested in 7 of their 10 games, having easily won games by 30-40 points as well except for a 15 point win over Bartram Trail, a 9 point win over Bartram Trail and a two point loss to Bishop Kenny.
As you could see this was suppose to be the first close game for either in over a month and one of the rare challenges for each in this young season so far.
Ball is tipped and we’re underway here at Middleburg. @DuvalSports pic.twitter.com/jNHOL6m2m6
— Corey Davis (@ByCoreyDavis) December 15, 2018
Early on it was Middleburg asserting itself into the lead behind the play of both Mallory Rooney and Jamyah Harkins, who put the Broncos out to a 10-7 lead midway through the first quarter.
Four year starter Mallory Rooney honored before the game. Rooney scored her 1,670 point recently. pic.twitter.com/izdZ1h7I7m
— Corey Davis (@ByCoreyDavis) December 15, 2018
However, Mar’ria Davis jumper gave them their last lead of the night at 17-16; as a Camille Hobby jumper just before the buzzer gave Nease the lead again after the first quarter.
Kira Turner jumper started a 9-0 run to start the second quarter thanks to easy post plays from Tia Robinson and Hobby; which in turn sparked a 20-2 run and Nease being able to break away to as high as a 19 point lead at 38-19 after a four minute cold spell by the Middleburg shooters and a late three pointer from Grace Beyer with under a minute left in the second quarter.
“We just kept pushing ourselves, eventually the shots will fall, just keep fighting and we had great shooting as well,” Hobby said about the second quarter run that put the game away early for the Panthers.
As the third quarter began, both teams traded multiple turnovers thanks to sloppy play, before 6-3 senior center Camille Hobby, a North Carolina State commit, took over the game and the post area for the Panthers.
Hobby scored eight of her 25 points during the third quarter as Hobby dominated the post on offense and the boards as well, while also the paint on defense with her shot blocking presence.
Ahead 48-26, Hobby rolled off five straight points for the Panthers to give Nease a 53-26 lead with 2:05 left in the third quarter.
As the fourth quarter began, Hobby put a put back in and then nailed a three for a 66-34 lead before Nease cleared the bench and the bench kept the momentum going extending the 28 point lead to as high as 43 on Mary Thompson jumper with seconds remaining; before Autumn Vineyard’s three pointer at the buzzer for Middleburg capped the scoring and 40 point loss for the Broncos.
Another easy win for the Nease Panthers something they have become use to by blowing out nearly every opponent this year, but the girls seem to stay poised about it.
“We try to keep our composure every game, one thing coach always tell us is to never let your opponent see you sweat, never let up and keep going regardless of the score,” Hobby said. “We love the game of basketball and it doesn’t matter whether were up two or 30 were still going to play really hard.”
“It doesn’t matter whether its a close game or not, our goal is to annihilate every team we play, Robinson said. “We get pumped up every time seeing one of our teammates make a great play. We approach every game like its a close one regardless of what the scoreboard says, we just have to execute and play together.
Part of the huge success of the Panthers is the unselfish play of Kiya Turner (11.4 p.p.g.), Tia Robinson (8.9 p.p.g.), Peyton Carter (9.2 p.p.g.), Karissa Niles (8.1 p.p.g.) and Hobby as well as role players off the bench like Grace Beyer (3.2 p.p.g.), Stephanie Manherz (3.8 p.p.g.) and Cecelia Marks (3.6 p.p.g).
Case in point, Manherz, who averaged 3.8 points per game, got her first start of the season and came up clutch at times hitting a couple of big time shots finishing with seven points for the Panthers.
“I’m always telling her you have a great shot , you just have to get your confidence up, its your time to shine as well. She’s able to step up and make big shots for us and I’m always encouraging her and pumping her up,” Robinson said.
Hobby led the Panthers with 25 points, while Turner and Robinson chipped in with 20 and 10 points respectively; while Rooney led the Broncos with 12 points and Harkins and Davis 9 chipped with 9 points each for the Broncos.
On any given night any of the girls are capable of stepping up and taking control of the game if any of them are having a terrible game or being shut down by their opponent, one of the many reasons this Nease team is poised for another lengthy playoff run.
“That’s a big advantage for us, a different person can have a big game, there has been multiple games this year where somebody else has stepped up and had a great individual game; we use our strengths to our advantage, whether its Kiya, Camille or myself or someone else we have to take advantage of the other team, we’re so versatile.”
The ultimate goal for this Nease team is to go further than last year losing in the Elite 8 and finally get to the Final Four in Lakeland and compete for a state title, but Nease veteran coach Sherri Anthony consistently preaches to her team one game a time.
“We made it to the Elite 8 last year,” Robinson said, “We started this season with our goal of trying to get to Lakeland and I think we will get there.”
Nease head coach Sherri Anthony on tonight’s big win over Middleburg Part 1 of 2. @DuvalSports @NeaseAthletics pic.twitter.com/RbD95rTme9
— Corey Davis (@ByCoreyDavis) December 15, 2018
Nease head coach Sherri Anthony on rest of season and getting to Lakeland. @DuvalSports @NeaseAthletics pic.twitter.com/omTEmHtyYo
— Corey Davis (@ByCoreyDavis) December 15, 2018
Middleburg (9-2, 4-1) travels to Ed White Dec 18 for another district game before competing in the prestigious Florida Prospects Christmas Tournament at Wekiva Dec 27-29 against some of the top teams from around the state.
Nease (10-0, 4-0) hosts state power Bishop Moore Dec 19 before competing Dec 27-29 at the Naples Holiday Shootout against some of the top teams from not only Florida but around the country.
