Bishop Kenny went to Lakeland on a mission. Defeating Cooca 52-40 in the state semifinals, they had unfinished business after their state championship loss last year to American Heritage. However, they faced another team with unfinished business in Lake Highland Prep. The Highlanders lost in the state championship game last year to Oxbridge Academy. So both teams had something to prove.
Bishop Kenny’s Jasmyne Roberts started off the game looking to fulfill that championship goal. She scored Bishop Kenny’s first 11 points of the game. She drove to the basket, and hit a long 3-pointer from the NBA stripe to keep her team close.
However Lake Highland Prep forced lots of turnovers which resulted in points for the talented team from Central Florida. Nyla Harris intercepted a pass and went coast to coast. While her teammate Eleecia Carter closed out the quarter with a steal and coast to coast score of her own. The first quarter ended 16-11 advantage Lake Highland Prep.
The second quarter saw Bishop Kenny’s supporting cast assist Roberts. Jamia Nesmith asserted herself down low. Rose Domlovich and Maddie Millar hit 3-pointers in the quarter. Their toughness kept them close to Lake Highland Prep, however no one could stop the many weapons the Highlanders possessed. Guard Sierra Godbolt was the player to step up for them as they took a 27-23 lead into halftime.
Jasmyne Roberts started the game off hot, scoring 15 points in the first half. However she cooled off a little in the second half as Lake Highland Prep’s Coach Al Honor called timeout to draw up a strategy to contain her. He assigned Cruz to Roberts in the second quarter and Godbolt to her in the third. They forced the ball out of her hands successfully and made her work to get the ball. With their best player winded, the Crusaders succumbed to the pressure of the Highlanders defense and offense. They scored 9 unanswered points to start the second half.
Carter, Ingram, and Cruz hit 3-pointers in the second half.They took advantage of the zone defense by Kenny knocking down corner 3-pointers to balloon their lead to 15 points. The Crusaders couldn’t keep up, falling to Lake Highland Prep 61-46.
Coach Charlsea Clark has done a masterful job taking the Crusaders to the mountain top in consecutive years. However, she must wait another year to enter the promised land. Roberts and Nesmith return as the nucleus of a team that looks to come back for unfinished business.
Top Scorers: Class 4A State Championship
Bishop Kenny:
Jasmyne Roberts 21 points
Maddie Millar 10 points
Lake Highland Prep:
Nyla Harris 20 points
Eleecia Carter 14 points
Stefanie Ingram 12 points
