Jacksonville Fl- With less than a minute to play in the Class 2A Region 1 Final, Impact Christian Academy and University Christian found themselves knotted at 62 all. That’s when an unlikely hero stepped up for the Lions. Sophomore Ronald Clark received the pass on the right baseline, and dribbled left into the paint. Clark would leap and hang in the air, while double pumping a layup around defenders as the ball rolled into the basket at the buzzer. The crowd would erupt as Ronald raced to end of the court to tell the UC fans goodnight and goodbye. University Christian was going home, and Impact was going to Lakeland after the 64-62 win.
Check out this UNBELIEVABLE FINISH!!! Impact defeats University Christian at the buzzer! Ronald Clark sends his team back to State! pic.twitter.com/6ugIi5Qvlp
— Duval Sports (@DuvalSports) February 24, 2024
Said Clark after the game, “I was open and Jeremiah saw me; I was going to shoot it but I went down hill and I got a layup”. Head Coach Ben Jones said this of his sophomore guard, “Ronald Clark is relatively unknown right now, but that won’t be for long; he is one of the better guards in the state and definitely one of the best in the city, people are going to find that out real quick”.
Impact trailed University Christian by 3-points 62-59 in the fourth quarter with less than a minute to play. Needing a stop, the Lions relied upon their playmakers on defense and they delivered. First, Taylor Thompson would force a steal to thwart a UC score. Next time down the court, Jeremiah Jones and Christopher Jackson would combine to force another turnover by the Christians, allowing Impact’s Taylor Thompson to come down the court and hit a big three-pointer to tie the game. Impact used their quickness to create lots of turnovers and blow past the bigger UC defenders on offense.
Said Thompson after the game, “My teammates kept trusting me, I trust myself and the work that I put in; that’s nothing but God, we live for this moment”. What a moment it was for the senior guard, who leads the team this season averaging 11.5 points per game. Against University Christian, he hit several big shots in the game including crucial ones late to keep his team in striking distance.
Taylor Thompson was in the zone down the stretch of the Regional Final vs UC! Hit several big shots including two 3-pointers to bring his team back! All year he's been Impact's leader avg 11.5ppg @DuvalSports pic.twitter.com/qcKCPFXRwc
— Andre' Ellis💬 (@andreellis55) February 24, 2024
He wasn’t the only one for Impact who hit big shots including Jeremiah Jones, and Wilmer Dejesus. They both knocked down key shots in the game, and that’s why Impact has been able to rely on them all year. Dejesus is the second leading scorer on the team averaging 10.5 points per game.
The game was back and forth throughout, featuring some of the best talent in the state. University Christian was led by their massive front court. Adalbert Allotey (6′ foot 9inches ) blocked shots and posted up the smaller Impact players. He even ran the floor in transition to be on the receiving end of passes where he finished strong at the rim.
He was accompanied by 6’5 Simon Amponsah who grabbed rebounds blocked shots and finished strong at the basket. Calvin Carter was also very active on both ends of the court harassing offensive players, but finishing as the trailer on fast breaks. He and Bryant Boykin would take charge as Boykin hit a nice shot late in the game to keep the pressure on Impact.
However, the effort wasn’t good enough for University Christian to close the deal against an Impact team that has found it’s niche at the right time. Impact and Coach Jones have now won 15 of their last 17 games after starting the season 3-8. It was a remarkable turnaround for a truly remarkable coach. Since Jones arrived in 2016, he’s now taken four different Impact teams to the Final 4. (2023-2024, 2020-2021,2019-2020,2017-2018)
Coach Ben Jones does it again! Of all the great coaching jobs he's done, this one might be his best! He and his staff overcame a 3-8 start to win the next 15 of 17 gms to go back to the Final 4! Ronald Clark, the player of the game with the winning basket! @DuvalSports pic.twitter.com/G3MplSs3i5
— Andre' Ellis💬 (@andreellis55) February 24, 2024
Speaking on the slow start to the 2023-2024 season Jones would say, “we wanted to embrace the adversity at that point, come together as a team, set some goals, and over the course of our last 17 games we won 15 of them”.– Ben Jones
Now, #4 seed Impact (18-10) turns their focus to Lakeland Florida and the Final 4, where they will face #1 seed Sagemont (23-6) on 2/27/24, at 3 pm.
