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Boys basketball: Jesuit turns up energy, topples Lake Wales

 
Published Feb. 11, 2016

TAMPA — Perhaps a little jittery, and for certain overly patient on offense, Jesuit found itself down 23-18 at halftime and in need of a new directive.

"There was no raised voice. Just some exhorting," head coach Neal Goldman said of his halftime address.

The message: stop hesitating, start hoisting. Jesuit did so, to splendid effect, blitzing Lake Wales with an 18-2 run to start the third quarter and defeating the Highlanders 51-41 in Wednesday's Class 4A region quarterfinal.

The Tigers (23-5) return home next week to face today's Robinson-Sebring winner.

Stephen Darst had 16 points and six assists for Jesuit. Tyson Dunn, DJ Snyder and Lee Green all scored nine, with Dunn's trio of 3-pointers standing out.

Lake Wales' Tyler Antonucci scored 11 in the first half, his third 3-pointer providing the halftime margin. But Dunn's first make got Jesuit started and the Tigers had the lead within two minutes.

"We just really focused on the game plan, which was drive and kick it out," Dunn said.

The Tigers made six 3-pointers in the half while Lake Wales had none, and Antonucci only scored two more points.

The 6-6 Green had quite the stretch as in 90 seconds Jesuit scored eight straight to lead 35-25. He calmly sank a 3, got a block, made a jumper then made a steal that led to Dunn's 3.

"Sometimes the first shot you have is going to be the best one. In the first half we were passing up shots, a little nervous maybe," Goldman said.

In all Jesuit made its first five 3-point attempts of the quarter and led 42-29 by its conclusion. The Tigers slowed the pace, scoring their nine fourth-quarter points in a two-minute stretch.

Lake Wales (12-14) committed 20 turnovers, 11 in the second half. Snyder hassled the Highlanders all night and made five steals.

Most of the Highlanders damage came on the glass, where it held a 27-13 edge — 11-3 on the offensive end.