Three Keys teams tipped off the postseason Feb. 3 with the hopes of making a run toward the state championship series. By the end of the day, only Marathon was still in the running.
Coral Shores played Miami Killian in the 3A District 16 quarterfinals and got off to a rocky start. Down by 14 at the half, the ’Canes regained their composure and began to narrow the gap. Still down by 10 in quarter four, and with Killian holding the ball to maintain their lead, Coral Shores knew they had to make something happen. Their intentional fouls, committed in hopes of regaining possession, did not play out, as the Cougars sank eight foul shots in succession to seal the Hurricanes’ fate.
Junior Donovan Thiery scored 38 points in the game, many at pivotal moments for the team. Senior Ayden Lane added 14 in his final hardwood appearance as a Hurricane. Coral Shores finished the season with a 4-17 record after the 74-64 loss to Killian.
Key West knew it would be a battle heading into the District 4A quarterfinals against the Cobras of South Miami High. Without their leading scorer, the Conchs would need all hands on deck if they had any hope to advance. The seniors left it all on the court, with David Aviles scoring 21 points to lead the charge. Classmate Tramane Scott scored 10 of his own and pulled down an incredible 20 rebounds. The freshmen lent a hand in a collective effort to keep their season alive. Tyrese Scott stepped up and sank eight for the Conchs and Judson Snider added five. Leo Batista, a junior, hustled for 10 rebounds and three steals plus a pair of points. Despite the team’s drive, the Cobras came out on top by a single point. The heartbreaking 51-50 loss left the Conchs 9-12 on the season.
Meanwhile, the Fins made the long trip to Moore Haven for the Rural Class District 8 tournament. Up first for Marathon was a quarterfinal matchup against the Gators of Glades Day School on Feb. 3. The Fins dispatched the Gators 56-46 in their first playoff win in their new district classification. In all, 10 Fins saw action in the quarterfinals, with Jack Chapman leading the way, scoring 17. Carlos Lezcano added 10 while Daeshawn Holmes scored eight with nine rebounds and six blocks. Briggs Roberts added seven to his stats to help seal the win.
Two nights later, Marathon faced the Moore Haven Terriers in the semifinals. Holmes added yet another double-double to his stats, scoring 11 and pulling down 14 rebounds. Roberts added nine and Lezcano eight, but Marathon faced an uphill battle against the district favorites who ended their season at Moore Haven, one game shy of the district championships. Despite the 54-38 loss, coach Jim Murphy found a silver lining.
“We were able to play or see every team in our district and now know what we have to do to win the championship in the years to come,” he said.
