LAKELAND, Fla. - After leading his team with a game-high 25 points in a 63-43 win over Bishop Verot in the state semifinal, Pine Crest guard Brandon Knight solidified himself as arguably the top player in the Class of 2010 by directing the Panthers to a 60-44 win over Orlando Jones in the Class 3A championship game on Friday at the Lakeland Center.
Knight, a junior, finished the contest with 27 points to go along nine rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Brandon Knight, Pine Crest
File Photo By Lisa Yen
"I'm so happy right now I don't even know what to say," Knight said. "It's been a long season but we stood together, played hard and now can say we're champions again. Winning a championship is hard, but I think defending one is harder. Our coaching staff did a great job in preparing us for big games and all the hard work paid off."
Despite Knight's heroics, it was the consistent effort of forward Ed Waite that allowed him his freedom. If Knight was Batman, than Waite was definitely Robin as the senior posted 13 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in the win.
"Having a guy like Ed in the post makes things alot easier for me," Knight said. "He can score, pass, rebound and is a threat to a lot of big men. Knowing that he can finish makes it more important for me to get him the ball."
Pine Crest (27-4) began the game exactly where it left off in its 20-point romp over Bishop Verot in the state semifinal two days prior.
The momentum was too much for Orlando Jones as the Panthers built a 49-29 lead at the end of three quarters. It’s defense did an excellent job in holding the Tigers to a combined 14 points in the second and third quarters alone.
The Tigers could not find their rhythm and struggled for much of the game, going 0-for-11 from 3-point range in the first half and going 10-of-30 from the field in the second half.
Waite, who averaged 14.3 points and 13.3 rebounds per game during the regular season, helped his team take an 11-point lead (33-22) by halftime after capping an 8-2 run with a ferocious dunk as the clock ran out.
The Monmouth University signee knew what his team was capable of and did not hesitate to lead by example.
"From the beginning, I told the guys we were going to beat them by 15 or 20 points," Waite said. " We played great defense. Everyone chipped in today and that is what winning a championship is all about. The memories I have and the lessons I've learned while playing here will be with me forever."
The dunk hepled fuel Pine Crest’s momentum heading into the second half as the dynamic duo combined for eight points as part of a 13-0 run to end the third quarter.
Knight, a 6-foot-3 guard who averaged 31.3 points per game during the regular season, didn’t shoot his best in the beginning of the game but finished strong. The junior phenom scored 14 of his team's final 18 points, while also going 12-of-16 from the free throw line.
Pine Crest is the second Broward County to win back-to-back state titles in boys basketball. Dillard won four Class 6A titles from 2000-2003.
