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Late spurt gets win for Eagles

By Randy Lefko Sports Editor
Posted 1/23/19

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Late spurt gets win for Eagles


Posted

FLEMING ISLAND – Oakleaf High basketball got a shot in the arm with a one point lead as the fourth quarter started in their district showdown with Fleming Island with guard Zaki Butler nailing a jumper, but the Golden Eagles’ fourth quarter resilience answered with a three pointer and layup from Jordan Miles to hold the Knights at bay and win 56-51 in front of a packed Fleming Island High School gymnasium.

“The coach is believing in me,” said Miles, who has been the “third guy” in coach Traavis Chandler’s frontal attack of senior Gianfranco Grafals as shooter and guard Sebastian Astor as assist leader. “I just had to get it in my mind to be aggressive and take the shots I get and not dishing off to them.”

The win keeps the Golden Eagles (13-1) perfect in district 4-8A at 6-0, but puts Oakleaf (10-4, 2-4) in the mix after a week of wins over Creekside and Bartram Trail and close losses to Buchholz and now Fleming Island. Fleming Island beat Oakleaf 64-48 in early December.

“I thought we played well enough to win which I thought was good for the team to see that they can play at this level,” said Oakleaf coach Jason Price. “We rebounded our butts off. We were physical, first to the ball on the floor. This game was probably good for both teams as the districts come up in a week. Our district is super tough.”

Ironically, Fleming Island opened the game with a Miles jumper followed by a Grafals three pointer as the Golden Eagles bolted to a quick 7-3 lead in what looked to be a Fleming Island runaway, but Oakleaf responded with guard Markel Allums hitting his five-point spurt of a three-pointer and a jumper and center Chantz Williams throwing down a defiant dunk to tie the game at 9-9.

From there, both teams threw haymakers up and down the court with defense keeping the game close at 16-15 after one quarter.

“They had some great schemes and looks and played great defense,”

said Chandler. “We got a couple of steals and rebounds to give us a little bit of a cushion for most of the game, but they kept at it.”’

In the second quarter, Fleming Island looked to distance themselves from the Oakleaf defense with a three pointers from Aaron Brown and Astor, but Allums, just a sophomore, was staying hot to keep the gap small. Three pointers from Allums and Kenny Thomas got Oakleaf to a 28-26 gap with a minute to the half before Grafals crushed a tomahawk dunk that ignited the gym.

The dunk got followed by a charge foul to Thomas with Fleming Island guard Khalid Pogue, who has been instrumental as the spark plug for Golden Eagle surges, getting steals to set up jumpers from Astor and a Grafals three pointer as Fleming Island headed to the lockers up 33-26.

“Those two guys; Pogue and guard Steele Perry, come in, add speed to the defense and lock down people,” said Chandler. “It’s tough on the other team when the sixth and seventh guys can come in and the pace stays fast.”

Oakleaf opened the second half with Thomas nailing a three pointer and Allums again pushing a jumper to close the gap to 35-33 at 6:03.

The lead stayed in the 2-4 point range as both teams started crashing the boards and shutting down inside scoring on both ends of the court.

“Chantz has started to become the force in the paint,” said Price. “He’s setting school records for blocked shots and rebounds and taking that responsibility on his shoulders.”

Late in the fourth, with some pushing and shoving slowing the game to free throws, a Grafals dunk after a Perry steal woke up the Golden Eagles attack for the final surge to win the game.

“We are fortunate to be able to get that 4-5 point burst late in the game,” said Chandler. “That’s our conditioning in the week that leads to the confidence in the last part of the game. Everyone at this point with us at 12-13 and one, is putting a target on our backs. We are going to get everyone’s A-game from here on out.”’

Fleming Island continues in district play with Creekside and Bartram Trail before a second match with Clay on February 1. 5A-Raines (10-4) and 6A-Orange Park (10-7 with a six game win streak) finish regular season play.

Oakleaf finishes with an away district match at Creekside on Tues., Jan. 22, and a home district match with Buchholz, who beat Oakleaf 35-32 January 12) on Thurs., Jan. 24 with Orange Park, Clay, Sandalwood and Middleburg finishing regular season play.