OCALA - In what Fleming Island High boys basketball coach Traavis Chandler called "a game that Final Four teams don't play", his Golden Eagles traveled to Ocala Vanguard's Kingdom of the Sun Invitational which featured a plethora of teams from all over the southeastern United States to take on a Kentucky team known for its shooting prowess—Christian Academy of Louisville.

"Any basketball team from Kentucky can shoot the rock," said Chandler, who also lost a 54-47 game to Sarasota on Saturday and played Atlantic High (9-4) on Sunday, Dec. 28. "These guys can shoot."

Prophetic as Chandler's pre-game words were, his Fleming Island team, third ranked in Class 5A, fought back from an early 7-2 first quarter blast from Christian Academy of Kentucky, the 10th ranked in Louisville; 25th in Kentucky program, via, as predicted a three pointer and a handful of fast steals to layups.

"We have to find a way to come out hot and not have to play catch up all the time," said Chandler, after Christian Academy stormed back to win 54-50 behind a strong third quarter. "Final Four teams don't make the kind of mistakes we made in the final minutes of a game like this against a good team."

In the first quarter, behind jumpers from Jalil Hill and a three from Bryce Robinson, the Golden Eagles clawed back to tie at 12-12 with Ryan Turner blasting a corner three to a 17-13 Golden Eagle lead, 17-15, at the first quarter buzzer.

Fleming Island kept a gap through the second quarter behind strong paint play from Hill against Christian's muscular sophomore center Kellan Hall with Hill accounting for a jumper and two frees to a 21-18 Fleming Island lead.
Fleming Island center Carson Crawford started to assert his dominance with running hooks and strong rebounding to layups as Fleming Island finished the half at 30-26.

In the third, much to Chandler's angst, was a fast start with Turner and Hill tough under the basket getting a quick 36-26 edge before Christian guard Jayden Washington got hot with threes and challenging drives to the basket to go 10-0 to tie the game at 36-36 with three minutes left in the third.

A pair of threes by Washington became a dagger to the Golden Eagle defense with the third three at the buzzer with Christian owning a 44-38 lead into the fourth quarter.

"Our lack of effort in the third quarter won't work against Final Four teams if we get there," Chandler said.

In the final three minutes of the fourth, Fleming Island fought back with their full court trap press creating opportunities, including a Robinson three, to cut the lead to 51-48 with a minute to go as momentum seemed to swing toward the Fleming Island sideline.

A three-man battle under the Fleming Island basket with Hill, Crawford and Hall got a tip in from Hill to a 52-50 lead with 38 seconds still to play. A steal by Isaiah Robinson looked to be a game steal, but Robinson was whistled for palming the ball attempting to break downcourt.

Another unopportunistic whistle on a blocking foul on Robinson, after getting hammered on a drive by Christian guard Will Alvey, were the final two points on the board.

Clay Christmas Tournament

Clay High's boys basketball got a strong 47-38 win over ED White in their second game of the Clay High Christmas Invitational on Dec. 22-23 after an opening loss to Christ's Church Academy, 50-46. Christ's Church, 9-4, would lose 81-68 to sixth ranked in 6A Nease (12-2) for the tournament team title.

Gus Gibbs Invitational (DeLand)

Oakleaf High's boys basketball team stopped a four-game losing streak—two in regular season and two at the Gus Gibbs Memorial Invitational at DeLand High—before getting a 75-40 win over Scholar's Prep Academy out of Orlando on the final day of the tournament. Oakleaf, now 5-6, lost games of 65-47 to 5A-Cape Coral (10-2, ranked 20th in 5A) and 5A (8-4) Leesburg, 58-52.

The Knights traveled to the True Force Shootout in Legacy Park in Alachua for a three-day tournament with game one against Suwannee (4-5) on Dec. 27.
Oakleaf beat Suwannee 62-45 with a Sunday game scheduled against Ocala Forest (10-2) and a Monday game set depending on outcomes.