FLEMING ISLAND - A first half three-point shootout between Fleming Island High guard Bryce Robinson and Orange Park guard Marcus Bullock, both top scorers for their respective teams, seemed to make what was supposed to be a battle of the titans only last until halftime as Fleming Island posted an 81-62 win over the Raiders Friday night in the Fleming Island High gymnasium.

"We kind of got a wakeup call in our game against Impact Christian (Jan. 9, a 73-53 loss) that told us we had work to do," said Fleming Island coach Traavis Chandler, now 15-6. "We kind of tooled around with our game and got our defense back in order and our shot selection."

After the Impact drubbing, Fleming Island won three straight games with 70-plus points scored: 84-46 over Clay, 78-58 over Boca Ciega and 75-63 over University Christian.

"We had a terrible night of shooting and shot selection in that Impact game," Chandler said. "We know we can run and we worked on our defense to be quick to the ball."

Fleming Island jetted to a shocking 7-0 opening salvo with Robinson hitting the first of his four first half threes to put the Raiders on their heels right from the opening kickoff.

"We know coach Kurnitsky (Orange Park coach Derek Kurnitsky) was going to try and run with us and shoot threes and worked all week to slow their shooters down," Chandler said. "That first quarter was crazy on both sides, but we settled in with our defense as the game went on."

Orange Park relented and got the score tied at 9-9 and 12-12 with threes from Bullock, Ty'Quavious Williams and Austin Triggs as Raiders' coach Derek Kurnitsky was bent on answering firepower with firepower.

"Funny, maybe not funny, but we had three guys in double figures and still lost," said Kurnitsky, who was without his famous black "clodhopper" dress shoes and socks and maybe could not garner attention from his team as he does in his Raiderdome. "Tip your hat, Fleming Island is very good, fast and organized in their attacks. They were killing us at half court with their traps."

Kurnitsky got 19 points from Williams, 14 from Bullock and 14 from Triggs with six assists. Robinson got his second three near the buzzer of the first quarter as the stanza ended at 17-14 for Fleming Island.

In the second quarter, the proverbial gloves came off, or the proverbial shoe hit the floor as Fleming Island's voracious half-court trap defense had the Raiders gasping as Fleming Island jetted to a 33-18 lead with 2:19 to the halftime oxygen break for Orange Park.

In the second quarter, Fleming Island took command off an offensive rebound and layup from Isaiah Robinson that opened the flood gates with 6-foot-9-inch center Jalil Hill slapping a Williams jumper into the Fleming Island fan section and 6-foot-9-inch center Carson Crawford showing off why he was the presumed marquee player on the court with a muscled up rebound layup, a baseline Robinson whipped pass to Crawford for a score and the coup de resistance breakaway two-handed slam dunk the caused the Fleming Island gym to shake.

Crawford got a steal and assist to his wingman Robinson followed by a Robinson steal to a Crawford dunk in a quick sequence of highlights. Orange Park finally scored with Williams hitting a three and a jumper with a minute left to halftime with the score at 38-23. Williams closed the half with a layup to 38-25.

The third and fourth periods were not nearly as exciting as the Golden Eagles reset for a district tournament that will feature a probable rematch with Orange Park in district 3-5A. Fleming Island (15-6) has five remaining regular season games including a Martin Luther King Tournament game they played against Potter House on Monday, Jan. 19. Games will follow against Final Four 3A-Cardinal Gibbons (17-3) on Jan. 23 and The Rock out of Gainesville on Jan. 24. The Rock (10-5) is ranked third in the Sunshine Independent District then 5A St. Augustine.

"Now we know them and we'll retool our game," Kurnitsky said. "Every game from here on is important. We want a region playoff game, too."

Orange Park (12-7) finishes with six games with 6A-Viera (13-6), 6A-Oakleaf (11-8, five straight wins with a 68-55 win over Middleburg on Friday), 4A-Bishop Kenny (16-3, third-ranked 4A) and Terry Parker among the challengers.

Middleburg, 9-11, lost the second game to Oakleaf 68-55 with a little less fanfare after a 51-50 loss in game one despite a nine-point lead late in the game. Bronco coach Burt Cannon has a 3-2 slate for January. Oakleaf looked forward to a game two with Orange Park visiting Dunkin Gym on Jan. 22.

Ridgeview, 8-11, took a 71-67 loss to Christ's Church Academy (14-6, ranked 16th in 1A) on Friday with the Panthers nearly making a comeback with a 43-37 advantage in the second half falling short. Ridgeview had three players with 20-plus points led by Aaron Carr's 23 and 20 apiece from Jamarion Dupont and Gavin Stechschulte.

The Panthers returned home for a game against Middleburg on Jan. 20 and will be on the road to Clay on Jan. 23.