Palm Beach Lakes get back to state semis, but fall to reigning champions Miami High
LAKELAND — After graduating two bonafide superstars from last year’s squad, the Palm Beach Lakes girls basketball team appeared set for rebuild mode for 2020-21.
Throw in the uncertainty of COVID-19 — which caused all preseason games to be canceled and limited coach Cassandra Rahming’s ability to put together a normal schedule — things looked bleak.
Through it all, though, one thing became clear: As long as Rahming is calling the shots, you can never count out the Rams.
Despite long odds, Lakes rallied behind their longtime coach, advancing to Friday’s Class 7A state semifinals for the second consecutive year. But that’s where the fairy tale ended as the Rams suffered a 46-39 loss to defending state champ Miami High.
“I’m very disappointed right now,” said Rahming, who led Lakes to a state crown in 2015, a season after falling in the semifinals. “We’ve come a long way in a very difficult season, dealing with COVID and all the restrictions. I’m very proud of the kids.
“It’s hard to get (to Lakeland). You have to take advantage of your opportunities, and we came up short two years in a row. We have to get back in there, grind and figure it out.”
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Playing without graduated seniors Keishmy Ayuso — the Palm Beach Post’s Best of Preps Player of the Year for large schools last season — and star forward Sh’Naya Anderson, the Rams (12-2) relied heavily on senior guard Zaida Gonzalez, an FIU hoops signee.
Although Gonzalez struggled with foul trouble in the first half Friday against Miami, she caught fire in the final two quarters, finishing with 16 points, five rebounds and four assists.
With less than 5 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Gonzalez’s jumper got Lakes within 34-32. But those were the last points she would score in her impressive high school career, as Miami’s defense focused on limiting her attempts.
“The videos I saw, I basically told the kids, it seems like Zaida was the only one who could put the ball in the hole, jump-shot wise,” said Stingarees coach Sam Baumgarten. “What (our defense) did against Zaida was phenomenal. Every shot she made was a tough shot.”
Gonzalez said her lack of scoring down the stretch was more about herself, not Miami’s defensive pressure.
“It was bad decision-making and I was tired,” she said. “I wouldn’t say it was necessarily their defense; I just didn’t make the right moves. That’s it.”
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After the Stingarees (15-8) made a 3-pointer, pushing the advantage to 37-32, the Rams got a free throw from junior Casey Lewis and layup by junior Trinity Goldwire to get back within two.
However, with a chance to tie after a defensive stop, Lakes missed a pair of shots. Miami proceeded to collect the next five points, jumping ahead 42-35 with 2:29 left.
“I was feeling really good, but we left a lot of points on the board,” Rahming said. “You can’t do that with an experienced team like them. They out-rebounded us and they finished. We didn’t.”
Lewis, who transferred from Benjamin after last season, finished with 10 points and seven rebounds, fouling out in the closing minutes. Senior Deborrah Seitu-Redmon, another Benjamin transfer, added six points and six rebounds.
Despite the loss, Gonzalez is eager to continue her hoops career next year at FIU.
“I see myself as a very hard worker, so when I go to the next level I’m gonna keep that same energy, same mindset,” she said. “When I get better, the sky’s the limit.”
Miami advanced to face Tampa-Plant in the 7A final at 8 p.m. today. The Stingarees are seeking their fifth overall girls basketball state championship.