Pembroke Pines finishes job to win 5A title

LAKELAND — Pembroke Pines won silver last year, this time the Jaguars mined gold.

Pembroke Pines built a 16-point lead in the first quarter and held off Choctawhatchee’s multiple comeback attempts to come away with an 83-68 victory on Saturday afternoon in the championship game of the 2021 FHSHAA Class 5A Boys Basketball State Championships at the RP Funding Center.

"It feels very much accomplished," Pembroke Pines coach Dave Roca said. "I'm excited for the program, and I'm especially excited for all those who came before throughout the program, the coaches, the players. I'm really excited for the players who got the program started." 

Kolby King paced Pembroke Pines with 27 points on 9 of 13 shooting. He was one of five Jaguars to score in double figures.

Caelum Ethridge scored 17 points, Geoffrey Sprouse scored 14 points with eight assists, Elijah Wyche had 13 points and six assists, and Brandon Armentaros added 10 points.

Despite trailing 16 points in the first quarter and Pembroke Pines' 15-point margin of victory, Choctawhatchee was in striking distance for most of the game.

Pembroke Pines finally put away Choctawhatchee in the final 4:44.

Leading, 62-56, the Jaguars outscored the Indians, 21-10, the rest of the game.

Pembroke Pines took control early. Leading 9-7 midway through the first quarter, used a 14-0 run to take its largest lead of the game and force the Indians to play catch-up the rest of the game.

Choctawhatchee reeled in Pembroke Pines by late in the second half. Trailing 27-11, the Indians went on an 18-6 run to make it a four-point game.

It remained a four-point game at halftime with Pembroke Pines leading, 35-31.

Choctawhatchee got as close as three points once in the third quarter bu otherwise, Pembroke Pines' lead stayed between four and eight points in the quarter.

"In the beginning, they got up by 16 and it was hard to come back and fight and still get your pushes you would normally get at the end of the game," Choctawhatchee coach Andrew Thigpen said. "We had some good runs but to let a good team get ahead light that, it's going to be tough."

Choctawhatchee's Jamil Bowles led all scorers with 28 points, and Isaiah Bledsoe added 13 points.

Choctawhatchee (26-2): Jayce Brown 0-1 0-0 0, Isaiah Bledsoe 5-9 1-2 13, Tariq Pitts 0-0 0-0 0, Ezra McKenna 3-8 0-0 7, Javaris Young 4-10 0-1 8, Jamil Bowles 10-17 6-11 28, Elijah Johnson 0-1 0-2 0, Asa Newell 4-5 0-1 8, Jaden Newell 0-0 0-0 0, Amarion Pettis 2-7 0-0 4, Ki-el Webb 0-0 0-0 0, Brian Grant 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-58 7-17 68

Pemroke Pines Charter (12-3): Brandon Armentaros 3-3 4-4 10, Caelum thridge 6-15 2-2 17, Ismael Baqai 0-0 0-0 0, Geoffrey Sprouse 4-8 6-9 14, Kolby King 9-13 8-10 27, Elijah Wyche 6-10 1-4 13, Dominic Cabrera 0-0 0-0 0, Pete Laidley 1-4 0-2 2. Totals 29-53 21-31 83

Halftime: Pembroke Pines 35-31. FG%: Choctawhatchee .483, Pemroke Pines Charter .547. 3-pt FG:Choctawhatchee 5-17 (Bledsoe 2-4, McKenna 1-3, Young 0-2, Bowles 2-4, Newell 0-1, Pettis 0-3), Pemroke Pines Charter 4-18 (thridge 3-11, Sprouse 0-3, King 1-3, Laidley 0-1). Rebounds: Choctawhatchee 34 (McKenna 10), Pemroke Pines Charter 33 (thridge 7, Wyche 7). Fouls Choctawhatchee 23, Pemroke Pines Charter 14. Fouled out: none. Technical: Bledsoe. Assists: Choctawhatchee 14 (Bowles 4), Pemroke Pines Charter 17 (Sprouse 8). Steals: Choctawhatchee 6 (Young 3), Pemroke Pines Charter 13 (Sprouse 8). Blocked shots: Choctawhatchee 1 (McKenna 1), Pemroke Pines Charter 3 (King 2). Turnovers: Choctawhatchee 19, Pemroke Pines Charter 11. Attendance: 0.