Blanche Ely girls rally from 11-point halftime deficit to win 1st state title since 1992

Blanche Ely’s only choice was to win with defense. An uncharacteristic cold spell hit the Tigers when they arrived in Lakeland to play in the final four Thursday and it didn’t break in the Class 6A championship. On Thursday, Blanche Ely missed 19 of the 23 three-pointers it attempted and the Tigers were off to the same sort of start Saturday against Apopka Wekiva.

For the second straight day, Blanche Ely could hardly get a three to fall. It missed its first nine and went into halftime trailing by 11, and then flipped to its other identity. With defense, the Tigers charged all the way back to beat Wekiva, 51-46, and bring a state title back home to Pompano Beach for the first time since 1992.

“That’s kind of been our staple all year. First half defend, but not too put too much pressure,” coach JR McNabb, “and then in the second half pick up the intensity.”

The Tigers (29-6) finished just 18 of 55 from the field and 3 of 23 from behind the arc. JaNiyah Moore, who averages more than 10 points per game, went 1 of 12 from deep. Fellow guard Ja’Leah Williams, who leads the team with more than 16 points per game, was just 1 of 12 from the field, although she went 8 of 8 from the free-throw line and scored 10 points. Wing Zaria Blake led the team with just 11 points, plus 13 rebounds and three steals.

Blanche Ely, however, attempted 19 more shots than the Mustangs. The Tigers grabbed 12 steals — 10 in the second half — and 15 offensive rebounds. Thirteen of Blanche Ely’s points were on second chances and 13 were off turnovers. Wekiva (24-9) only attempted 15 shots in the second half.

Blanche Ely spent its entire weekend at the RP Funding Center battling a massive shooting slump. The typically sharpshooting Tigers shot just 36.2 percent from the field against Winter Haven in the 6A semifinals and needed a miraculous finish just to get to its first state-championship game since 1992.

“These two games,” McNabb said, “have been probably the most exciting basketball games I’ve been a part of.”

It carried into Saturday at George Jenkins Arena. Blanche Ely went 0 for 8 from three in the first quarter, then missed its first in the second. Even when Michiya Simmons finally hit one with 6:25 left in the second quarter, the Tigers immediately hit a nearly five-minute field-goal drought.

The Tigers went 0 for 8 from three-point range in the first quarter, then missed their first in the second. Even when Michiya Simmons finally hit Blanche Ely’s first three of the game, the Tigers immediately followed it up with a nearly five-minute field-goal drought. At halftime, Blanche Ely trailed 29-18 — its largest deficit of the game.

“The game just turned,” Mustangs coach Tommie Butts said. “It turned so fast in the second half.”

The Tigers swung the game with its pressure. Blanche Ely grabbed five steals in the third quarter and turned them into eight points.

With 4:09 to go, Moore grabbed her only steal of the game and charged down the court to draw a foul. She sunk two free throws to tie the game at 41-41. The Tigers kept their full-court pressure on and wing Jaylen Ponder grabbed another steal. Moore went to the free-throw line again and knocked in one to give Blanche Ely its first lead since 2-0. After another stop by the Tigers, Williams found Moore in the right corner and the senior knocked down her only three of the game to give Blanche Ely a 45-41 lead.

The Tigers never trailed again. Blanche Ely had five steals in the final 4:09 and Wekiva only made one shot.

“[McNabb] always just said, ‘Keep our head up. Don’t worry about it,’” Williams said. “Nothing that play did could help us with the next play.”