Suncoast boys basketball wins first state title since 1990
· Yahoo Sports
JACKSONVILLE — Suncoast boys basketball has its storybook ending.
Visit salonsustainability.club for more information.
The Chargers defeated Atlantic-Port Orange, 85-62 on Thursday, March 12, at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, winning the program's first state championship since 1990.
Suncoast appeared to come into Thursday's conest with the objective of getting to the rim, drawing contact in the first quarter and benefiting from trips to the line.
While the early-going was tightly-contested across the first four minutes of play, Aaron Horton changed that with one fast-break.
The senior took the pass and landed an emphatic one-handed dunk, sending the sizable Suncoast crowd into an uproar as the Chargers went up 9-4.
If that wasn't enough to 'charge' the Suncoast supporters, Horton doubled down with another dunk less than a minute later, threatening to spiral the first half into a one-sided affair.
The teams traded miniature runs to end the first, with a six-point Suncoast run coming in answer to Atlantic's 7-0 resurgence.
Ignited by Jamarey Harris, Suncoast recaptured the momentum late in the second quarter en route to building a 36-26 halftime lead.
That lead blossomed to 13 points after a fast-paced, sharpshooting third quarter from both squads, as the energy picked up in a big way — though for every advantage Atlantic found, Suncoast appeared to be ready with an effective answer.
When Harris stole the ball and laid it up for a third Horton dunk, all of the energy was zapped out of an Atlantic squad lacking answers, and the Chargers would go on to take advantage of the Sharks' full-court press with lethal efficiency.
This season has not quite been one of 'firsts' but rather, one of 'firsts in a while.'
Suncoast last won a state championship 36 years ago. This year's regional title, state semifinal victory, and state title win brought old-school city supporters as well as fans of the modern team together to support Chargers basketball.
The victory establishes this year's Suncoast team as the highest-achieving squad since the years of the fabled 'Charger Rapid Transit' squads ― but this team has created their own legacy.
Alex Peterman is a high school sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Suncoast boys hoops beats Atlantic for first championship since 1990