Florida 6A boys basketball semifinals: Martin County and Ponte Vedra advance to state championship game
The 2022 Florida (FHSAA) Class 6A boys basketball state championship game is set.
Martin County and Ponte Vedra survived and advanced on Thursday, and will meet in the 6A state title game on Saturday.
Here's a recap of the 6A semifinals:
Martin County 52, Wharton 47
This was a matchup of two of the best defensive teams in the state. The Martin County Tigers came in allowing just 56.7 points per game, while the Wharton Wildcats allowed just 43.2 points per game.
The Tigers held on for the 52-47 victory and advanced to their first state championship game since 1979.
Despite shooting just 3-of-13 from 3-point range, the Tigers were led by senior forward and Nova Southeastern commit Ryan Davis who finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Senior guard Jack Pierrelus added 11 points and four assists.
“We played a tough schedule all season long to prepare for this moment,” Martin County head coach John Leon said.
The Wildcats were led by senior forwards Trevor Dyson and Chandler Davis who finished with 16 points each. Senior guard Carlos Nesbitt added seven points.
Martin County will try to win the school’s fourth state championship when they meet Ponte Vedra on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET. A fourth title would be the most all-time by a Treasure Coast area school.
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Ponte Vedra 57, Winter Haven 54
Senior guard JT Kelly drilled a huge 3-pointer with just under a minute to play to give the Sharks a 55-54 lead and they held on from there.
Ponte Vedra will now play in its first state championship game in school history.
“It’s an awesome feeling to be part of history,” Kelly said after the win. “Playing for a state championship is something no other program has ever experienced in our school ... it's special.”
The other highlight of the night was senior guard Luke Pirris eclipsing the 1,000-point plateau early in the third quarter. Pirris finished with 15 points on the night after being held scoreless in the first half.
The Blue Devils were led by sophomore guard Isaac Celiscar who finished with a game-high 16 points. Junior forward Dylan James added 15 and sophomore forward Jamie Phillips finished with 12 points.
