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Charles helps Wekiva rally past Leesburg

Abiah Charles scores 15 points, including 3-pointers that cap Mustangs’ rally from 19-3 down
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LEESBURG, FLORIDA – Abiah Charles hit back-to-back 3-pointers, the last one with 1:26 left Tuesday to give the Wekiva Mustangs a 45-42 victory over Leesburg in a non-district game, Tuesday.

Charles finished with a game-high 15 points for Wekiva (21-3, No. 11 in the SBLive Florida Power 25), which will close the regular season at home tomorrow against Deltona Pine Ridge. The Mustangs also got 10 points from Darius Livingston.

Wekiva's Abiah Charles shoots for a first-half 3-pointer against Leesburg's Camerin James. Charles scored a game-high 15 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer, in the Mustangs' 45-42 victory. James had 13 points.

Wekiva's Abiah Charles shoots for a first-half 3-pointer against Leesburg's Camerin James. Charles scored a game-high 15 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer, in the Mustangs' 45-42 victory. James had 13 points.

Camerin James had 13 points and five steals to lead Leesburg (10-10), which will give its strength of schedule another boost, traveling to No. 4 Olympia on Thursday. Evan James had 12 points, and Derek McCray had 11 points for the Yellow Jackets, who then close their season on Saturday against Lake Wales in the Mosaic Stinger Classic in Bartow.

Charles hit a 3-pointer with 2:06 left to pull the Mustangs within 42-40, then hit another with 1:28 left to give Wekiva its first lead. The Mustangs never trailed after that point.

“It just felt right,” Charles said of each 3-pointer. “When it came off, it just felt right.”

Wekiva won by getting off the canvas after a 19-3 Leesburg first quarter. Camerin James scored the game’s first seven points and nine of the first 10 for Leesburg.

“It’s a matter of us being patient on offense,” Leesburg coach Sean Campbell said. “We did a really good job of moving the ball finding the open man. We did a really good job defensively in our full-court press slowing them down, because they like a fast pace.

Leesburg's Camerin James (2) tries to block Wekiva's Abiah Charles (12) while Leesburg's Wilton Jean-Pierre (23) and Nigel Harris (10) assist on defense in the first half.

Leesburg's Camerin James (2) tries to block Wekiva's Abiah Charles (12) while Leesburg's Wilton Jean-Pierre (23) and Nigel Harris (10) assist on defense in the first half.

After that, the game kind of turned into a mirror image. Wekiva coach Gersino Lubin and Campbell spent five years as assistants under Evans coach Tyrhon Crawford in the mid-2000s. Both deployed a stifling defense, with Leesburg forcing 18 Wekiva turnovers while committing 14.

“That’s my brother,” Lubin said of Campbell. “Sometimes I overprepare when I deal with him. He knows everything I’m going to do. I feel like he gets in my head. This time I’m going to sit back and stick to the plan and not do anything outside it.”

After the Yellow Jackets built the 19-3 lead, Wekiva gradually chipped away at the lead. Darius Livingston’s free throw with 56.2 seconds left in the first half cut Wekiva’s deficit to 28-19. Carey Davis’ two free throws cut Leesburg’s lead to 28-21 at the half.

Leesburg could not increase the lead beyond six the rest of the night. The Yellow Jackets appeared to regain momentum when Evan James hit a layup over Wekiva’s big men with 2:08 left, then Camerin James got a steal and a dunk on the next possession for a 36-30 lead. Leesburg forced three more Wekiva turnovers to close the third quarter with a 36-30 lead.

But foul trouble caught up to Leesburg in the fourth. Kanye Gaines fouled out with 6:48 left, and Camerin James and Jermarien Williams had to play long stretches of the fourth quarter with four fouls.

Leesburg's Derek McCray tries a 3-pointer against Wekiva. McCray had 11 points for the Yellow Jackets.

Leesburg's Derek McCray tries a 3-pointer against Wekiva. McCray had 11 points for the Yellow Jackets.

While Leesburg was struggling from the field – 3 for 12 from the field – Wekiva continued chipping away in the fourth. Austin Rolle hit a 3-pointer and Charles hit a jumper with 6:08 left to cut Leesburg’s lead to 36-35. Camerin James’ bucket mead it 38-35 Leesburg with 5:32 left. Rolle got a steal and a layup to re-cut it to 38-37 with 4:59 left.

Wilton Jean-Pierre’s hook shot made it 40-37 Leesburg with 3:40, and A.J. Kizer made it 42-37.

Then Charles hit a 3-pointer from the wing with 2:06 to pull Wekiva within 42-40. Malachi Hampton, who battled foul trouble and had only two points, dished the ball in the right corner to Charles, who swished the 3-pointer to put Wekiva up 43-42.

“I’m blessed to have 10 guys that can flat out get it,” Lubin said. “I can call on any one of those guys to come out and play. Abiah really showed up. The last four games, he’s been really big for us defensively, and he hit a big 3-poitner to put us back in the game.”

Livingston hit two free throws with 19.2 seconds left for a 45-42 lead. Wekiva then had to dodge a Williams rimout on a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

“I feel like we can play with anybody,” Campbell said. “We just have to figure out how to close out games.”

The Mustangs outrebounded Leesburg 33-26, and they outpaced the Yellow Jackets 6-4 in blocks. Isaiah Bannister-Doucette had nine rebounds and two blocks, while Vophcy Prophete had eight rebounds.

“It’s part of having a championship mentality,” Lubin said. “We know we needed to rebound, especially with Malachi getting into foul trouble. Vophcy, Austin Rolle, Isaiah Bannister collectively decided to hold the matchups.”