Great escape

Playing for the third time in one week, and its second game in as many nights, Hernando Christian Academy had just enough left in the tank Friday night.

Hosting Tampa-Bayshore Christian, the Lions erased a halftime deficit and held off the Crusaders right till the end for a 19-18 victory.

"On back-to-back nights, which was a real testament to our kids," HCA Head Coach Drew Taylor said. "We didn't know how the effort would be. We put it all on the court against First Academy (a 47-43 win on Thursday).

"We lost to this team already. I wasn't sure if we could get back up. But it's a testament to them (the Lions). They played great."

Change of plans

Bayshore Christian (3-3) managed to keep HCA (4-2) at arm's length throughout the first half, getting ahead 13-7 in the second quarter on a Kyle Barber steal and layup, and going into halftime up 15-11.

But the Lions would clamp down defensively coming out of the intermission, holding the Crusaders scoreless in the third quarter, while knotting things up at 15.

"In the third quarter our adjustment was we realized they were getting all their opportunities driving to the basket and getting second chances," Taylor said. "We play man-to-man and I preach team defense. If someone gets beat, there should be another man there helping.

"In the second half we did a much better job of making them jump shooters."

The Lions finally went in front, 17-15, on a Matthew May layup with four minutes left to play, the first of three lead changes in the final period.

Christian Alden gave the Crusaders an 18-17 advantage on a steal and breakaway basket at the 2:47 mark. A minute later, HCA point guard John Bronson burst through the paint for a go-ahead hoop.

"The first thing I was thinking was dishing off to Joey (Ferdinando)," Bronson said of that play. "We were doing a play where all the people were spread out. It was a mismatch, me and another dude. I drove by him and kissed it off the glass."

The drama wasn't finished, however. Between jump balls and turnovers, Bayshore Christian received multiple chances to retake control.

A final jump ball gave the Crusaders an out-of-bounds play under their basket with 7.3 seconds remaining.

After a missed shot, Derek Stotts corralled the rebound and threw up one last desperation jumper from the free throw line. The shot rimmed off and the Lions had survived with their third win in a row.

Bronson paced the Lions with seven points, adding five rebounds. Ferdinando contributed 11 rebounds, while May tallied six points and seven boards. Alden led all scorers with 10.

"We were talking at the beginning of the week about how this could be a real special week," Taylor said. "Three games, one on the road. Last year we won one game total.

"It proves number one, they're a good team. It's not just one or two players. Harry Edwards, he couldn't get off the bench last year. Tonight he was in there in the fourth quarter playing tough defense. It proves to them that when we call on them, they need to be able to play and do a good job when they're called."

HCA 19, BAYSHORE CHRISTIAN 18
Qtr. Scoring 1 2 3 4
BC 7 8 0 3 - 18
HCA 6 5 4 4 - 19
Bayshore Christian (18): Myatt 0 0-2 0, Gonzalez 0, Stotts 1 0-0 2, Barber 2 1-2 6, Alden 5 0-0 10, Heath 0, Maltrip 0, Hamenasky 0, Mirabella 0. Totals 8 1-4 18.
HCA (19): Manuel 1 0-0 2, May 2 2-4 6, Ferdinando 2 0-0 4, Bronson 2 3-5 7, Wood 0, Edwards 0, West 0. Totals 7 5-9 19.
Three-point field goals: BC 1 (Barber); HCA 0.
Total fouls: BC 9; HCA 4.
Technical fouls: none.
Fouled out: none.
Records: Tampa-Bayshore Christian (3-3), HCA (4-2).