- April 19, 2024
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The playoffs aren't here yet, right? They may not be, but undefeated Flagler Palm Coast's (19-0) 48-45 win over the now one-loss Ribault Trojans on Friday, Jan. 8, at FPC certainly felt like it.
From the beginning tip to the very last second of the game, either the Dawgs' support or Ribault's few hundred fans, who came to see their undefeated team, roared for every point, forced turnover and nice assist.
The Bulldogs got off to a slow start, missing 14 of their 15 first shots and constantly turning the ball over. They only scored two points in the opening quarter, but, after the jitters left, they regained composure and picked up the pace going forward.
FPC took its first lead in the second quarter but went into halftime trailing 23-20. With four minutes left in the third quarter, the Bulldogs took the lead at 27-25 and never relented, though the Lady Trojans never trailed by more than four points for the remainder of the game.
Going into the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs held a slim 34-33 lead. With every made basket or free throw, Ribault would respond with the same, even going into the final minute.
Up 45-42, with less than 50 seconds, the Lady Trojans' fans erupted, when they nailed a three-pointer to tie the game. Not even bothered, FPC senior Tamara Henshaw, who finished the game with a team-high 15 points, made the biggest basket of the night, when she pulled up at the free throw line and drained a shot with 31 seconds. After forcing a turnover and making a free throw, Ribault had a last chance to tie the game but fell short.
"These are the games you want to be in," coach Javier Bevacqua said. "But, we play in so many big games that it's become our culture.
Senior Ivana Boyd, who's only 5 feet 6 inches, also came up big for the Lady Dawgs, taking on bigger defenders in the paint, making nine trips to the foul line and making 12 of 18.
"I play that big just to let people on the other team know that I'm not backing down to nobody," she said.
FPC will immediately have to forget about the emotional win for another contest with a top team in the state, Boca Raton, tomorrow. They will also have New Smyrna in the Five-Star Conference Championship game Monday, Jan. 11, and they have to play Montverde Academy the following day.
"We won't get any rest, but to know where we started to where we are now, I just love where this program is right now."
