Illinois
Winter Haven wins prestigious Kevin Brown TOC in Illinois
WASHINGTON, ILLINOIS – Whereas groups dream to complete their seasons as champions, Winter Haven boys basketball began this season’s marketing campaign as one.
Winter Haven gained the celebrated seventeenth annual Kevin Brown Memorial Match of Champions in Washington, Illinois Saturday after handing Sugar Hill (Ga.) Lanier, 78-61, within the championship recreation. The event was broadcast reside on YouTube. The Blue Devils completed as the one unbeaten crew within the eight-team area.
Winter Haven stands with the Kevin Brown Memorial Match of Champions championship trophy on Saturday night time in Washington, Illinois.
Photograph courtesy of Tyrone Woodside
“All of these groups had expertise, however this was our first 4 video games of the season, and I wanted to know the way we have been going to place it collectively,” Winter Haven head coach Tyrone Woodside mentioned. “We wished to go 4-0 however I wished them to play effectively and see how the chemistry will get constructed.
“Our purpose was to win it, however lots needed to do with how effectively we gelled collectively. We’ve got been enjoying rather well over the summer season, however chemistry-wise, as a result of we’ve plenty of expertise, our expertise has overwhelmed groups.”
The Blue Devils (4-0) positioned 4 of the event’s six gamers on the All-Match crew, together with event MVP Isaac Celiscar.
Becoming a member of him have been Georgia-signee Dylan James, Kjei Parker and Jamie Phillips. Matthew Vaughn gained the event’s Hustle Award, which landed a medal within the fingers of all 5 Winter Haven starters.
Winter Haven junior guard Isaac Celiscar stands subsequent to one of many Kevin Brown Memorial Match administrators after receiving the Match’s MVP Award.
Photograph courtesy of Tyrone Woodside
“I’ve very hardly ever seen a crew with 4 gamers on the All-Match crew,” Woodside mentioned. “As a result of the event is so huge, the primary recreation we performed towards Metamora, an area crew that has a fan base that travels with them, we have been in a position to deal with adversity in a unique surroundings. James, Celiscar, Phillips and Parker, are all used to that. However I used to be involved about the remainder of my roster and the way they might deal with it as a result of I wanted manufacturing out of the entire crew.”
Winter Haven – ranked twenty fifth within the SBLive Sports activities Florida Boys Basketball Energy 25 – reached the title recreation after a 3-0 efficiency in pool play on the four-day event, Phillips and Celiscar each scored 21 and Parker 19 whereas downing Lanier.
Winter Haven topped Metamora 72-64 in its first recreation Wednesday after which opened plenty of eyes with a 110-81 thrashing of Houston’s Booker T. Washington. The 110-point outburst was only a level shy of the event’s single-game scoring file set by Chicago St. Rita final 12 months.
“We actually didn’t know or I may need gone forward and left (our starters) in to get another level,” Woodside mentioned. “We may have achieved it (towards Yorkville Christian) however I wanted our starters to get relaxation as a result of 4 video games in 4 days is lots. Plus that they had already began getting bothered by the climate, their throats, and a few of them had their chests bothering them. We weren’t completely wholesome.”
Parker scored 28 towards Washington whereas Celiscar added 24 and Vaughn 21. In opposition to Metamora, Celiscar completed with 19 and James 16 with 13 rebounds and two crowd-pleasing dunks.
The Blue Devils completed pool play smoking Yorkville, 90-41, on Friday. Parker led with 19 factors and Vaughn added 16.
St. Rita, ranked twenty seventh total within the nation, was thought of the event favourite by many onlookers, however by no means reached the title recreation after falling to Joliet West, 64-56, and St. Louis’ Cardinal Ritter, 71-66.
“Everybody anticipated us to play St. Rita,” Woodside mentioned. “I feel they have been down a guard.”
Winter Haven gained its solely FHSAA boys basketball state championship within the spring of 1973 with future four-time NBA All-Star Otis Birdsong, who was chosen to the Faculty Basketball Corridor of Fame in 2018.
This spring will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the title, and Woodside admits he thinks about it usually. Winter Haven has additionally reached the state semifinals underneath Woodside 4 instances in 2012, 2013, 2018 and this previous season.
“We’ve got been interested by it on all 4 visits,” Woodside mentioned. “Fifty is a nice-round quantity to provide us some closure.”
Winter Haven additionally reached the state event semifinals in 1922, 1995, 2003 and 2004.