Oh Sweet Revenge! ‘Canes Cut Knights in Fight for District Playoffs Home-Court

(Senior 'Cane Kaijon Scott shoots a free throw in a win against Vanguard H.S. on Thursday, Jan 26, 2017 at "The Purple Palace" at Gainesville H.S. in Gainesville, Florida.)

The Gainesville Hurricanes record coming into the game was 18-2. One of those defeats came by the hands of the Vanguard Knights in a close game that was decided in overtime.

The Hurricanes did not forget it.

They defended home-court in a hard fought game to defeat the Knights, 51-48.

The previous matchup between these teams painted a picture of what this game was going to look like. The only difference was the outcome, this time.

Vanguard came out with the mindset quickly to get it going on offense in this low scoring game.

Knights freshman Leonard Manuel showed early that he could be threat in numerous ways besides scoring. HIs playmaking ability pushed his team to a 10-6 lead late in the first quarter.

Senior guard Kaijon Scott and his Hurricanes displayed that they were up for the challenge. They took their head coach Kelly Beckham’s message, which was to play defense and “just guard.”

Christian Miller-Cardwell got it going in the second quarter, but was lifted by the harassing defense of the ‘Canes and big buckets by the physical senior, Isaiah Wilson.

Knights senior guard Quez Clayton helped his team by taking on the scoring late in the second quarter.

With both teams playing defense, it was matter of who was going to show up in the second half. Gainesville led after two, 27-23.

With 6:44 left in the fourth quarter, Knights junior guard Jalen Scott and Manuel sparked a run giving their team the momentum and a 38-35 lead.

“My jumper was not falling in the first half,” Miller-Cardwell said. In the final period, he and the Hurricanes got more aggressive.

Miller-Cardwell made a move while splitting two defenders and drew contact to make a big bucket for the and-one. That play, and a made free throw, tied the game at 39-39.

“I ripped through and saw an opening,” Miller-Cardwell said.

With Vanguard up one with less than two minutes in the game, a big steal and a bucket by Kajion Scott propelled is his team to a lead. He said his mindset involved blocking out the noise in order to win.

“(I had to) forget about everything else, do my job and try not let my man catch the ball because we were in full-court-deny defense,” Scott said.

Clayton displayed his clutch ability, representing his team’s play with a never quit attitude. The senior hit a big three to bring the Knights to within one with 27.8 seconds on the clock.

Big players make big plays. The late efforts by Scott and Miller-Cardwell ultimately sealed the game for the Hurricanes.

With being crowned regular-season district champs, having home-court advantage in the district tourney, redemption, and bragging rights, it came down the wire as the ‘Canes rose to the occasion.