Faith tops Tornadoes to advance
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JACKSONVILLE — Faith Christian didn't need a trophy after it defeated Holy Family 60-43 to win the Class 1A Northeast Regional final.
The Lions had their lunch box. A symbol of their blue-collar playing style, Faith Christian coach Doug Worsley slammed it down on postgame press conference table and started his talk with a smile. "We bring it out for the big games," he said. The biggest of Faith's games so far will come Monday morning. The Lions (27-4) take on St. Jude in the Alabama High School Athletic Association Final Four at the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Complex. Tip off is set for 10:30 a.m. The appearance in the Final Four is the first for Faith Christian in school history. With the same workman-like approach on which they've prided themselves all season, the Lions did the dirty work to do away with the Tornadoes. Faith didn't hit one single 3-pointer. Faith only got one offensive rebound, making those easy putbacks for the leggy squad with a significant height advantage almost null and void. What the Lions did was play rock-solid defense and ride the exploits of senior guard Kaleb Owens, who walked away from The Pete with a MVP trophy and an offer to Gadsden State Community College in tow. Beating defenders off the dribble time and time again, Owens tallied a game-high 27 points. It was almost twice as many points as any Holy Family player could muster, as Christopher Thomas led the Tornadoes with 14 points. Taylor Bryan was the only other Lion in double figures with 10 points. Todd Shomber had a team-high six rebounds — and the lone offensive board. Faith wasted no time in punching the clock and punching Holy Family in the mouth, stunning the quick, athletic squad with a 12-2 first-quarter deficit. The Lions ran their lead to 12 in the second quarter before Holy Family cut it to a one-shot lead on a jumper by Juwun Brown with 2:44 remaining in the half. Faith fought off the charge and surged back in the half's closing minutes to put the lead back into double figures, 28-17, entering halftime. Holy Family never made another significant threat. |
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