Marty Pallman
With 4.6 seconds left in Saturday’s District 2-6A championship game, Gainesville took a timeout with its back-and-forth battle with Buchholz tied at 46-all.
Hurricanes coach Mike Barnes knew what he needed to do. Get the ball into the hands of Cornelius White.
And White once again delivered.
White banked in an 18-footer from the left wing with a Buchholz defender in his face, and the Hurricanes earned another district title by beating the host Bobcats, 48-46.
Gainesville (17-11) avenged two losses to Buchholz during the regular season by winning this thriller for the district crown.
“They (Buchholz) had four team fouls and we wanted to get to the hoop and get free throws,” Barnes said with what was left of his voice. “That didn’t happen, but we got the ball to our guy and he made a play.”
White’s shot set off a wild Hurricanes celebration in front of the stunned Buchholz crowd at Bud Seymour Gymnasium. But the game wasn’t over as the referees put 1.3 seconds back on the clock.
But as it had done most of the game, Gainesville’s defense held firm and Buchholz was unable to get off a shot.
Gainesville, who was the No. 3 seed in the tournament, knocked off both second-seed Lincoln (Tallahassee) and top-seed Buchholz on the road in the last three days to win the district championship.
Buchholz beat GHS, 50-41, at the Purple Palace on Dec. 8 and hammered the Hurricanes at the Bud, 61-47, on Jan. 26.
“This team is kind of coming together at exactly the right time,” Barnes said. “It was a great atmosphere here tonight, and I’m just glad we came out with the W.”
White was the only Gainesville player in double figures with 19 points. Senior Brandon Bloodworth added seven points and sophomore Cordarius White had six.
This game was tight throughout, with GHS up 11-9 at the end of the first quarter and tied at 21-21 at halftime.
Buchholz had as much as a seven-point lead in the third quarter but that was their largest lead.
Buchholz (17-10), who should be in good shape to make the regional playoffs, was led by seniors Nate Muchnick with 13 points and Palmer Walton and Collin Dunmore with eight points apiece.
Both the Bobcats and Hurricanes will now wait for Sunday’s announcement on who they will play on Thursday in a Region1-6A Quarterfinal.
“If we play together the sky’s the limit,” Barnes said. “I want the players to enjoy this, but we will need to be ready for whoever we play on Thursday.”
BOYS BASKETBALL
SATURDAY, FEB. 10
1A-District 6 Championship (at Fort White)
2 Hawthorne 76, 1 Newberry 74 (OT)
1A-District 7 Championship
1 Williston 61, 2 Chiefland 21
2A-District 4 Championship
1 Oak Hall 50, 3 Redeemer Christian (Ocala) 36
3A-District 2 Championship
1 P.K. Yonge 54, 2 Trinity Catholic (Ocala) 45
5A-District 2 Championship
1 Rickards (Tallahassee) 49, 2 Columbia 33
6A-District 2 Championship
3 Gainesville 48, 1 Buchholz 46
