The P.K. Yonge girls basketball team came into Wednesday’s Region 1-3A quarterfinal against Bradford (Starke) down two starters due to injury and sickness.
But the Blue Wave and coach Willie Powers found some new contributors and that was enough to move P.K. Yonge on to the second round.
Sophomore Ashlyn Young led P.K. Yonge with 15 points and the host Blue Wave turned up the defense late to edge the Tornadoes 42-38.
Fourth-seed P.K. Yonge (14-8) advances to Monday’s region semifinal in Jacksonville against top-seed Providence. The Stallions knocked off P.K Yonge, 64-58, in last year’s Region 1-3A final to advance to the FHSAA State Basketball Championships in Lakeland.
“I’ve always said to be the best, you have to beat the best,” Powers said. “We are just going to strap it up and go play hard and see what happens.”
First, the Blue Wave had to get past Bradford, who they were playing for the fourth time this season.
With 8th grader Jorryn Dye and senior leader Reniyah Clark, who Powers calls the “glue” of the team, out, P.K. Yonge got some big minutes out of players who haven’t seen the floor much this season.
“To win this game was really big and we had some great contributors,” Powers said. “What can I say about Motinique Williams, who has been injured all year, coming off the bench to hit two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to basically help us win this basketball game.”
Powers also praised senior Summer Barnett and 8th grader Jada Adderly for stepping in for the Blue Wave.
The two teams went back and forth most of the game, with P.K. Yonge up 13-12 at the end of the opening period.
Bradford’s best quarter was the second, as they outscored the Blue Wave 12-7 to take a 24-20 lead into halftime.
P.K. Yonge turned up the defense in the second half, especially the final period, allowing the Tornadoes (14-9) only six points, and none in the last five minutes. Meanwhile, the Blue Wave got just enough offense to pull ahead and Young clinched the game by making three free throws in the final minute.
This was the fourth meeting between P.K. Yonge and Bradford this season, with the Blue Wave winning three of them. Powers doesn’t consider it a rivalry though.
“It may be a rivalry to them, but it’s just another game here at P.K. Yonge,” he said.
Girls Basketball
Wednesday, Feb. 14
1A-Region 3 Semifinals
1 Hawthorne 38, 4 Hilliard 27
2 Madison County 60, 3 Newberry 54
2A-Region 1 Quarterfinals
4 Oak Hall 45, 5 Countryside Christian 28
3A-Region 1 Quarterfinals
4 P.K. Yonge 42, 5 Bradford (Starke) 38
4A-Region 2 Quarterfinals
3 Dunnellon 56, 6 Eastside 45