Marty Pallman
Williston had to work for this one, but it was well worth it for the Red Devils.
Williston went on an 8-0 run midway through the fourth quarter and held on from there for a 61-53 win over Hilliard in the 1A state championship game at RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
Williston (29-2) captured its second straight 1A state title, becoming the first boys basketball team in the Mainstreet coverage area to go back-to-back since Gainesville in 1999 and 2000.
Williston shot 59% from the floor but couldn’t put the Red Flashes (25-3) away until the final two minutes of the game.
But Williston was able to put down one of its biggest challenges of the season to win the state title.
“It’s just one of those seasons, it’s a great ending to a great season,” Williston coach Jim Ervin said. “It’s a dream of mine to get to a state tournament, not only to win one but two back-to-back, now the dream is to win a third one.”
Three Williston players scored in double figures, led by senior Javon Brown with 15 points and five rebounds. Senior Reggie White added 14 points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals and senior Aramys Rodriguez battled foul trouble to finish with 14 points, five rebounds and three assists.
“Aramys is just one of those kids that can control a game,” Ervin said. “He takes control at the end of a game. What a great athlete and basketball player. He hit free throws down the stretch, made a couple of big baskets and defended well with four fouls.”
Williston took a 12-9 lead over Hilliard at the end of the opening period with Rodriguez and Brown scoring four points each.
The Red Devils opened as much as a seven-point lead in the second quarter but Hilliard cut the deficit to 28-24 at halftime. White scored eight of his 10 points in the second period.
In the third quarter, Williston jumped to its biggest lead of the game at 39-30, but Hilliard proceeded to go on a 9-0 run to tie the game at 39-39. Eventually, Hilliard took the lead on a couple of occasions in the fourth quarter, the last time at 48-47, but Williston went on an 8-0 run to go ahead for good.
Hilliard did cut the deficit to two points with three minutes to go, but Brown took over from there with two baskets and Williston made some big free throws down the stretch as well.
“I feel like our team came out scared a little bit since we aren’t used to it,” White said. “We did everything we needed to do and winners win so here we are.”