Winter Haven erupts to oust Sarasota Riverview in 7A FHSAA boys basketball quarterfinal

Winter Haven will host fifth-seed Tampa Plant on Tuesday in a Region 3 semifinal

WINTER HAVEN, FLORIDA – When Dylan James blocks a shot, the atmosphere changes.

Trailing by one point, the Winter Haven senior center rejected a shot in the lane with one minute remaining in the second quarter which sparked the top-seeded Blue Devils to go on a 9-0 run to close out the first half on their way to an 81-66 win in a Class 7A, Region 3 quarterfinal on Tuesday.

“Blocking shots is something I do, and it was a big play for sure, but I thought we started out kind of slow and we were searching for something that would give us some energy. I think that was it,” James said.

“We had the scouting report, and we knew what players they had but we just started too slow. We should have had the lead earlier.”

Winter Haven senior center Dylan James finishes off this second slam dunk of the first quarter against Sarasota Riverview on Thursday in a Class 7A, Region 3 quarterfinal at Winter Haven.
Winter Haven senior center Dylan James finishes off this second slam dunk of the first quarter against Sarasota Riverview on Thursday in a Class 7A, Region 3 quarterfinal at Winter Haven / Photo by Bill Kemp

With the win, Winter Haven will host fifth-seed Tampa Plant on Tuesday in a Region 3 semifinal. Plant advanced after topping fourth-seed East Lake 48-35.

Winter Haven (24-4) had four players score in double figures, led by junior guards Jamie Phillips with 24 points and Isaac Celiscar with 16. Kjei Parker scored 15 and James finished with 13.

The first quarter was nip and tuck with several lead changes but Phillips canned a 3-pointer from the corner with seven seconds remaining to give Winter Haven a 20-17 lead.

Winter Haven junior point guard Jamie Phillips drives in for a layup against Sarasota Riverview on Thursday in a Class 7A, Region 3 quarterfinal at Winter Haven.
Winter Haven junior point guard Jamie Phillips drives in for a layup against Sarasota Riverview on Thursday in a Class 7A, Region 3 quarterfinal at Winter Haven / Photo by Bill Kemp

“We made some comments about not moving the ball like we normally do,” Winter Haven coach Tyrone Woodside said. “They were holding the ball and starring a little bit. When we move the ball and play the game the right way, it is very easy. We have talented people.”

Riverview (10-19) senior guard and Texas Tech signee Jason Jackson said it was Winter Haven’s third-quarter press that really rattled the Rams and they fell too far behind before getting a timeout to adjust.

Winter Haven junior guard Isaac Celiscar scrambles for a loose ball in the second quarter against Sarasota Riverview on Thursday in a Class 7A, Region 3 quarterfinal at Winter Haven.
Winter Haven junior guard Isaac Celiscar scrambles for a loose ball in the second quarter against Sarasota Riverview on Thursday in a Class 7A, Region 3 quarterfinal at Winter Haven / Photo by Bill Kemp

“It hurts but you have to win them and you have to lose them,” said Jackson, who led Riverview with 23 points. “Honestly, it was the press, we just weren’t ready for it. When we came out at halftime, we thought we were just going to get back. It surprised us and it sped us up in a way we didn’t like.”

Jackson is the only player in Riverview history to be part of a district championship team four straight seasons.

“I stayed all four years (at Riverview) because I wanted to make history. I knew we weren’t going to be a great team but I wanted to be a leader and so I led the young ones.”

Also for Riverview, sophomore Rhys Gamble scored 11 while Khrye Eillis and Jayden Dudash each scored six.

Sarasota Riverview sophomore guard Cole Coggin drives to the basket in the second quarter on Thursday in a Class 7A, Region 3 quarterfinal at Winter Haven.
Sarasota Riverview sophomore guard Cole Coggin drives to the basket in the second quarter on Thursday in a Class 7A, Region 3 quarterfinal at Winter Haven / Photo by Bill Kemp

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Bill Kemp
BILL KEMP

Bill Kemp is an award-winning sports journalist at the state and national levels. Over the course of 25 years, he’s covered more than 4,000 sporting events including the NFL regular season, playoffs and Super Bowls, Major League Baseball regular season and spring training, NASCAR racing at Daytona and Talladega International Speedways and major college football regular seasons and bowl games. He was named by the Associated Press Sports Editors as a Top 10 sports columnist and Top 3 by the Alabama Press Association for best sports column and sports page design. He has served as preps editor at the Lakeland Ledger as well as sports editor at five different newspapers in Florida and Alabama. He has been published in dozens of newspapers including USA Today, the Miami Herald, the Orlando Sentinel, the Jacksonville Times Union and the Tampa Bay Times. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of South Florida. He has been writing for SBLive Sports since 2022.