Joshua Blake scores 24 as Blake tops Mainland: FHSAA 5A Boys Basketball State Semifinals

Yellow Jackets separate themselves with a big third quarter; Blake will meet Norland in Saturday's 5A state championship game

LAKELAND, FLORIDA – Joshua Lewis, who played all 32 minutes for the Blake Yellow Jackets in Wednesday's FHSAA Class 5A Boys Basketball State Semifinal, scored a game-high 24-points, in addition to grabbing 12 rebounds, to lead Blake to a 53-50 win over Mainland at the RP Funding Center.

Blake now advances to Saturday's 5A state championship game where it will meet Norland (Miami) at 8:00 p.m. Norland advanced with an easy 53-37 win over Mainland in Wednesday's earlier semifinal.

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Blake and Mainland were tied at 10-10 after one quarter and the Yellow Jackets held a slim two-point lead at half. Blake took off, however, in the third quarter as it outscored Mainland 16-8 and remained in control throughout the fourth quarter.

Although it hung close most of the way, Mainland, which was led by Nathan Kirk's 15 points, only led for 18 seconds in the contest.

Lewis, who also had three assists, stepped up in every key moment. The Yellow Jackets also got a big performance from Joe Philon, who netted 12 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and had one assist and one block.

Blake's Joshua Lewis had a huge performance in the FHSAA Class 5A Boys Basketball State Semifinals where he scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. The Yellow Jackets will face Norland on Friday for the FHSAA Class 5 Boys Basketball State Championship