Evangelical Christian defeats Central Florida Christian for FHSAA 2A girls state title: Live score updates (2/29/2024)
LAKELAND, FLORIDA – The state title is on the line as Evangelical Christian (Fort Myers) and Central Florida Christian (Ocoee) clash for the FHSAA Class 2A girls basketball state championship at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
Evangelical Christian advanced with a win over University Christian (Jacksonville) and CFC reached the final with a victory over Miami Christian Academy in Tuesday's semifinal contests.
FLORIDA GIRLS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD
Follow this post throughout the evening, refreshing constantly for Live Scoring updates.
Below is our Live Update Feed created and updated as the contest progresses. Read from the bottom up to follow the action chronologically from beginning to end.
Live Updates:
FINAL: EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN 57, CENTRAL FLORIDA CHRISTIAN 46.
- ECS, despite seeing its once 18-point lead shrink to five twice in the fourth quarter, hit 19-of-29 free throws, including 15-of-20 in the fourth quarter to secure the win. ECS led wire to wire.
- Central Florida Christian's Janiya Swift, only a freshman, led all scorers with 16 points. Aarin Manuel added 13 for the Eagles.
- Zaira Mitchell added 12 points and Jadah Toombs finished with 11 for the Sentinels.
- Maddie O'Breski leads ECS with 15 points. She also had 7 rebounds, 3 assists and a block.
4TH QUARTER
- ECS wins it, 57-46!
- We are now down to 4 seconds. ECS is going to claim the 2A crown. Jadah Toombs puts the finishing touches on the scoring with two free throws.
- Zaira Mitchell fouls out and Horn goes to the line with 41 seconds left. She hits two. 55-46 ECS with 40-seconds left on the clock.
- The ECS parade to the charity stripe. Areille Marc drains two more. 55-44 with 50-seconds to go.
- Nalah Smith adds another free throw for ECS, before Aubrey Horn hits a 3-pointer for CFC. It's 53-44 with 1:23 left to play.
- O'Berski is fouled after a rebound and she makes 1-of-2. The Sentinels are closing in on a state title. They lead 52-41 with 1:40 remaining.
- Janiya Swift fouls out, making things even tougher for CFC.
- Mitchell goes back to the line as Harden commits her fourth foul. Mitchell gets both. Now ECS has a 10-point bulge. Under 3 minutes.
- Areille Marc is at the line for ECS and she hits two. The lead grows to eight. 49-41. We have just 3:18 remaining on the clock.
- Zaira Mitchell hits 1-of-2 from the line to give ECS a 47-41 lead. The clock has wound down to 3:40.
- Munoz draws CFC back within five with a jumper. It's 46-41 with 4:23 left in the game. Time out.
- It sends O'Berski to the line and she sinks a pair. ECS goes back up by seven, 46-39, and calls timeout.
- Swift is hit with a technical foul with 5:10 left.
- Swift has been money from the line and she hits two more. CFC is within five at 44-39. 5:24 left on the clock.
- Janiya Swift claims two more free throws for CFC. She now has 13 points. Eagles hanging around. 44-37 with 5:40 to go in the final quarter.
- Maddie O'Berski is at the free throw line and she hits both. She now has 12 points to lead ECS. It's 44-35.
- Trinity Harden gets her first two of the night for CFC. The lead shrinks to 42-35. Now 6:21 left on the clock.
- Nalah Smith gets a much-needed hoop for ECS. The Sentinels lead 42-33 with 7:03 left.
- Eight minutes to go for the Florida Class 2A State Championship.
END OF 3RD QUARTER: EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN 40, CENTRAL FLORIDA CHRISTIAN 33
3RD QUARTER
- Manuel hits a 3-pointer and Central Florida is charging now. It's 40-33 at the end of three quarters.
- Manuel follows with two more free throws, but Toombs scores for ECS. 40-30.
- Janiya Swift hits a pair of free throws for ECS and the Eagles are back within 10 with 1 minute left in the third. 38-28.
- Aarin Manuel now has 8 points for CFC following a layup. Eagles down 12, 38-26.
- Hayden Hendrix breaks a scoring drought for both teams by netting her first points for ECS. Sentinels' lead grows to 38-24 with 2:13 to go in the quarter.
- CFC gets a look at a two and a three but comes up empty on both.
- Aarin Mauel counters for CFC, which now trails 36-24.
- O'Berski scores again. She has 10. ECS back up by 14, 36-22, with 4:14 left in the period.
- Zaira Mitchell commits her third foul, sending Swift to the line where she cans a pair. It's 34-22 ECS with 5:20 left in the quarter.
- Janiya Swift gets a rare back-to-back score for the Eagles. They are back within 14, at 34-20, with 5:20 to play in the third quarter.
- Victoria Rodriguez scores her first basket of the game for CFC. The Eagles trail 34-18 with 6:25 left.
- O'Berski follows with a 3-pointer for ECS. The Sentinels establish a new biggest lead, 18. 34-16.
- Maddie O'Berski comes up with an offensive rebound and is fouled, but the Sentinels cannot convert. CFC comes away with the rebound and gets a score from Makayla White. ECS leads 31-16.
- The third quarter is set to start.
HALFTIME: EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN 31, CENTRAL FLORIDA CHRISTIAN 14
- ECS is also dominating on the boards, out-rebounding CFC 25-16.
- CFC is getting opportunities but is shooting a woeful 16.7% from the floor, while ECS is connecting at a 37.5% rate.
- Zaira Mitchell leads ECS at the half with 9 points and 6 rebounds. Jadah Toombs has 7 points and 6 rebounds.
- Janiya Swift is pacing CFC with 6 points.
2ND QUARTER
- Toombs gets a steal and feeds Maddie O'Berski for a quick layup. ECS goes to the half matching its biggest lead of 17. 31-14.
- Zaira Mitchell adds two more. She now has 9 for ECS, which leads 29-14.
- Swift gets back to line with 47 seconds left in the half and makes both. ECS trails 27-4.
- Aarin Manuel makes 1-of-2 from the line. ECS 27-12.
- Toombs connects on a 3-pointer for ECS as the lead is 27-11. Under three minutes to go in the first half.
- Kellisia Grants scores for ECS, but Valeria Munoz hits a 3-pointer for CFC. It's 24-11 with 4:47 left in the quarter.
- Janiya Swift gets the first points of the second quarter of CFC as she drains two free throws. Eagles trail 23-8 with 5:36 remaining in the half.
- CFC is 0-for-4 from the floor in the third quarter.
- Jadah Toombs adds her second basket of the game. ECS grows its lead to 23-6.
- CFC has dug itself a big hole. The Eagles need to get going quickly in the second quarter.
1ST QUARTER
- Maddie O'Breski closes the first quarter with a 3-pointer to push the ECS lead to 21-6.
- Manuel gets a much-need hoop for the Eagles. They trail 18-6. 1:15 left in the first quarter.
- Nalah Smith adds a pair of free throws for the Sentinels. They lead 18-4 with 1:39 to go in the first.
- Two more for Mitchell. She now has seven as the ECS lead grows to 16-4.
- Aarin Manuel gets a hoop back for CFA, but Areille Marc counters with a 3-ball. ECS up 10, 14-4.
- Zaira Mitchell hits back-to-back layups and a free throw to give the Sentinels an 11-2 advantage, with 4:05 left in the first quarter.
- A Jadaj Toombs jumper and another basket by Grant, gives ECS a 6-2 advantage.
- Janiya Swift gets CFC on the board as well. 2-2.
- Evangelical's Kellisia Grant gets the first points of the game. ECS leads 2-0 with 6:18 remaining in the opening quarter.
- We are underway at the RP Funding Center for the FHSAA 2A Girls State Championship.
EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN VS. CENTRAL FLORIDA CHRISTIAN
- Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
