District hoops: Wellington bashes Palm Beach Central to set up Lake Worth showdown in final
ROYAL PALM BEACH — If this had been a boxing match, it would have been stopped in the first round.
Wellington High's boys basketball team came out swinging from the opening whistle, put Palm Beach Central on the ropes early and rolled to a 76-44 victory Thursday night in the semifinals of the District 8-7A tournament at Royal Palm Beach High.
"We've been talking to the guys about punching first, about attacking right from the get-go," Wolverines coach Matt Colin said. "We've really been pushing the tempo in practice, trying to help them go faster right from the start."
Led by hot-shooting guard Reggie Reinhardt, the Wolverines (22-4) ran out to a 26-7 lead after one quarter, effectively deciding the game in the first eight minutes. Reinhardt had 13 points in the quarter, including back-to-back 3-pointers that left the Broncos (20-7) reeling.
In the championship game Saturday night, second-seeded Wellington will face top-seeded Lake Worth, a 64-45 winner over Royal Palm Beach behind Jeremy Innocent's 20 points.
The first two meetings between the crosstown Wellington rivals were tight, low-scoring affairs. Palm Beach Central pulled off a 53-52 upset in December, then the Wolverines rallied from a halftime deficit for a 52-40 victory in January.
But Colin has developed a reputation for getting his team to peak at the right time, usually resulting in deep playoff runs. Their current nine-game winning streak includes a road victory over Lake Worth and six blowouts of 20 or more points.
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"I was there for seven years and I understand how they handle this time of year," said John St. Juste, who was Colin's longtime assistant before taking the Broncos' head coaching job this season. "I told our kids it's a whole 'nother focus. And the focus that I'm accustomed to, I didn't see it out of our guys."
In the first quarter, Central appeared rattled by Wellington's aggressive defense, which repeatedly forced turnovers and disrupted shots. Reinhardt, meanwhile, found his stroke from long range and outscored the Broncos by himself.
"I just needed to hit one," the Wolverines' senior floor leader said. "I was looking for the ball to go in. After that, it was up."
Reinhardt went scoreless the next two quarters but then punctuated the victory with his fourth 3-pointer of the night and a dunk. He finished with 18 points to share game-high honors with teammate Toney Collins. Elyjah Freeman added 14 points, and Tor-el Robinson and Jeremy Tovar each had 10.
"All our coaches told us to punch first," said Reinhardt, also going with a boxing analogy. "If we hit first, we can make sure we get a big lead and then just take care of the ball. ... Our chemistry is getting way better. We just all look for each other, all share the ball."
Colin has been pleased with his team's progress this season, particularly in facing bigger teams like the Broncos.
"We had to get comfortable at being uncomfortable as the smaller team," he said. "I think this team has adjusted very well. I give credit to the guys because we've had good practices. With good practices, you have that carryover right into the game, and I feel like that's been the difference."
While the Wolverines prepare to face the Trojans — who earned the top seed despite a lesser record (16-9) and a loss in the two teams' only meeting — the Broncos' season is likely over. Central entered the district tournament ranked 12th in Region 2-7A. With only eight teams advancing to the regionals, its only ticket appeared to be the automatic bid that goes to the district champion.
But St. Juste sees a promising future for his program after a rare 20-win season.
"We had 10 seniors," he said. "People don't understand how hard that is. It could have just blown up on us, but they stuck together all the way through to the end, so I'm proud of our guys. ... We're building a winning program. It's not going to happen right away, but one day we will be in this game again against Wellington and it will be a different result."
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Wellington basketball bashes Central, will face Lake Worth in final
