Promises were kept, dreams came true, realizations were made in Florida High's state win

LAKELAND - At the start of the boys basketball season, Florida High coach Charlie Ward had a motto for his team: "One String."

The saying means that the whole team plays as one and finishes as one. However, before the final game of the season, Ward found he had misinterpreted the saying

"It was brought to my attention by Anthony's [Robinson II] grandad that it meant First Ring," Ward said. "When I came up with 'first string' I did not know that. Today, it was brought to my attention that it meant 'first ring'."

"Oh, wow. That's crazy," senior guard Tre Donaldson said.

It was almost as if that misinterpretation leading to an understanding in the final game of the season was fate. A saying that was centralized on the process of building was the entire time a motto to win a state championship. The Seminoles did just that on Friday, topping No. 1 Riviera Prep, 68-67, to win the 2022 FHSAA 3A Boys Basketball State Championship here at the RP Funding Center.

Promise kept

Florida High was already making history just being in Lakeland. It hadn't played in Lakeland since 1999, a state championship game since 1998, and hadn't won the title game since 1963. Two of the three were already checked off the list, but the Seminoles wanted to leave R.P. Funding Center with that 59-year streak snapped.

The Seminoles understood that this game and run went beyond just them. It was for each other, their coaches, their fans, and the city of Tallahassee. Tied at 28 with the top-seeded team in the state at halftime, following a buzzer-beating shot from senior guard Esteban Lluberes, the momentum swung heavily in favor of Riviera Prep.

Florida High had led the majority of the game and the Bulldogs star player was taking over. However, Donaldson made a promise to his teammates at halftime, and in his last game as a Seminole, he planned on keeping it no matter what.

"I told the young guys and the freshmen at halftime that I'm going to put a ring on your fingers. I took it and I meant it," Donaldson said. "It means a lot to the school and as a team, we worked super, super hard like any other team. We just wanted it more. That's what happened today."

Donaldson wasn't going to back down on his promise, and this being his final game in the Garnet and Gold, a team he had represented since middle school, he was going to do all it took to win. In the back and forth game, Donaldson didn't miss a beat, draining a team-high 22 points.

"My teammates were motivating me," Donaldson said. "I promised my teammates, the young guys, Ant, that I was going to put a ring on their fingers. Anything is possible from rebounds to defense to offense to knocking down free throws. I told my teammates it's bigger than me, it's bigger than you, it's bigger than us."

"This is all you"

As the final horn sounded emotions drained onto the court floor. Amongst all the commotion, a moment was shared between father and son. Junior guard Anthony Robinson II embraced his father, Florida High athletic director Anthony Robinson Sr.

"This is all you. You did this," Robinson Sr. said to his son as he hugged him and tears rolled down his cheeks. Robinson II was beside himself. Crying into his father who motivates and pushes him more than anyone else.

"He's on me 24/7," Robinson II said. "Just to show that love and I just felt it at the moment. Just to cherish that moment with him was something special."

Even Ward was emotional. A Florida State icon who had won a national championship, the Heisman Trophy, and was in the NBA Finals the same time Florida High was in the state tournament 23 years ago, couldn't hold his tears back. It was an accomplishment on the other side of the ball he'll always remember as for a period of time, he questioned if he was a good coach.

"Nine years coaching football, I only made one playoff," Ward said. "I saw the process and progress over the course of my time at those two stops. Then I stop here and I'm blessed with some good talent and great support. Four years later, we're in a state championship."

"There was a time where I was down on if I was a very good coach and now I'm grateful. It's a great feeling because I know what we've put into this over the course of four years. When I got here, I don't know how many games they won, but it wasn't a lot. As they say, you have to wait for great things."

One last ride for each other

The Seminoles' power duo of Donaldson and Robinson II is something the Big Bend may not see again. Donaldson heads onto Auburn while Robinson II has one more year in Southwood, already holding a handful of Division I offers.

Friday night, the duo put on one last performance, with Robinson II draining 19 to Donaldson's 22. Even looking toward the future, junior guard Thaddeus Burns continued his rise with 10 points. The stars shined bright in their final show and Donaldson said he cherished the fact that he was able to do this all with Robinson II.

Even when the rest of their teammates were celebrating, Donaldson and Robinson II could be seen sitting on the bench crying at one point. The duo has led this young Florida High core for years, and it had finally come to fruition.

"You only dream about stuff like this," Donaldson said. "I've been dreaming about this kind of stuff since I was a kid. The clock going down, me winning the state championship and then getting up to stand on the table. To do it with Anthony means so much. We've been doing this together for so long, and been through so many different obstacles together."

This win expands beyond basketball for Donaldson as well into football. For four years, the Seminoles have run into a private school juggernaut from a bigger city in either state semifinals or the championship game. Twice it's been Chaminade-Madonna, and the other two times it was Trinity Christian and Kings Academy.

Being so close, but so far from what he's dreamed of, Friday night he finally got over the hump. In a battle between the Big Bend and South Beach, Tallahassee finally came out on top.

"Through football and basketball, it's all helped me," Donaldson said. "I've been around the block. I've had a lot of experience in the playoffs so it's helped me as a leader. I know what it takes to get to this point and get it done. The experience in the playoffs has helped me get to this level period."

Core memory

It's a moment that is etched in Florida High history forever and one that everyone in those black uniforms will never forget. Amongst all the accolades, the ones that Ward has made or the ones Donaldson and Robinson II will make, they'll always be state champions.

There's pride and joy in the win. All those feelings were summed up by Ward when he came off the court in his introduction.

"I'm Charlie Ward. Head boys basketball coach at Florida State University School. We won a state championship."

Jack Williams covers prep sports for Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at jwilliams@tallahassee.com, on Twitter @jackgwilliams.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Promises were kept, dreams came true, realizations were made in Florida High's state championship win