Red-hot Bartow continues winning ways with win over top-seeded Lakeland in district final
LAKELAND — If teams underestimate Bartow because at one point in the season the Yellow Jackets were just 8-8, that’s perfectly fine with head coach Terrence McGriff. However, it would be a mistake.
Bartow played like a team that is 11-1 in its last 12 games in its 72-47 victory over Lakeland rather than the team that was struggling to stay above .500 through 16 games. Bartow’s 25-point victory over the top seed in the district gave the Yellow Jackets the Class 6A, District title and a home game in the first round of the regional tournament.
Bartow currently is ranked eighth in the region but could jump into the top four as it is 7-0 since the last rankings. The Yellow Jackets will host a first-round playoff game on Thursday.
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When Bartow lost to Winter Haven, 80-56, one month ago on Jan. 11, it put the Yellow Jackets at 8-8. Their only loss since then has been to Victory Christian, and they have now won eight in a row. Bartow’s most impressive victories have been against Windermere Prep and Gibbs in the Stinger Shootout along with the wins over St. Cloud and Lakeland in this week’s district tournament.
“I feel like it’s our togetherness,” senior Jayson Williams said. “We’ve built a bond together. We work hard in practice. We bring intensity to everything we do.”
The results of that work and intensity has shown on the scoreboard.
“The kids have kept getting better, their ability to follow a game plan has gotten better,” McGriff said. “We've taken better care of the ball offensively so we're able to get better shots. We control the boards a little bit better. We've gotten healthy. Jayson Williams has been out half a year. He’s our best player. He might not be like other people's best players from other people in the district, but he's our best player. He's important. He played like. So he's been back three or four games.”
Williams scored 10 of his 11 points in the first half when he helped lead Bartow to a 49-32 halftime lead. The Yellow Jackets are known for playing tough defense under McGriff, but its offensive play over the years is underrated. Bartow could not have played any better offensive in the first half when they made six 3-pointers and shot 10 of 13 from the free-throw line en route.
“We don't get credit for offense, but it's been out there a long time,” McGriff said. “But because we're defensive people first, we like that story. The kids are doing a great job just playing in space making the right reads. We’ve got to get better.”
With Williams back, Bartow could be hard to defend going forward. Rickjerlin Senior felix and Edward Wiggins have been two of the top consistent players throught the season — both play strong defense — and they had just four and two points, respectively against Lakeland. The Yellow Jackets did not have a player averaging in double figures in scoring heading into the district tournament.
Against the Dreadnaughts, Williams set the tone in the first half and Daniel Thompson hit four 3-pointers and finished with 14 points. Antwan Willis and Ja’kylen Crossley each score nine points.
Although Bartow cooled off in the second half, scoring just 11 points in the third quarter, Lakeland could not make a run. The Dreadnaught scored nine points in the third quarter and never got closer than 15 points. Jameson Young led with 12 points, and Tre Jackson added 10 points.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Hot Bartow beats top-seeded Lakeland in boys basketball district final
