Tip-Off Classic: DP upsets Mainland; Seminole-Boone goes OT
After a dismal 2022-23 boys basketball record by Dr. Phillips standards, Panthers senior Kalleal “KJ” Jones believes his team is in for a “way better season” this time around.
Thanks to his last-second heroics on Wednesday night, DP is moving in that direction. Jones, a 6-foot-4 senior wing, made the winning shot to give his team a 58-57 victory against state-ranked Daytona Beach Mainland in the opening game of the Rotary Tip-Off Classic at Winter Park High School.
Mainland, No. 3 in SourceHoops’ Class 5A preseason rankings, rallied from down 56-49 in the final 80 seconds to go ahead 57-56 on a 3-pointer by junior guard Seven Simmons with 4.6 seconds to go.
Second-year DP coach Antonio Cunningham called a timeout and called Jones’ number. The Panthers (2-0) threw from the baseline long to Jones, who caught the ball outside the 3-point line on the right wing. Two defenders moved to trap but Jones used three dribbles to create just enough space for a 14-foot jumper that beat the buzzer and dealt Mainland (3-1) its first loss.
Dr. Phillips’ bench emptied as players ran onto the court in a celebration that looked as joyous as those seen after the many district and region championship victories.
“I told [Stanley Anderson] to not overthrow it,” Jones said of the inbounds pass. “He did exactly what I said. I knew I needed to pull up and shoot it.”
Jones finished with 10 points and 7 rebounds. Anderson had 11 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds.
The Panthers will play Sanford Seminole (2-0) in a 6:30 semifinal game on Friday night.
DP finished with zero seniors and went 8-17 last season — only its second losing record in the past 33 years. Not since the school’s second year of existence in 1988-89 had the Panthers posted fewer wins (3-19).
“It was a very hard year. We had a lot of young guys last year and we had to adjust to a new coaching staff,” Jones said. “We did just that.”
Cunningham said his first season in Carolina blue was the initial chapter on what he has told his players is the task of “finishing the story” to bring the program back to its glory days.
“Now we’re in Phase 2,” he said. “We’ve worked to create a culture. We need to sustain that and get back where DP needs to be. This is definitely a special win. It sets the tone for the rest of the season.”
Cunningham moved from Lake Nona to take over a tradition-rich DP program that won 20 games or more for 22 years in a row (1993-2015). He replaced Ben Witherspoon, who landed an assistant coaching position at UCF after taking the Panthers to their first state championship in 2021 and a state runner-up finish in 2022.
Dr. Phillips basketball beats Dwyer for 1st state title
Simmons scored 15 points on five 3s for Mainland, which may add as many as six players to its roster after its final four football team completes its season.
The Buccaneers were state runners-up in football and boys basketball last year.
There was nearly a second surprise in the nightcap, where Seminole scored a 63-55 overtime win against Boone (0-2). The underdog Braves led 25-12 after senior guard Cheo James (29 points) made consecutive 3s late in the second quarter.
Seminole took its first lead at 30-29 when senior guards Dequan Ross and Josiah Shackelford opened the second half with 3s. There were nine lead changes and four ties in the final 18 minutes.
Boone scored first in OT for a 56-54 lead with 3:14 to go but that was its last basket. Seminole took the lead for good on another 3 by Shackelford, who finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds.
Seminole made just 17 of 30 free throws while Boone made 8 of 10.
Thursday’s quarterfinal matchups had host Winter Park (1-0) vs. Spruce Creek (0-1) and Kissimmee Osceola (0-1) vs. No. 4 6A Edgewater (2-0).
ROTARY TIP-OFF CLASSIC
At Winter Park High School
Wednesday
Dr. Phillips 58, Mainland 57
Seminole 63, Boone 55 (OT)
Thursday
Mainland vs. Boone, 5 p.m.
Winter Park vs. Spruce Creek, 6:30
Kissimmee Osceola vs. Edgewater, 8
Friday
WP/SC vs. KO/Edge winners, 5 p.m.
DP vs. Seminole, 6:30
WP/SC vs. KO/Edge winners, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday
Games at 5, 6:30 and 8
Varsity Content Editor Buddy Collings can be reached by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
