In case anybody has forgotten Parkway Academy is still the reigning class 3A state champions, the Panthers jogged some memories with a 74-44 runaway victory over host Blanche Ely at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Girls Classic late Saturday.

Rutgers recruit Erica Wheeler dominated her guard matchup with Joanna Harden and capped off a game-high 23-point performance with a three-pointer that barely rippled the net as the final buzzer sounded.

“We came to play tonight,” said Panthers’ coach Adam Hopkins. “That pressure defense we applied. The girls jumped the passing lanes so well. We needed to get ready to shut down one dominant player and let somebody else beat us. We don’t mind somebody else shooting and launching 30-foot shots at home.”

Wheeler, a two-time Miami Herald Class 1A-3A Broward Player of the Year, was part of a trapping defense that limited Harden to eight points, all in the second quarter. With Harden unable to get on track, the Tigers (12-4, ranked No. 7 in 6A) fell behind 25-10 at the end of the first quarter and never made it a competitive game after that.

Most of the pre-game buzz centered around the head-to-head matchup between Wheeler and Harden, two of the marquee guards in Florida. The clear winner on Saturday night was Wheeler, who was the aggressor from the opening tip and wowed even a partisan Ely home crowd with her shooting, dribbling and passing.

“Harden is real good but I was darn good tonight myself,” Wheeler said. “I told my team we would be beat them by at least 15. We just had to come out and play as a team. We still have a lot to grow. I am the leader. I am going to get my team together before it’s state time.”

Parkway forward Bianca Thornton added to Ely’s long night with a layup and three-pointer that pushed the lead to 56-32 with 35 seconds left in the third quarter.

Thornton and Destiny Jones finished with 13 points apiece for the Panthers (23-3, ranked No. 1 in 3A) while Kayla Crawford added 12 points. Dijanella Fowler had eight points. Shatoria Baker and Amber Hanna tied Harden for a team-high eight points.

PA (23-3): Wheeler 23, Fowler 8, Crawford 12, Jones 13, Thornton 13, West 3.

Ely (12-4): Harden 8, Wright 2, Ducott 6, Carter 4, Jones 4, Hanna 8, Pendergrass 4, Baker 8. Half: PA 39-24. Three-pointers: Harden 2, Hanna 1, Baker 2, Wheeler 3, Thornton 3. Assists: Wheeler 6.

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