Stranahan boys’ basketball back in state final four looking to restart championship run
Not so long ago - three years to be exact - Fort Lauderdale Stranahan put together one of the more impressive boys’ basketball state championship runs in recent memory.
The Dragons won three state titles in a span of four seasons.
They might be in the process of starting a new one.
Led by junior forwards David Nealy and Christian Yeargin and sophomore guard Damari Foster, Stranahan held off visiting Miami St. Brendan for a 72-61 victory in the Region 4-4A final at the Dragons’ home gym.
Stranahan (23-7) returns to Lakeland for the first time since that championship run ended in 2022, and will take on Jacksonville Ribault in a Class 4A state semifinal on March 4 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
“We came prepared,” Yeargin said. “The last 2 practices we made sure we came out hot and we did what we had to do.”
The Sabres (21-8) entered the game fresh off an upset of top-seeded Miami Northwestern and playing in their first regional final in school history.
After keeping things relatively even for the first four minutes of the contest, Stranahan took control by ending the first quarter on a 16-3 surge and scored the final 11 points of the period.
The Dragons would lead by as many as 21 in the second half before St. Brendan cut the deficit to seven with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter.
But Stranahan’s defense kept the Sabres from getting the key scores to truly give them a chance for another comeback win.
“It’s all about defense,” said Stranahan coach Edward Schuler, who coached all three Dragons’ recent state championship teams. “Chris (Yeargin) is our leader but we follow up with Damari, David and Isaiah and others.”
Stranahan was tough on the defensive end, forcing turnovers, which led to quick transition scores at the other end.
And they were balanced on the offensive end and sharp from long distance.
The Dragons made 10 three-pointers.
Nealy made six of those triples and finished with a game-high 24 points.
“Nealy went off and this was his best night of the playoffs. And that’s what we needed,” Schuler said. “I told him if he hit two threes we’d have a chance and then he hit six.”
Jonas Duque and Benny Fragela each had 15 to lead St. Brendan, and Javi Jimenez had 12 points. But the Sabres struggled to find any shooting consistency throughout the game thanks largely to Stranahan’s defenders.
Yeargin finished with 18 points while Foster had 17 points, and Isaiah Brown had six points and eight rebounds for Stranahan.
“Our offense is balanced. We have three great guards who can handle the ball and I have amazing bigs and people coming off the bench,” Yeargin said. “We’re balanced and we can beat any team.
After the game, the Dragons each climbed a step ladder and cut down pieces of their net to celebrate. Two more games and they’ll be able to celebrate even more in Lakeland.
“Just working hard every day with my teammates, it’s been a special journey,” Yeargin said. “It’s not over yet. We’re going there and we’re getting a ring.”
