American Heritage girls’ basketball state title defense heads back to championship game
Plantation American Heritage’s path back to the Class 6A championship game has never been smooth and Wednesday was no exception.
American Heritage, the defending 6A champion, made its way back to the title game, but only after surviving one of the sloppiest first halves of the week so far in Lakeland. The Patriots went just 8 of 25 from the field in the first half and withstood a 3:38 scoring drought of their own by stifling Weeki Wachee even worse. The Hornets didn’t make a field goal in the second quarter as American Heritage turned a three-point edge at the end of the first quarter into a 16-point halftime lead and eventually a 56-26 win at the RP Funding Center.
“We struggled on offense, but I’ve been telling them all year long, ‘Defense wins championships. That dictates our year, so if we play defense we play hard,’” coach Greg Farias said after the blowout win. “That’s where we’re at. Defense dictated us and that’s what got us in the game.”
The Patriots, who reached the state championship for the first time last year and brought a title back to Broward County, will try to complete their title defense Thursday. American Heritage (20-9) closes out its season at 7 p.m. against Jacksonville Bishop Kenny back at George W. Jenkins Arena.
After winning their first title in 2018, the Patriots set up their 2019 schedule to prepare themselves for a repeat. American Heritage survived a five-game losing streak at the end of 2018 and has now won 11 of 12 since the grueling stretch.
The latest win came despite a mostly disastrous offensive start. After opening 3 of 6 from the field, the Patriots missed their next nine shots and let Weeki Wachee (26-5) stick within 10-7 despite a 6:33 scoring drought spanning most of the first quarter.
“At first I was a little shaken myself, I’m not going to lie,” said post player Paris Sharpe, who ultimately finished with a game-high 16 points, “but I realize that I’m a senior and my team, they need me.”
Even the second quarter was ugly for American Heritage, but the Patriots switched to a full-court press to run away from the Hornets. Weeki Wachee scored only one point in the third quarter and turned the ball over nine times. American Heritage ultimately scored 37 points off 34 Hornet turnovers. At the end of the third quarter, the Patriots had 23 steals. Weeki Wachee only had 19 shots.
Sharpe, who reached the Class 5A semifinals with Cardinal Gibbons last season, finished one rebound short of a triple-double with 16 points, 11 steals and nine boards. Sophomore guard Daniella Aronsky added another 11 points while sinking three three-pointers.
While much of the team will be going for a second ring, Sharpe will have a shot at her first. Bishop Kenny (29-2) is all that stands in the way.
“I’m coming harder tomorrow. We’re going to win tomorrow,” Sharpe said. “I have confidence in my team. We’re going to make some shots, we’re going to get some points and we’re going to play some hard defense.”
