Plant City shook off a slow start Tuesday night to reach win number 10 over the Riverview Sharks.
The Raiders (10-7; 7-2 district) didn’t have an answer for Riverview in the first quarter, ending with a 21-10 deficit on its home court. But Plant City settled down and refocused, and the team spent much of the second quarter controlling the tempo on a 16-5 scoring run. The Raiders were able to tie the game at 34-34 with under a minute left to play and freshman Drew Walden put the home team ahead with a layup just seconds before time in the first half expired.
Both teams played at a breakneck speed in the third quarter and the Sharks were able to muster enough offense for a few lead changes, but Plant City’s defense only got better as time went on. The Raiders rebounded well enough to set up plenty of second-chance opportunities and Justyn King electrified the crowd with several swats and a coast-to-coast dunk as PCHS cruised through the fourth quarter.
With the win, Plant City joins Tampa Bay Tech as the only teams in Class 8A-District 9 with 10 or more wins. The Raiders are currently projected as a 2 seed in the upcoming district tournament, which begins Feb. 12 at Plant City High School.
