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Preps

Titans breeze past Panthers

TAMPA -- Top-seeded Tampa Bay Tech and No. 3 seed Armwood advanced to the final in very different fashions Wednesday.

Led by the 3-point shooting of junior guard Naomi Barnes, Tampa Bay Tech (21-3) sprinted to a 14-point, first-quarter lead and coasted to a 48-39 semifinal victory against Plant (15-11).

Armwood (20-8) beat No. 2 seed Blake (15-8) 50-47 in a sloppy game. The Hawks face the Titans for the district title Saturday night at 7:30.

Tech, motivated by an upset loss to Armwood in the same round last season, was determined not to repeat history. Barnes, who went scoreless in last season's loss, had 16 points in the first half, including three 3-pointers, as the Titans took a 37-14 halftime lead.

Barnes finished with a game-high 21 points. Chichi Okpaleke added 13.

Tampa Bay Tech coach Heather Glezen didn't like what she saw in a lackluster second half, and quickly reminded her charges of last season's outcome.

"We came in as the top seed last year and showed our inexperience," Glezen said. "We're more experienced this year. But we need to continue taking the ball to the net and not letting teams get back in the game like we did tonight."

Armwood showed its senior poise in holding off Blake. The Hawks fell behind by nine midway through the second quarter before Muneca Oliver led a 15-6 run to tie the game at 27 at halftime.

Playing with four fouls most of the second half, Oliver repeatedly broke Blake's fullcourt press with long passes to teammates for easy baskets.

Leading by eight with 6 minutes, 37 seconds left, the Hawks survived five consecutive turnovers and a final push from Blake, which cut the lead to one with 4:20 left. Oliver's 3-pointer sealed the win with just more than a minute remaining.

Sophomore Ashley Armstrong had eight points, freshman Elizabeth Stevens had eight points and 11 rebounds and senior Deanna Jackson had six points and 11 rebounds for Armwood.

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