Panthers backup gets postseason redemption

Nearly three weeks after his team's season came to a stunning halt in the district tournament, Plant backup guard Rob Alexander's magical postseason run continues.

By JOEY KNIGHT
Published February 27, 2007

TAMPA - Nearly three weeks after his team's season came to a stunning halt in the district tournament, Plant backup guard Rob Alexander's magical postseason run continues.

Alexander sank 8 of 15 3-pointers Saturday night to win the Class 5A, Region 3 portion of the inaugural Florida High School Athletic Association 3-Point Showdown at Punta Gorda's Charlotte High. As a result, he advances to the finals in his classification Friday at the state tournament in Lakeland.

Alexander, who sank only one 3 as a Plant reserve this past season, will be Hillsborough County's only male representative at the competition. He'll vie for the state title against the three other 5A region champions before the 3A championship game Friday at 3:30 p.m.

"I'm just glad I'm going," said Alexander, a 6-foot-5 junior who recently completed his first season on the Panthers varsity. "It's kind of fun doing this."

Alexander beat out four other competitors for the District 10 title at Jefferson, going 9-for-15 from 3-point range in a 45-second span.

In Saturday's regional, he went only 1-for-5 on the first rack of balls, positioned on the right side of the wing, but hit all five from the middle rack at the top of the key.

"When I hit that fifth one, (the crowd) went crazy," Alexander said.

[Last modified February 27, 2007, 01:10:01]