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Stranahan completes improbable comeback to win Florida high school basketball Class 4A State Championship

Lawrence Andrew Fernandezby: Lawrence Fernandez03/07/25lawandfern
Stranahan Mighty Dragons - Florida high school basketball
Image credit: Stranahan Basketball on X/Twitter (@StranahanBasket)

Stranahan’s Florida high school basketball state championship hopes looked dead after being down by six against Gibbs with 32 seconds left. At that point, Isaiah Medina’s layup looked to be the game-sealing basket for the defending Class 4A state champions.

However, the Mighty Dragons made one final push to turn the tide and they carved out a 63-62 victory over their Saint Petersburg-based opponents. The comeback started when Damari Foster converted an Esron Simeon assist for a three-pointer that slashed Gibbs’ lead in half.

Then, Mathis Roberts turned the ball over with 14 seconds left in regulation, keeping the victory window for Stranahan open. While playing honest defense could have won Gibbs the game, Bobby Crawford fouled Foster as he attempted a three-point shot.

Foster converted the first two free throws but missed the third. Simeon grabbed the rebound and passed the ball to Isaiah Brown who converted the layup with six seconds left. Gibbs had one last chance for a successful title defense but failed.

Instead, Stranahan won the Florida high school basketball Class 4A state championship even if Gibbs shot 77.8 percent from the field in the fourth quarter. However, converting two three-pointers made the difference for Stranahan, especially when Gibbs didn’t convert a basket from beyond the arc in the final quarter.

Christian Yeargin led the way for Stranahan with 21 points, six rebounds, and four steals. Foster contributed 18 points and a team-leading five assists, while David Nealy added 11 points. Conversely, Jacob Daniels had 19 points for Gibbs, while Medina finished with 16.

While Stranahan had a 31-26 halftime advantage, Gibbs had a 22-12 third quarter, thanks to eight of 11 shooting. That deficit did not stop the Mighty Dragons from winning their first state championship since 2022. However, they competed in Class 5A back then and defeated St. Petersburg in the final.

The victory also closed Stranahan’s 2024-25 Florida high school basketball season at 25-7, winning their last seven games. Meanwhile, Gibbs ended their campaign at 25-5 and this loss snapped an 18-game winning streak.