Boys basketball: Parker Davis leads Windermere Prep to uncharted waters

Parker Davis knows his time with Windermere Prep — and as a varsity basketball player, in general — is running short.

Perhaps that is what motivated the dynamic senior guard for the Lakers to score a game-high 31 points Feb. 16 in leading Windermere Prep past previously-undefeated Santa Fe Catholic 96-58 in the Class 3A Regional Semifinals.

With the win, Davis and his teammates are taking the program to a regional championship for the first time in its history.

“That’s all (Parker has) said and that’s his focus — ‘I want states,’” head coach Ben Wilson said. “He doesn’t mention anything about his own personal goals or his recruiting or anything. When you talk to him, all he talks about is ‘I want to lead my team to states.’”

Five players for the Lakers (24-5) finished in double figures: David Nickelberry had 15 points to pair with 14 rebounds, Xion Golding tallied 11 points and eight rebounds, Yassen Aratius added 16 points and Mitchell Siegel chipped in 12 points.

The team effort was evidence of Windermere Prep’s preparation for an opponent it did not take lightly.

“They obviously had our attention — they hadn’t lost a game yet,” Wilson said. “We had full focus for three days of practice and, by the time it was tipoff, we had prepared so much and watched film and we were ready to get out there and get after it.”

The Lakers will now prepare to host Tampa Prep (19-10) at 7 p.m. Saturday — meaning the program is just one game away from a trip to The Lakeland Center for the Class 3A Final Four.

The winner of Saturday’s game will compete in the Class 3A State Semifinals at either 6 p.m. or 8 p.m. Feb. 23.

“It means a lot,” Wilson said. “We’re taking this one game at a time. … The ultimate goal is to get to Lakeland.”

Contact Steven Ryzewski at [email protected].