PHOTOS: Wekiva falls in championship to Osceola, finishes as state runner-up -- Observer Preps

LAKELAND After trailing by 14 at halftime of the FHSAA Class 9A State Championship, the Wekiva Mustangs closed the third quarter on a 9-2 run to cut the Osceola Kowboys' lead to just four, 37-33.

Despite cutting into that lead even further, cutting the Kowboys' lead to two twice in the fourth quarter, the Mustangs ultimately saw their state title dreams dashed as Osceola pulled away down the stretch for the 59-47 victory.

Though the team and head coach Gersino Lubin were disappointed with the final outcome, Lubin said afterward he was proud of the resilience his team showed in rallying from a double-digit deficit at the half.

"I challenged them as a basketball players and competitors," Lubin said. "We showed that grit and toughness in the third quarter when we made our run."

Osceola was led by a trio of players in double-digits: Tevin Florent scored 17 points, Isiah Palermo scored 15 points and Brady Fernandes scored 13 points. The Kowboys finished their championship campaign with a record of 28-2.

Wekiva (25-5) was led by Paul Reed's game-high 18 points and 13 rebounds. 

The state runner-up finish for Wekiva is the first in the program's history and Lubin said that the run with his group of players was a memorable one.

"I'm going to remember the brotherhood and how much they care about each other beyond basketball," Lubin said. "I'm just hoping that we represented our district well."

Contact Steven Ryzewski at [email protected].