Dr. Phillips beats Seminole to return to the championship

The Panthers beat the Seminoles 66-52 on the back of Riley Kugel's 27 points for a chance to defend their title on March 5.

By Chris Martucci
| 4:55 p.m. March 4, 2022

West Orange Times & Observer
News

At halftime, the mood was slightly nervous. After presumably taking control of the game, Dr. Phillips found itself tied with Seminole at 28.

In the second half, the Panthers showed the state why they are the defending Class 7A state champions as they wrestled control right back. The team never looked back after that, clinching a return ticket to the state championship game with a resounding 66-52 victory over the Seminoles.

Riley Kugel continued his playoff dominance by scoring 27 points, and his teammates did more than enough to provide the extra power. Denzel Aberdeen scored 12 points while Ernest Udeh Jr. added 10 points and 9 rebounds.

The Panthers won three out of the four quarters in points scored, with Seminole winning the second quarter 19-15. DP then outscored them in the second half 38-24.

DP now returns to Lakeland on Saturday, March 5 to play Columbus for the Class 7A championship at 8 pm.