The FCCAA No. 1 Raiders built a convincing 14-point halftime lead, taking advantage of the Patriots' 35 percent shooting and 1-for-8 effort from 3-point range. But CF (26-7) made a valiant second-half effort in turning the potential rout into a winnable game that spiraled out of its reach in the final minutes.
The Patriots emerged from the halftime locker room with renewed energy on offense and defense, unleashing a 23-6 run over the half's first 10 minutes and edging within a possession of the Panhandle Conference champs. Ricardo Ratliffe capped the rally with a basket in the post and an emphatic block on Raiders counterpart Tobias Veal, shifting the momentum completely to the Patriots' side.
But a composed NWFSC squad corrected itself, falling into a pattern of trading baskets with the Patriots and maintaining its slim lead as CF missed its opportunities to tie or move ahead. Raiders gunner Sherrard Brantley expanded the Northwest lead with a dagger 3-pointer with 7:20 to play, pushing his team ahead 58-50. Freshman Darius Nesmith responded with a transition three for the Patriots 30 seconds later, but the shot amounted to CF's last stand. The Raiders answered with an 11-1 run over the following three minutes, rebuilding the double-digit lead it enjoyed at the break and cruising to victory.
Aside from the early hole it dug itself, CF was doomed in large part by its misfires from the perimeter. The team shot 4-for-17 from 3-point range, with many of those misses coming at crucial moments in which a make might have changed the game. Northwest also held an advantage on the offensive boards - a Patriots point of emphasis in their preparations - with 20 second-chance points off of 23 offensive rebounds. That yielded 74 total field-goal attempts to CF's 65, offsetting Northwest's own 36 percent shooting for the game.
Ricardo Ratliffe led all scorers with 27 points, 11 more than the second-highest point producer. But the rugged NWF frontcourt held its own, forcing the sophomore All-American to take 21 attempts from the field to match his season average. Josh Proctor promised to have a larger impact on the game had he not been saddled with foul trouble, but he still contributed 12 points and 7 rebounds in 23 minutes despite his own struggles from the field. No other Patriot scored more than Travis Johnson's 7 points.
The Patriots kept Raiders standout point guard Brian Bryant from dominating the game, holding him to 13 points on 4-for-21 shooting. But Bryant had ample help, as four Northwest teammates joined him in double figures, led by Veal's 16.
CF has now been eliminated by a Panhandle Conference school in each of the last five seasons, including last year's semifinal loss to Chipola.
Central Florida's attention now turns to the women's tournament. The Lady Patriots face Palm Beach State at 9 p.m. EST Thursday in the last of four FCCAA State Tournament women's quarterfinal games.
