Fla. Christian College is regional champ and No. 4 seed at tourney

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

For the first time, Florida Christian College will play at the National Christian College Athletic Association Division II mens national basketball tournament March 6-10 at Springfield, Mo.

The Suns, 17-14, won the Southeast Region championship Saturday over Clearwater Christian, 76-70, in overtime at Toccoa Falls College in Toccoa, Ga.

The Suns are seeded No. 4 at the 12-team national tournament, which will be played at Central Bible College.

The Suns received a first round bye and open March 8 against the winner of the game between Kuyper College of Grand Rapids, Mich., seeded No. 5, and Central Bible, the No. 12 seed.

The Suns may see Clearwater Christian for the fifth time this season in the semifinal round March 9, but that would require Clearwater to win its first round game Tuesday and then upset top-seeded Valley Forge, from Philadelphia.

The championship game is March 10.

The Suns were led by Poinciana High graduate Terrance Taylor in the regional championship game. Taylor scored 25 points and sent the game into overtime by hitting a shot with 2 seconds left in regulation. He was the tournament’s MVP.

Forward A.J. Williams, a 6-5 sophomore from Orlando, had a monster game, scoring 17 points and pulling down 20 rebounds to make the all-tournament team.

Williams also was a first-team all-region selection.

“A.J. probably should have been the regional player of the year. He was solid all season,” Suns Coach Jake Deer said.

Taylor’s return to the team at midseason helped turn its fortunes around, Deer said. The Suns, after a record-setting 21-11 campaign last year, struggled to a 3-8 start after point guard and co-captain Montique Lynch, who played at Cypress Creek High, sprained his ankle in the season opener.

Without the team’s top three guards, FCC blew a double-digit lead against Southland Christian and that bad karma carried through the early part of the season.

“Some of the players’ attitudes’ weren’t in the right place,” 6-6 forward Alex Wierda, a co-captain, said.

But, when Taylor, a second-team all region pick, returned to the team after the holiday break, things dramatically changed. The Suns are on a 14-6 spurt and picked up a confidence-building win at Clearwater Christian in the last week of the regular season that charged the team, Lynch said.

“We went to their house and took it. We took it real personal after they beat us earlier,” Lynch, another all-region selection, said.

Taylor said the win was a turning point for the team.

“It brought us closer together,” he said. “It brought us a lot of confidence, along with what Coach (Deer) does for us.”

That confidence boost was apparent at the five-team regional tournament, where the Suns demolished Trinity College, 91-52, in the semifinal round.

Deer said Taylor’s return (he missed the first semester waiting for financial aid) was a big reason for the team’s turnaround, but not the only one. A couple of the players suffered personal tragedies as family members passed away last fall, Deer said. The team lost one of its top post players as a result. But, the team has had time to adjust after those tragedies, Deer said.

Taylor, who graduated from PHS in 2003, served in the military and played for the Suns last season. He has brought a level of maturity to the team, Deer said.

“It also gave us another scorer, which we really needed,” he said. “We also got healthier, although Monte still has a sore ankle.”

Lynch said with Taylor back in the lineup, he plays with more confidence in the backcourt.

“We played together before, and we know each other’s game,” he said.

Deer schedules tough games around the Southeast each season, and 12-hour road trips in the school’s two 15-person vans are the norm.

“The idea is to play good competition wherever we can,” Deer said.

Players like Wierde, from Jacksonville First Coast Christian, fill valuable roles.

“Alex is one of those guys who does everything right. That’s why he’s a captain,” Deer said.

Young players also have helped. Freshman Juwan Braye, from Stuart Martin County High, has made an impact, Deer said.

Grace Bible College of Grand Rapids, seeded No. 2, is the three-time defending national champion, Deer said.

“When we play our game, we feel like we can play with anybody,” Taylor said.

Deer said Grace and Valley Forge will be tough outs at the national tournament. But, anything is possible, he added.

“We’re playing well, as good as we have all season,” Deer said. “We’re the top-ranked defensive team in the country. We’re holding opponents to less than 20 percent from 3-point range. We have a chance.”

The Suns roster also includes Wes Smith, of Eustis, Stephen Galvin, of Melbourne, Justin Alpine, of New Port Richey, Jordan Ambroise, of League City, Texas, Luke Stamps of Cape Coral, Jihad Gallon, of Poinciana, Joseph Wood, of Bradenton, Quinton Haugabook, of Atlanta, Adam Daniels, of Poinciana, Marchel Smith, of Orlando and former Gateway High player Kenny Martinez, of Kissimmee.

Athletic Director Bryce Bow is an assistant coach. Shane Smarr is the associate head coach.

Nik Winkleman is the conditioning coach. Aaron Byrd is the team manager.