The Fort Walton Beach boys basketball team’s historic season came to an end Saturday in the Sweet 16, as Godby pulled away early and held on for a 60-54 victory.
- It was a tough ending to a year that saw the Vikings win a playoff game for the first time in 13 years.
Godby set the tone early, opening the first quarter on a 13-4 run. Fort Walton clawed back into single digits, but the Cougars still led 20-12 at the end of the period.
The second quarter proved costly for the Vikings. Fort Walton went scoreless for the first half of the period as Godby reeled off an 8-0 run. Sean Simon finally got the Vikings on the board with a bucket with 3:22 remaining, but the Cougars took a 38-19 lead into halftime, punctuated by a Derrell Ceasor steal that he took to the rim for a layup.
The first two minutes of the third quarter were scoreless before Rodric Starks got Fort Walton going again. The two teams traded buckets for the remainder of the period, with Godby leading 44-31 heading into the fourth.
Fort Walton showed fight down the stretch. Jason Brown opened the fourth with a steal and a score, and after Ceasor hit a 3-pointer to push the Godby lead to 16, Leo Ivison answered with a 3 of his own. Christian Coley then hit a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 10 with six minutes left, putting the Vikings within striking distance.
- Both teams traded two baskets each to make it 53-42, and while Fort Walton continued to push late, Godby stayed composed and closed it out 60-54.
The loss marks the end of the line for a talented senior class. From the starting lineup, the Vikings will lose Starks, Xy Childres and Jordan Lee. Off the bench, Coley and KJ Robertson also played their final games.
But Fort Walton will return plenty of talent. Kyle Jones, Simon, Ivison, Jatevion Jones and Memphis DeLong are all expected back next season.
Godby will play on the road against Bishop Kenny in the Elite 8 next Saturday. Bishop Kenny beat Pensacola 73-34.
