But pride was when the two Lake County rivals, both ranked in the Sentinel's Super 16, met in front of a sell-out crowd of 1,400 fans.
What those fans saw was a Leesburg team that hit a bunch of 3s early and a Eustis team that struggled from the free throw line and lost point guard Jabari Dunham with an injury for much of the game as Leesburg pulled away for a 70-57 victory.
"This was exactly what I thought it would be as far as intensity," Leesburg coach Marcel Thomas said. "If Eustis was in our district, they would be one of the top teams. Eustis is a very good, young, team. I think we are definitely where we want to be right now."
Leesburg (13-5), ranked No. 12 in the Super 16 and last year's Class 4A state champion, placed five players in double figures. Eustis, (19-2), the No. 10 ranked team, lost for the second time in three games this week but also had four players score in double figures. It took a while for Leesburg to get acclimated to the intensity.
The Yellow Jackets, now a Class 6A school after FHSAA reclassification, struggled in the opening minutes, turning over the ball on each of their first three possessions. But later in the first quarter, while trailing 10-7, the Yellow Jackets hit four straight 3-pointers -- two each from Undra Mitchem and Joe Toolie -- and took a 19-11 lead with 1:20 remaining in the quarter.
The Yellow Jackets, adding back-to-back 3s from Mitchem and Julliard Roberts in the second quarter, never again trailed.
Although Leesburg cooled down from beyond the arc in the second half -- hitting only one 3-point shot -- 5A Eustis was never able to get the deficit under 10 points. The closest Eustis got was 12 points on two occasions.
The first time came when Antwon Clayton hit a free throw with 2:25 left in the third quarter to make the score 48-36. The second time was on a free throw by Ronald Tarver with 1:21 left in the game making it 66-54.
Eustis lost Dunham, its talented sophomore point guard, with less than a minute remaining in the second quarter when he and Leesburg guard Joe Toolie collided while diving for a pass. Dunham hit his face on the court and was down for a few minutes with a bloody mouth.
He returned to the game with 6:40 left in the fourth quarter and made his presence felt immediately, scoring on a drive to the basket with 6:02 left. That was the first of five straight baskets for Dunham who finished the game with 12 points.
"You lose one of the best point guards in Central Florida and we struggled," Eustis coach Mike Bowe said. "But the kids kept fighting."
In the end, the game came down to Leesburg's 3-point shooting in the first half, and Eustis' inability to hit its free throws, particularly in the fourth quarter. The Panthers missed 11 free throws, including three front ends of one-and-one situations.
That continued a trend from Tuesday night when the Panthers lost to Brooksville Nature Coast 64-52. In that game, Eustis missed 13 free throws.
"We are shooting less than 50 percent [from the line]," Bowe said. "I don't know why, we are a good shooting team. This is two tough road losses this week, but I have no concerns. We'll come back."
Jones, a football commitment to the University of Miami as a wide receiver, led Leesburg's scoring with 19 points and Mitchem had 17 followed by Toolie (11), Troy Willis (11) and Roberts (10). In addition to Dunham's effort, Eustis also got double figures from Anthony Allen (13), Clayton (11) and cousin Dustin Dunham (10).
jrwilliams@tribune.com or 352-742-5921. Read Joe Williams' blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/varsityblog. Sign up for the Varsity sports newsletter at OrlandoSentinel.com/joinus.
The Yellow Jackets, now a Class 6A school after FHSAA reclassification, struggled in the opening minutes, turning over the ball on each of their first three possessions. But later in the first quarter, while trailing 10-7, the Yellow Jackets hit four straight 3-pointers -- two each from Undra Mitchem and Joe Toolie -- and took a 19-11 lead with 1:20 remaining in the quarter.
The Yellow Jackets, adding back-to-back 3s from Mitchem and Julliard Roberts in the second quarter, never again trailed.
Although Leesburg cooled down from beyond the arc in the second half -- hitting only one 3-point shot -- 5A Eustis was never able to get the deficit under 10 points. The closest Eustis got was 12 points on two occasions.
The first time came when Antwon Clayton hit a free throw with 2:25 left in the third quarter to make the score 48-36. The second time was on a free throw by Ronald Tarver with 1:21 left in the game making it 66-54.
Eustis lost Dunham, its talented sophomore point guard, with less than a minute remaining in the second quarter when he and Leesburg guard Joe Toolie collided while diving for a pass. Dunham hit his face on the court and was down for a few minutes with a bloody mouth.
He returned to the game with 6:40 left in the fourth quarter and made his presence felt immediately, scoring on a drive to the basket with 6:02 left. That was the first of five straight baskets for Dunham who finished the game with 12 points.
"You lose one of the best point guards in Central Florida and we struggled," Eustis coach Mike Bowe said. "But the kids kept fighting."
In the end, the game came down to Leesburg's 3-point shooting in the first half, and Eustis' inability to hit its free throws, particularly in the fourth quarter. The Panthers missed 11 free throws, including three front ends of one-and-one situations.
That continued a trend from Tuesday night when the Panthers lost to Brooksville Nature Coast 64-52. In that game, Eustis missed 13 free throws.
"We are shooting less than 50 percent [from the line]," Bowe said. "I don't know why, we are a good shooting team. This is two tough road losses this week, but I have no concerns. We'll come back."
Jones, a football commitment to the University of Miami as a wide receiver, led Leesburg's scoring with 19 points and Mitchem had 17 followed by Toolie (11), Troy Willis (11) and Roberts (10). In addition to Dunham's effort, Eustis also got double figures from Anthony Allen (13), Clayton (11) and cousin Dustin Dunham (10).
jrwilliams@tribune.com or 352-742-5921. Read Joe Williams' blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/varsityblog. Sign up for the Varsity sports newsletter at OrlandoSentinel.com/joinus.
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Gerald LaceyStaff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
1986 Varsity Jackets Football Lettermen #82
Class of 1988 Leesburg High School
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