BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Chalil Cummings knocked down five three-pointers and led all scorers with 21 points as the top-seed Bradford High School boys basketball team defeated fifth-seed Fort White 77-54 in the semifinals of the District 6-1A tournament on Feb. 9.
The Tornadoes (11-10) play second-seed Bell (15-11) for the championship on Friday, Feb. 11, at 7:30 p.m. at Bell High School. Bell defeated third-seed Dixie County (14-10) to advance.
Though it was a 23-point win, Bradford Head Coach Sampson Jackson admitted his team was capable of playing a much better game, especially when looking at how the first quarter went. The Tornadoes led 25-7, but then committed eight turnovers and were outscored 17-10 in the second quarter.
“We had a lot of unforced turnovers,” Jackson said.
The coach also said his team needed to do better at the foul line. Bradford attempted only 13 free throws, but made just four, including going 0 for 6 in the fourth quarter.
Still, it was the third win in a row for the Tornadoes, who are finally playing with their lineup intact. Various players have missed time this season due to injuries and college football visits.
“We’re just trying to get everybody in and let everybody get used to the speed of district play,” Jackson said, “but there’s a lot that we can work on.”
Back-to-back three-pointers by Shayne Davis and Cummings were the start of a 15-0 run to close out the first quarter. Jontez Williams added a bucket off a baseline drive before Davis came away with a steal and later got the ball back to hit another three-pointer. Williams hit a foul-line jumper following another Fort White turnover and then knocked down a shot before the buzzer to send Bradford into the second quarter leading by 18.
Bernard Nichols and Cummings hit consecutive three-pointers to start the second quarter, but the Tornadoes were outscored 17-4 the rest of the half.
The Indians (7-16) trimmed Bradford’s lead to nine when Zander Eyjolfsson made two free throws early in the third quarter. Consecutive baskets by Cummings, including his third three-pointer of the game, sparked a brief 7-0 run as the Tornadoes held a double-digit lead the rest of the way.
Williams and Davis finished with 16 and 13 points, respectively. Bradford also got six points each from Amari Jones and Dae’Jon Shanks, four points from Torin Brazell, three points from Nichols and two points each from Hunter Crawford, Sincere Hankerson, Jametrius Pringle and Robbie Simmons-Godwin.
