Posted on Sun, Feb. 24, 2008

Miami Herald: Norland boys advance to state final four

Missing 12 free throws and committing 16 turnovers couldn't stop the Norland boys' basketball team from punching its ticket to the state final four.

The Vikings held off a spirited South Miami team Saturday night, winning 50-43 and advancing to the 6A state semifinals for the second time in three years. The Vikings (24-6) play Winter Springs at 4 p.m. Thursday at The Lakeland Center.

Norland coach Lawton Williams III said he wasn't concerned with how his team won the game.

''It wasn't pretty. It wasn't pretty at all,'' Williams said. ``We committed a lot of turnovers and made a lot of mental mistakes. We didn't earn any style points, but we got the win.''

South Miami (18-10) showed it wasn't going to be intimidated by the capacity crowd packed into Norland's gym as it built a 9-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Cobras went on a 7-0 run to close the quarter, which was capped off by a last-second three pointer from half-court by Isaac Brown. [More…]