- December 24, 2025
Kade Manley (11) drives into the lane against Tampa Sickles. Manley scored 41 points in two games at the Bulldog Classic. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Mainland's Canyon Powers at the free throw line against Sickles. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Reece Casto (24) guards Sickles' Adrian Thomas. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Mainland's Canyon Powers goes up for a dunk against Tampa Sickles on Dec. 22 in the Bulldog Classic at Flagler Palm Coast. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Mainland’s boys basketball team came out of the Bulldog Classic at Flagler Palm Coast on Dec. 22-23 with two quality wins. The Bucs improved to 9-1 in defeating Tampa Sickles 63-51 and Jensen Beach 79-59.
Sickles and Jensen Beach entered the classic with a combined 19-3 record.
“That was a great battle for us,” Bucs coach Joe Giddens said after the Sickles game.
Mainland led Sickles 42-41 entering the fourth quarter but pulled away in the final eight minutes. Kade Manley hit two free throws and Canyon Powers hit one in the final 20 seconds.
Powers (17 points), Beegie Gordon (17 points) and Manley (16 points) led the Bucs down the stretch. The three returning starters from last season provided the coaches with some key suggestions that made a difference, Giddens said.
“They’d say man defense would work or they’d suggest putting a certain player in. They’re on the court, so they can see what’s going on,” Giddens said.
Manley scored 25 against Jensen Beach, sinking all five of his 3-point-shot attempts. Gordon added 16 points and hit 4-of-8 from behind the 3-point arc.
Next up for Mainland is the Vince Carter Hall of Fame Classic on Jan. 29-30 at Mainland’s Vince Carter Athletic Center.
Fifteen teams join the Bucs in the two-day event, including Staten Island Monsignor Farrell from New York, Orlando Jones, Winter Haven, Apopka, Lake Howell, Orlando Evans, Orlando East River, Jacksonville Bishop Kenny, St. Johns Creekside, Flagler Palm Coast, Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic, Sebring, Lake Alfred Discovery, Palm Beach Gardens and Lake Worth Dr. Joaquin Garcia.
The Bucs play Dr. Garcia at 7 p.m. on Dec. 29, and Evans on Dec. 30. Evans (11-2) also won two games at the Bulldog Classic.
