Flagler Palm Coast overcomes Jayden McCoy's 29 points to topple Matanzas, 63-58

The Bulldogs swept the season series against the Pirates.

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Flagler Palm Coast’s boys basketball team completed a season sweep against rival Matanzas on Friday, Jan. 23, with a 63-58 victory at the Bulldogs’ gym.

Both games were close. But in the first game, Nate Perry’s jumper with 4 seconds left lifted FPC to a 60-58 win. This time, the Bulldogs led by as many 14 points in the fourth quarter with two late 3-pointers by the Pirates narrowing the margin.

While Jayden McCoy poured in 29 points, representing half of the Pirates’ scoring, the Bulldogs put together a balanced attack with four players scoring in double figures. Nateshawn Royal, who scored 24 when the Pirates and Bulldogs last met on Dec. 12, led the way for the Bulldogs again with 15 points. Perry scored 13, forward Anthony Hampton had 11 and center Siah Sanders added 10.

“It feels good,” Hampton said. “We got the season sweep taken care of, and we won like how we should have. I felt like everybody on the court contributed. Everybody executed the offense perfectly.”

Both teams adjusted their defenses this time around, FPC coach Greg Shirley said.

“Matanzas ran an inverted triangle and two (focusing on shooters Perry and Hampton),” Shirley said. “Pretty creative, but that puts Nateshawn and Siah in a position where they can do what they do. They're very talented players also.”

Shirley said the Bulldogs stretched their defense out to limit the Pirates’ 3-point shooting. Matanzas hit seven 3-pointers in both games, but this time, McCoy had more openings to drive to the basket. The sophomore scored all of his points inside the 3-point arc. If he wasn’t hitting driving layups, he was getting to the foul line, where he sank 11 of 13 attempts.

“He’s a tremendous athlete,” Shirley said.

McCoy’s scoring explosion wasn’t an isolated instance. In his past five games, heading into a home game against Ridgeview at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 26, McCoy has scored 22, 32, 20, 27 and 29 points.


I'm not concerned about the points. I'm just concerned about winning, and that's something we got to get better at as a team.
—JAYDEN McCOY, Matanzas sophomore

“I just try to get it started, so we can get the ball moving and hit open shooters in the corner,” McCoy said. “Honestly, I'm not concerned about the points. I'm just concerned about winning, and that's something we got to get better at as a team.”

The Pirates (6-12) have lost four in a row and six of their last seven. A young team, Matanzas has just one senior and one junior in its regular rotation. Three sophomores — McCoy, Curtis Giles and Jamel Guererro average in double figures.

Guererro had nine points on three 3-pointers at FPC, while Giles and freshman Tim Shalypin each scored six points.

“We were inconsistent,” McCoy said. “It was a big crowd, so I think we got a little too excited. We got three games left, so I’m ready to win these last three games and then win districts.”

Following Monday’s Ridgeview game, the Pirates host St. Joseph at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and end the regular season on Thursday at Menendez. 

The Bulldogs (14-8) snapped a two-game losing streak playing their third game in five days. They have another busy week ahead with three Five Star Conference Tournament games to end the regular season. FPC opens the Five Star with a home game against Seabreeze on Monday at 7:30 p.m.

 

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