Lady Raiders lose to Pine Forest

His girls’ basketball team had just lost by 27 points in its final game of the season, but Navarre High School coach Greg Boozer couldn’t stop smiling.

“I can’t be anything but happy with how well these girls have tried to do what we’ve asked them to do,” Boozer said Friday after losing 66-39 to Pine Forest in a Florida High School Athletic Association District 1-6A semifinal matchup at Pace. “They gave their best, best effort tonight against a team that’s ranked second in the state; they may be the best team in the state.”

Pine Forest beat Pensacola 47-42 Saturday to win the district championship and improve to 23-2 overall. The Eagles only losses are to Faith Academy in Mobile, Ala., (53-45) and Shades Valley in Birmingham, Ala., (60-49). The Source Hoops/Florida Association of Basketball Coaches poll ranks Pine Forest second in Class 6A behind only Miami Norland.

Standout Jayla King, who verbally has committed to play basketball at the University of South Florida, paced the Eagles with 26 points – 10 in the decisive second quarter when Pine Forest outscored Navarre 20-8 – and Brittney Snowden added 15.

Navarre freshman Nadia Fingall led Navarre with 17 points, 12 blocks and 10 rebounds. Junior guard Chelsea Jones hit four three-pointers for 12 Raider points and senior Lydia Brunet had five points in her final game for Navarre.