The Apopka girls basketball team saw its two-game win streak snapped Thursday night, falling 63-33 to a physical and well-coached Edgewater squad.  

Head coach Brittany Hardy made it clear the loss doesn’t erase the progress her team has shown over the past two weeks. 

“Over the winter break we got in the gym every single day, and the girls came in, locked in,” Hardy said. “They went out there, executed and did everything I asked of them in our last two games. Tonight, we just faced a very good team that’s very well coached, and we just got outworked.” 

Apopka entered the matchup riding momentum. On Jan. 7, the Blue Darters dismantled Osceola on the road, 45-12, behind a dominant performance from Amari Dillon, who poured in 24 points and grabbed 19 rebounds.  

On Monday, Apopka showed resilience in a 55-50 win over Lake Minneola (8-6), led by freshman Destiny Gelin’s breakout performance of 20 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds. 

That momentum faced an immediate challenge against the No. 13 ranked team in the Orlando area, Edgewater (13-4). Apopka came in short-handed without Mikayla Wiggins, who injured her knee against Lake Minneola (she is expected to return next week). Deriyon Brinson made her return after missing nearly a month, providing a boost but still working her way back into rhythm. 

The opening minutes were sluggish for both teams until Elyse Pringle scored Apopka’s first basket at the 3:30 mark of the first quarter. Edgewater quickly found its footing, forcing turnovers and converting them into points. Dillon scored inside and Brinson followed with a jumper, but the Eagles controlled the paint and knocked down a key 3 to take a 17-8 lead after one. 

Edgewater’s pressure intensified in the second quarter. A steal and finish at the five-minute mark capped a run that pushed the Eagles ahead 25-8. Dillon continued to battle inside, scoring through contact, while Abigail Henry grabbed her missed free throw and scored on a rare four-point play. Still, Edgewater’s ability to turn defense into offense was too strong, and despite a late free throw from Dillon, the Blue Darters trailed 37-13 at halftime. 

While sidelined, Wiggins remained a constant presence, energizing teammates from the bench and leading huddles. Her voice and leadership showed her importance to a young Apopka roster, even when she’s not on the floor. 

Edgewater scored first out of the break, but Gelin answered with a pair of free throws. Offense remained difficult to come by as the Eagles continued to control tempo and spacing. Brinson and Lynn Lance added points at the line, but Edgewater stretched its lead to 47-18 heading into the fourth. 

Apopka showed flashes of its recent confidence early in the final quarter. Brinson knocked down a wing 3 and followed with a pullup jumper, then Gelin drilled a 3 from the top of the key as the Darters put together a quick surge. In a 90-second span, Apopka nearly matched its total from the previous two quarters, trimming the margin to 47-26. 

Edgewater responded by re-inserting its starters and quickly reasserted control. Gelin buried another 3 and Henry converted from the line late, but the Eagles closed the game firmly to secure the 63-33 win. 

The freshman Gelin led Apoka with nine points. Brinson had eight in her return to the lineup, along with Henry. 

Despite the result, Hardy emphasized the love of the sport as her team travels through the final stretch of the season. 

“Like I tell them with everything, we just got to have that grit and have fun out here,” Hardy said. “Basketball – you just got to love the game. It’s either they want it or they don’t, and hopefully they want it.” 

The Darters will continue to carry lessons through their final five regular season games. They face Lake Mary (13-6), 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at home.