The Class 6A District 5 semifinal between Wekiva and Edgewater delivered everything a playoff crowd could ask for — intensity, momentum swings, highlight plays, and a finish that came down to the final minutes.  

In a back-and-forth battle between two familiar rivals, Edgewater topped Wekiva 62-57, ending the Mustangs’ district run but sending them forward with something to build on in the regional playoffs. 

“This was a fun game. Two competitors. We’re close area schools. They know each other.” Wekiva head coach Gersino Lubin said. “I was just happy to see us come out and compete.” 

Both teams opened the game with empty possessions before Kenny Dieujuste scored inside for the first basket. Edgewater quickly answered with a mid-range jumper, setting the tone for a tightly contested first quarter.  

Eric Nichols knocked down an early 3, but the Eagles continued to respond. DJ Thomas attacked the paint for a jumper, while Dylan Foster countered with a finish in the lane and a free throw to tie the game at 7-7 midway through the period. 

Edgewater gained momentum with a pull-up jumper from Travis Scott and a 3-pointer off a turnover, forcing Wekiva into an early timeout trailing 16-10. Out of the break, Jace Moore converted two free throws and Nichols found Dieujuste for a floater, but Edgewater’s pressure defense disrupted the Mustangs. The Eagles closed the first quarter with a 21-15 advantage. 

Edgewater extended its lead early in the second quarter with two free throws and back-to-back corner treys. Wekiva answered when Dieujuste kicked out to Louvens Saint Pierre for a 3-pointer, sparking a stretch of fast-paced basketball that ignited the gym. 

Nichols grabbed a rebound and went coast to coast, breaking a defender’s ankles before finishing through contact for an and-one. Jasen Francillon followed with a powerful dunk to pull Wekiva within four. Edgewater responded with a dunk of its own, but Wekiva countered immediately with a long inbounds pass that led to a wide-open Dieujuste slam. 

With just over two minutes remaining in the half, Nichols drove the lane for a layup, and Dieujuste cleaned up an offensive rebound to keep the Mustangs within reach. A feed from Nichols to Kaiden Jean Louis tied the game before Edgewater reclaimed a narrow 32-31 halftime lead at the free-throw line. 

Wekiva opened the second half aggressively. Saint Pierre hit a free throw and assisted Nichols on an open jumper to take the lead, and after an Edgewater basket, Dieujuste went back to work inside with a strong rebound and finish. 

Defense dominated the middle of the third quarter as both teams battled through physical possessions. Saint Pierre drilled another long ball to give Wekiva a brief five-point cushion, but Edgewater answered with tough finishes in the paint and trips to the foul line.  

Jace Moore added points at the stripe late in the quarter, and Wekiva carried a slim 46-44 lead into the fourth. 

Edgewater opened the final period with a 3-pointer and two free throws to regain the advantage. Francillon responded by taking the ball into the post and spinning into a fadeaway jumper that energized the Mustangs bench. Nichols followed with two free throws to put Wekiva back in front. 

Turnovers and missed free throws began to loom large in the closing minutes. Edgewater attacked the paint on consecutive possessions to build a three-point lead, then converted a fast-break dunk after a Wekiva turnover to go up five with just over three minutes remaining. 

Nichols split a pair of free throws, and Francillon cleaned up the miss to cut the deficit to three. Edgewater answered again with a layup, then controlled the tempo in the final two minutes and capitalized at the foul line to stretch the lead to six.  

Kaiden Jean Louis connected on a late 3, but the Eagles sealed the game at the stripe to secure the 62-57 victory. 

“The little things hurt us — free throws, missed layups,” Lubin said. “The game is never perfect, but we just have to clean up those small details.” 

Nichols led Wekiva with 13 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Dieujuste added 12 points and eight rebounds, while Saint Pierre finished with 10 points, three assists, and two steals. 

Despite the loss, Wekiva advances to the regional playoffs, and Lubin believes the effort sets a foundation moving forward. 

“If they show up and compete like they did tonight, I can go to sleep just fine,” Lubin said. “Somebody has to win, somebody has to lose. We get to watch film and grow from it. If we get another opportunity, we just have to make better choices. I can’t complain — they really competed, and I’m proud of them.”