For two games in the Metro West Tournament, Wekiva looked every bit like a team built for a championship moment. But when the moment finally arrived in the Friday night final, the Mustang offense that had overpowered Horizon and Dr. Phillips fell silent under Ocoee’s relentless pressure. 

The Knights smothered Wekiva from the second quarter on, using wave after wave of full-court pressure and a barrage of 3s to hand the Mustangs a 55-26 loss in the title game. It was a stark turn from the dominant form Wekiva showed earlier in the week, and a reminder of the “road-warrior mentality” head coach Jerry Middleton has been preaching to his group. 

Ocoee opened the night with back-to-back 3s before Alexis Hill answered from the top of the key, settling Wekiva into the fast, physical pace. Both defenses swarmed passing lanes and cut off drives, keeping the first quarter tight. With under a minute left, tension spilled over when players leaped for a loose ball, sparking a brief round of pushing between both sides. Ocoee carried a 12-8 lead into the second. 

That’s when the game shifted for good. 

The Knights’ press turned suffocating, creating turnovers. Rushed passes and transition layups helped Ocoee rip off a 10-0 run to force a Mustang timeout. Ocoee took a commanding 26-8 lead into halftime after blanking the Mustangs for the entire frame. 

Hill finally broke the drought early in the third, but Ocoee immediately countered with a flurry of 3s — including two from Dakara Merthie — that pushed the lead near 30. Every time Wekiva tried to settle into its sets, the Knights sped up the game, turning miscues into points. A second-chance finish from Hill gave Wekiva a brief spark, but Ocoee’s energy and pace overwhelmed the Mustangs as the Knights closed the third quarter up 46-14. 

Wekiva showed some life early in the fourth on back-to-back 3s. First a deep right-wing shot from Makayla Bell, then another from Ja’Niya Poole forcing Ocoee to regroup with a timeout. But the Knights’ pressure resumed immediately, producing four more points off turnovers and sealing the tournament title with a final margin of 55-26. 

The performance was a dramatic departure from the first two rounds of the Metro West Tournament, where Wekiva showcased a balanced, efficient offense paired with smothering defense. 

In Tuesday’s opener, the Mustangs rolled past Horizon 63-35 behind standout performances from their backcourt. Jasmine Pooler led with 16 points, four rebounds and three steals, while Jakayla Johnson added 14 points, four rebounds and three steals. Bell controlled the tempo with 10 points, five assists and four steals.  

Hill and Poole combined for 17 points and 11 boards, giving Wekiva control inside and out. 

Two days later against Dr. Phillips, Wekiva delivered another complete performance. The Mustangs stormed out to a 21-4, first-quarter lead behind points off turnovers and second-chance rebounds, dictating both pace and physicality.  

Despite Dr. Phillips finding some rhythm at the free-throw line, Wekiva still entered halftime up 36-16. The third quarter became a showcase of their inside-out attack: Johnson’s 3 sparked a 15-0 run, and the offense repeatedly flowed through Tiana Washington in the post. She imposed her size and decision-making, finishing strong inside or kicking to open shooters as Wekiva built a 40-point lead and cruised to a 63-32 win. 

Washington pushed the Panthers around with 14 points, seven rebounds and five combined blocks and steals. Bell added 13 points, five assists, four steals and three rebounds. Hill tallied 12 points and six boards, while Johnson contributed 11 points, four assists and four steals. 

After those victories, Middleton praised his team’s growth and the momentum they were building. 

“I see growth, even knocking off rust from the holiday break,” he said. “Every time we can get a W, have the kids love and trust the process even more when we get to practice, is progress.” 

He also reminded his team of the mentality needed to compete in big-stage games. 

“Remember where we were at last year,” Middleton said. “Everything we’re gonna get, we got to take… we got to be road warriors. I created the schedule like that for a reason. Mentality-wise, we got to understand we don’t need a perfect scenario. We got to make the imperfect, perfect.” 

Wekiva left the tournament with a 4-2 record and plenty of lessons for the tougher road looming. The team is scheduled to play Tuesday against Altamonte Christian (4-2) and Thursday against Bishop Moore (7-1).