The Sonic Drive-In Player-of-the-Game for Thursday, February 22, is William Banks IV of the P.K. Yonge (Gainesville) boys’ basketball team.
Banks, a senior, had a double-double with a game-high 27 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Blue Wave to a 53-47 overtime win over Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville) in a Region 1-4A semifinal game on Thursday night.
Banks was the only P.K. Yonge player in double figures on the night. He had nine points in the first half as the Blue Wave trailed Bishop Snyder 19-16 at the halftime break.
Banks added five points in the third quarter, but P.K. Yonge still trailed the Cardinals 31-27 going into the fourth quarter. Bishop Snyder extended that lead to as much as eight, at 35-27, before Banks helped spark a 9-0 run that gave the Blue Wave a 36-35 lead, their first lead since the opening period.
Banks had eight points in the fourth quarter, and P.K. Yonge was able to force overtime tied at 41. In the extra period, Banks chipped in five more points as the Blue Wave outscored the Cardinals, 12-6.
Banks outplayed Bishop Snyder’s heralded sophomore Corey Walker in the win. Walker did score 21 points but was in foul trouble and missed most of the second and fourth quarters, being held scoreless in the fourth period.
Walker was also the only player in double figures for the Cardinals, whose season ends at 16-10.
P.K. Yonge knocked out Bishop Snyder for the second straight season in the regional semifinal round. Last year’s game also went down to the wire, a 56-55 thriller won in regulation by the Blue Wave.
P.K. Yonge (17-11) gets another shot at Providence (Jacksonville) on Tuesday, as the Blue Wave will host the Stallions with the winner advancing to the 4A state semifinal game in Lakeland. Providence beat P.K. Yonge in Jacksonville a year ago to advance back to Lakeland.
Every game The Prep Zone will recognize a Player-of-the-Game. The recipient receives a $10 gift certificate courtesy of Sonic Drive-In of Gainesville & Ocala.
