Our Sonic Drive-In Player-of-the-Game for Friday, Jan. 5, is Trent Whittemore of the Buchholz (Gainesville) boys basketball team.
Buchholz came up short 70-68 in overtime at rival Gainesville, but Whittemore shined despite the Bobcats’ loss.
In front of a standing-room only crowd the at the Purple Palace, the junior scored 22 of his 32 points in the second half and overtime. Whittemore scored seven of the Bobcats’ 10 points in the overtime period and was a perfect 3-for-3 from the free throw line and was 11-of-16 from the charity stripe for the game.
Only five Buchholz players scored in the game, with Whittemore scoring almost half of the Bobcats points. Gunnar Munn added 16 and Brooks Walton 15. Whittemore also hit a three pointer as Buchholz knocked down eight shots behind the arc in the game.
Gainesville led 22-19 at halftime but the game really picked up in the third quarter as the Purple Hurricanes outscored the Bobcats 24-23 to extend their lead to 46-42 going into the fourth quarter. In the wild third quarter both teams hit four three pointers, with Whittemore hitting his only three pointer of the game in the third period.
Buchholz outscored Gainesville 16-12 in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 58-58 and send it to overtime, but just came up two points short against the Purple Hurricanes (11-4) in the extra frame.
Buchholz is now 5-8 and returns to action Tuesday at Fleming Island (Orange Park) in a District 4-8A contest. GHS will travel to Bradford (Starke) on Tuesday.
Every game The Prep Zone will recognize a Player-of-the-Game. The recipient receives a $10 gift card & certificate courtesy of Sonic Drive-In of Gainesville & Ocala.
