Providence wins Fortegra Invitational for third time

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Providence Stallions have competed in three of the five Fortegra Invitational high school basketball tournaments. They’ve never lost a game in the event. Saturday, they handled the defending champions, previously undefeated Nease 59-40 to take home the championship.

“I like the fact that we’re balanced. I like the fact that we make the effort on the defensive end as well,” Providence head coach Jim Martin said. “I think we’re a pretty good offensive team that can really shoot it and fill it up. But the defense is what’s going to win the games for us and I take a lot of pride in that. I think this group is starting to take a little more pride in their defense as well.”

Nease kept the game close in the first quarter, leading 4-3 before Providence went on a 33-13 run to end the first half. The key to the Stallion’s charge was the high-low offense that set up Jaylen Robinson to dominate in the paint. The junior forward was unstoppable down low, scoring nine of his 13 points in the second quarter as Providence, 8-0, pulled away.

“I think we were able to go inside out with him,” Martin said. “He’s a beast inside. It’s tough coverage for Nease. They’re a little bit smaller but he really dominated the inside paint.”

With JU signee Chris Arias running the point and Mason Lee set up in the high post, the trio of 6-foot-6 Stallions were too much for the Panthers to handle.

Robinson was named Tournament MVP while Arias and Lee both made the all-tournament team along with Nease’s Bryson Utter and Devin Kersh from Oakleaf.

Nease, 7-1, had handled their previous two opponents with relative ease, beating Camden County by 12 in the opener and topping Sandalwood by 19 in the semifinal. But Providence was on a different level.

It’s early in the season, but Providence looks like a team poised to make a deep run in the playoffs and a chance to hoist a trophy in December was a welcome opportunity.

“There’s nothing like winning a championship,” Martin said.