- April 24, 2024
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Mainland's Johnny Brown points to the crowd after sinking a game-tying 3-pointer. Photo by Ray Boone
Mainland and Atlantic battle for the opening tip. Photo by Ray Boone
Mainland's Rodney Rhoden fires a jump shot over Atlantic defenders. Photo by Ray Boone
Johnny Brown helps up teammate Jordan Sears after a layup. Photo by Ray Boone
Mainland's Taron Keith steals the ball. Photo by Ray Boone
Mainland's Jordan Sears dribbles the ball down the court. Photo by Ray Boone
Mainland coach Joe Giddens shouts to his team from the sideline. Photo by Ray Boone
Mainland's Johnny Brown battles for the ball with an Atlantic player. Photo by Ray Boone
Mainland's Johnny Brown battles for the ball with an Atlantic player. Photo by Ray Boone
Jordan Sears attempts a 3-point jump shot. Photo by Ray Boone
Johnny Brown leaps into the air to block a shot by Atlantic. Photo by Ray Boone
Mainland's Jordan Sears dribbles the ball down the court. Photo by Ray Boone
Mainland's Rodney Rhoden attempts a floater against Atlantic. Photo by Ray Boone
Atlantic's Kendall Bean celebrates making a 3-pointer. Photo by Ray Boone
Mainland's Jalen Willis celebrates a made basket. Photo by Ray Boone
Atlantic's De'Andre Harvey celebrates a made 3-pointer. Photo by Ray Boone
The Bucs' Rodney Rhoden dribbles the ball up the court. Photo by Ray Boone
Jordan Sears surveys the defense before driving to the basket. Photo by Ray Boone
The Bucs' Rodney Rhoden dribbles the ball up the court. Photo by Ray Boone
Mainland's Jordan Sears attempts a 3-pointer. Photo by Ray Boone
Jordan Sears celebrates after sinking a 3-pointer. Photo by Ray Boone
Taron Keith surveys the defense against Atlantic. Photo by Ray Boone
Jordan Sears finishes a layup against Atlantic. Photo by Ray Boone
Rodney Rhoden attempts a midrange jump shot against the Sharks. Photo by Ray Boone
Mainland's Jordan Sears attempts a 3-pointer. Photo by Ray Boone
Bucs coach Joe Giddens instructs his team from the bench. Photo by Ray Boone
Bucs guard Taron Keith passes the ball after driving to the hoop. Photo by Ray Boone
Bucs guard Taron Keith attempts a pass while falling out of bounds. Photo by Ray Boone
Mainland's Rodney Rhoden dribbles the ball toward the hoop. Photo by Ray Boone
Bucs forward Johnny Brown shoots a 3-pointer over a defender. Photo by Ray Boone
Mainland forward Johnny Brown celebrates making a 3-pointer. Photo by Ray Boone
Jordan Sears drives to the hoop. Photo by Ray Boone
Jordan Sears drives to the hoop. Photo by Ray Boone
Jordan Sears drives to the hoop. Photo by Ray Boone
Jordan Sears attempts a layup against the Sharks. Photo by Ray Boone
Jordan Sears attempts a layup against the Sharks. Photo by Ray Boone
Bucs players cheer on their team from the bench. Photo by Ray Boone
Mainland's Jordan Sears leaps to stifle a shot by the Sharks. Photo by Ray Boone
Bucs guard Rodney Rhoden attempts a floater while being fouled. Photo by Ray Boone
Rodney Rhoden plays defense on a Sharks player. Photo by Ray Boone
Jordan Sears plays defense on a Sharks player. Photo by Ray Boone
Mainland's Johnny Brown attempts to block a shot against the Sharks. Photo by Ray Boone
Mainland coach Joe Giddens talks to a player from the bench. Photo by Ray Boone
Jordan Sears tries to finish a layup around a defender. Photo by Ray Boone
Atlantic's Dewarren Bolden finishes a dunk against the Bucs. Photo by Ray Boone
Atlantic's Dewarren Bolden finishes a dunk against the Bucs. Photo by Ray Boone
Jordan Sears dribbles the ball past a defender. Photo by Ray Boone
Mainland players hug Johnny Brown after his game-saving 3. Photo by Ray Boone
Bucs coach Joe Giddens watches his team from the bench. Photo by Ray Boone
Bucs coach Joe Giddens instructs his team from the bench. Photo by Ray Boone
Bucs coach Joe Giddens watches his team from the bench. Photo by Ray Boone
Johnny Brown leaps to block a shot by Atlantic. Photo by Ray Boone
Justin Hill flings a pass down the court against Atlantic. Photo by Ray Boone
Mainland players cheer on their team from the bench. Photo by Ray Boone
Jordan Sears and Johnny Brown hype up the crowd after a basket. Photo by Ray Boone
Bucs forward Johnny Brown tries to pump up the crowd after the win. Photo by Ray Boone
Bucs center Shayne Brennen hugs Johnny Brown after the win. Photo by Ray Boone
The Bucs bow in prayer after their 94-88 win over Atlantic. Photo by Ray Boone
Down 79-76 with 3 seconds remaining in double overtime, it appeared the Buccaneers were dead in the water.
Moments earlier, Mainland seemed to squander its final chance to tie the game when point guard Jordan Sears’ pass ended up in the hands of Buccaneers head coach Joe Giddens.
Many of the hundreds of fans who packed the stands at Embry-Riddle’s ICI Fieldhouse stood out of their seats, descended the stairs and left the building. Some Atlantic fans taunted Mainland’s bench as they made their way toward the exits.
That didn’t sit well with Buccaneers forward Johnny Brown.
“I told coach the game wasn’t over yet,” he said. “I just had to keep believing. I couldn’t give up.”
Brown used every inch of his 6-foot-8 frame to fluster Atlantic’s Devon Robinson on the inbounds pass. With every second that passed by, Robinson grew more and more antsy. In a desperate attempt to avoid a 5-second violation, Robinson flung the ball at Brown’s feet, hoping the ball would bounce back out of bounds.
“Everybody thinks we have beef with them, but there’s no bad blood. It's just they have their boys over there, and we have our boys over here. Only one team can win, so we’re going to compete every time."
Buccaneers forward Johnny Brown on Mainland's rivalry with Atlantic
Instead, Brown stole the pass, turned around to face the basket and heaved a deep 3-pointer from the left wing as the buzzer sounded — tie game.
It was the second time in less than a year that Brown had stunned the Sharks. He sank a go-ahead layup as time expired to lift Mainland over Atlantic on Jan. 19.
“I always tell him to keep shooting, even if he’s struggling,” Giddens said of Brown, who had only 7 points and one 3-pointer until that moment. “Eventually it’s going to go in.”
Atlantic was poised to maintain its undefeated record. The Sharks initially sent the game into overtime due to a last-second 3-pointer by De’Andre Harvey at the end of the fourth quarter. But Brown’s game-saving heroics and 37 points by Sears lifted the Buccaneers to an unexpected 94-88 win on the night of Friday, Dec. 14.
Sears was engaged from the opening tip. He scored 19 of his 37 points in the first half and connected on 13-of-23 field goal attempts, including four 3-pointers.
“I just had tunnel vision,” he said.
Although Sears said it was his teammates who got him "fired up” to play, Giddens thought there might have been extra motivation for Sears to beat the Sharks, who he played for the past two seasons before transferring to Mainland.
“He didn’t say it, but I could see it,” Giddens said. “His teammates did a great job supporting him the whole way.”
He added: “This team is starting to come together. They’re starting to trust each other. I stress team every day. They did a great job as a team continuing to fight.”
Mainland has won all three of its meetings with Atlantic since Giddens took over the program in 2017-18. The Buccaneers will have a chance to extend their steak over Atlantic to four games when the Buccaneers host the Sharks on Jan. 25.
Sears is more than ready for the rematch against his former teammates, coaches and school.
"Off the court we’re all friends, we’re all blood," he said. "But when we get between the lines, there’s no friends. It’s time to go to battle."
