With the Henderson twins — Demari and Ja’Cari — battling foul trouble much of the game Tuesday night, Sanford Seminole needed someone to step up in its Class 7A regional semifinal against St. John’s Bartram Trail. Jonah Pierce and Uchenna Kellman-Nicholes did just that as the Seminoles fought for a 72-49 victory.
Pierce, the 6-foot-7 senior, took over in the paint, scoring 24 points and pulling down nine rebounds. Kellman-Nicholes provided the spark in the first half and scored 14 points as the ‘Noles pulled away from a tight game early on.
“I felt pretty good. I was going against the big guy so I knew I had to step up,” Pierce said of his battle with 6-foot-10 Bartram center Alijah Kuehl.