FLEMING ISLAND – Fleming Island High’s boys basketball team’s quest to return to Final Four action got squashed on a questionable foul called late in the fourth quarter that seemingly halted a surge of momentum, but a disastrous third quarter was more damaging as the Golden Eagles lost 71-67 in their region 1-6A semifinal to Daytona Beach Mainland on Thurs., Feb. 27 in Daytona Beach.

“We just came out flat in that third quarter,” said Fleming Island coach Traavis Chandler. “You can’t give up 25 turnovers in a game like this and win. Every time we got close, they stepped up with a steal or layup.”

Fleming Island finished the season at 20-9. Mainland (19-11) finished with a region final 70-65 loss to Columbia (28-2). Columbia advanced to the Class 6A Final Four to face Miami Dillard High School (23-7).

“Those two guys; Astor and Brown, have set a standard here,” said Chandler. “They have stepped up to make this program great and competitive at the state level. They accomplished a lot; first district title, Final Four, conference champion.”

Fleming Island, with a scintillating 30-30 tie at halftime courtesy of a Aaron Brown pick/Sebastian Astor jumper and timely free throws from Astor, seemed poised to give the very athletic and size-advantaged Buccaneers all they could handle in the second half with a much-anticipated second half throttle up of offense.

It didn’t happen.

“It’s been a great four years and it stinks that it ends like this,” said Brown. “We worked hard against their big guys. It’s exciting for the program to be able to play at this level.”

Mainland, with two massive 6’-6”-ish paint players, stymied the interior game of the Golden Eagles coming out of the halftime lockers and blew away the 30-30 lead with an 18-5 blitzkrieg of steals, layups and blocked shots.

“We got down a couple times and kept keeping it close,” said Astor. “Unfortunately, they called that foul. That third quarter we didn’t come out with energy. I’m proud of the guys to maintain our cool and get close. We can’t let those kind of starts happen and win games like this.”

Mainland would extend to 48-35 as Fleming Island seemed unable to maintain footspeed against the Buccaneer attack up to 3:42 on the third period clock.

“We were making bad decisions and some bad passes,” said Chandler. “We were not hitting our shots. We’ve been able to turn games with our outside shooting, the threes.”

Again, Astor free throws and a three pointer closed the gap with Elias Martin feeding Ahman Greenidge on a give and go basket with a foul to get to 50-42 at 2:05.

Martin would back up against one of Mainland’s two mountains in the middle; 6’-6” 240 pound Ty’Rion Denson and power up with a jumper to spark the Golden Eagle bench as the Mainland attack seemed to slow under the Golden Eagle throttled up attack.

“Elias and Ahman have been strong underneath for our playoff games,” said Chandler. “They gave up some size, but played their hearts out.”

Martin kept up the pressure attack on Denson to get Fleming Island as close as 50-45 with a minute left in the third. Mainland would tap the gas a bit to go up to 53-46 to end the period, but Fleming Island seemed revived with the effort at the end of the period.

With Greenidge and Martin battering Denson and his lane partner; 6’-6”, 240 pounder Stehen Telfair, and causing a possible foul advantage for the Golden Eagles as both teams hit seven team fouls just inside the fourth quarter, Fleming Island flexed to a 55-52 gap Martin and Brown sandwiching free throws around a Steele Perry breakaway layup.

Again, Mainland flexed a bit to push to a 63-57 lead with a pressure front court defense with Fleming Island only getting free throws on their offensive stat sheet.

With 1:19 left, Astor drove to a layup and foul throw; 65-59, with Greenidge and Brown sinking bonus free throws to 66-62 with 49 seconds left in the game.

Greenidge battled for an offensive rebound and layup with Jordan Miles stealing an inbounds pass under the basket for a quick score and a 66-64 score.

“I thought that play was a big one and may have given us a jolt, but they threw that long pass and got the foul,” said Chandler.

After Miles’ steal and layup, disaster ensued as Mainland got choked on the inbound and was forced to throw a Hail Mary pass downfield toward sprinting guard Jordan Sears who was shoulder-to-shoulder with Astor past the midcourt stripe. Both athletes stumbled and fell as the ball continued downcourt and, shocked, Astor was called on a foul.

“That was unfortunate,” said Chandler. “We didn’t have any timeouts and I couldn’t get them back to talk past it.”

Sears hit both fouls to a 68-64 lead with 16 seconds with Astor missing two three point attempts as the final buzzer sounded.