ORANGE PARK - Amidst some tensions on strategies, the Clay County Cup girls basketball championship game between two Class 5A ranked teams; No. 6 Ridgeview (14-3) and No. 24 Orange Park (12-9) finished up with a second half surge by the Lady Panthers fueled by a late three pointer from senior center Nacoya Blocton and a rebound to layup followup by senior Jamiya Davis turning a bucket-to-bucket clash into a 51-45 win for Ridgeview at Orange Park High.

For the Lady Panthers, the win was a seventh straight win with 50 or more points since a 50-36 win over Ponte Vedra on January 10 with the Panthers scoring a 42-36 win over Bishop Kenny just two days before the win over Ponte Vedra.
"We have adjusted our lineup and have encouraged everyone to contribute to the scoring," said Ridgeview coach Gussie Solomon. "We knew that good teams would try to defense hard on our two top scorers; Narissa and Nacoya Blocton, and we would need other players to step up."
Solomon's two scoring sisters; the Bloctons, have been hitting near 20 points and 15 points apiece all season, respectively, but Saturday, it was senior Jamiya Davis getting into the mix with 11 points added to Narissa Blocton's 19 and Nacoya Blocton's 11 points.
"If we can get more points spread around the lineup, defense can't just fill the lane and wait for those two to go for their shots," said Solomon. "Jamiya had a great night under the boards; picked up some rebounds (6 for the night) that had layups coming from them."
For Orange Park coach Mike Nesmith, the Ridgeview attack is a strategy that depends on the referees.
"When their girls roll into the lane and literally run into our girls on defense, who are doing the right thing with their hands up and feet on the floor, then the officials have to consider that," said Nesmith. "I don't think you can call 15 falls to the floor fouls all the time from the same girl everytime. We will adjust our game for the district tournament and then it will be different game. Now, we know that's their game and they will not win the district."
On the free throws count, Ridgeview made 16 of 23 free throws on the night hitting at a 70 percent rate with Narissa Blocton, Solomon's main driver of the offense, hitting eight of 11 free throws while hitting just four of 16 from the field.
"When I shot the three, I think it made them think about coming out further to cover and that opened up the lane for us," said Nacoya Blocton. "Jamiya started doing her thing underneath."
Into the fourth quarter, with the game still close; 30-28, with Orange Park guard Mariah Young hitting a free throw to end the stanza, Ridgeview kept their slim lead to 42-38 with three minutes to go before Narissa Blocton snagged an errant pass for a breakaway layup then hit a fade away jumper to 46-38. Orange Park got a layup under the backboard from center Trinity Dinkins to 46-40 with a minute left in the game. Two Orange Park free throws got to 46-42 with 46 seconds to go. With both teams toying at four team fouls, Orange Park was the first to get to five which put Ridgeview on the line for foul free throws.
Orange Park rolled back to 47-45 before Ridgeview guard Emma Rayes hit two free throws as the game ended at the free throw line.
Nesmith's prophecy for the "next" game is as the district 3-5A tournament looms in two weeks with both teams in the lineup with Fleming Island, Middleburg and Clay also on the list.
In the Clay County Cup third place game, Fleming Island (11-10) defeated Middleburg 72-22 behind 23 points from freshman Seven Gourdet and 13 from Gianna Crawford. Fleming Island lost to Oakleaf 49-37 in their Clay County Cup opener then defeated Keystone Heights, 70-19, to advance.
Orange Park defeated Middleburg and Bishop Snyder to advance with Ridgeview beating Keystone Heights and Oakleaf to move on.
Ridgeview will get a second shot at North Florida Education Institution (Ranked fourth in 1A) to avenge an early season loss with Trinity Christian and Westside finishing the Panthers regular season.
Orange Park finishes with Ribault (5th in 4A) and St. Augustine.