- April 3, 2025
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Jasleen Green and Buccaneer Samantha Lecas battle for a loose ball in the State Championship game. Photo by Michele Meyers
Pre-game National Anthem before Mainland girls basketball team play American Heritage in the battle for the State Championship title. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland's Anovia Sheals and American Heritage's Dezuray McGill jumpstart the game at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. Photo by Michele Meyers
Tia Dobson goes up for the point. She had 13 total points in the championship game against American Heritage. Photo by Michele Meyers
Buccaneer Jordan Boddie checks for an opening as Gabriela Dumas (24) guards her. Photo by Michele Meyers
Another basket for Tia Dobson. She had 13 total points in the championship game against American Heritage. Photo by Michele Meyers
Guard Yashaiya Yisreal is unphased by size as she dribbles past Dezuray McGill in the State Championship game. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland's Jordan Boddie works her way down the inside of the key for a basket against American Heritage. Photo by Michele Meyers
Anovia Sheals (4) was top scorer with 22 points in the State Championship game against American Heritage. Dezuray McGill (30) Photo by Michele Meyers
Yashaiya Yisreal with the jumpshot against American Heritage in the State Championship title game. Photo by Michele Meyers
In the final play of the game, Samantha Lecas blocks any attempt by American Heritage to move the ball down court. Mainland wins 62-61. Photo by Michele Meyers
A jubilant Anovia Sheals runs toward Samantha Lecas at the buzzer when she know Mainland just won the State Championship. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland cheerleaders run to Anovia Sheals to celebrate their State Championship win. Photo by Michele Meyers
Shilah-rayn Lord and Vashti Jackson celebrate Mainland's State Championship win. Photo by Michele Meyers
Shilah-rayn Lord and Vashti Jackson celebrate Mainland's State Championship win. Photo by Michele Meyers
Tia Dobson and Samantha Lecas celebrate Mainland's State Championship win against American Heritage at the RP Funding Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Mainland Buccaneers girls basketball team celebrates their State Championship win against American Heritage. Photo by Michele Meyers
Coach Brandon Stewart and Tia Dobson. Photo by Michele Meyers
Tia Dobson and Jordan Boddie. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland girls basketball head coach Brandon Stewart acknowledges Mainland family and friends in the stands as he walks toward the court with assistant coach Kevin Priccaciante for the state semifinal game against Gateway at the RP Funding Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland coach Brandon Stewart watches his team warmup before the state semifinal game against Gateway at the RP Funding Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
The mainland girls basketball team prepares to face Gateway in the state semifinal game at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Mainland girls basketball team poses before playing the state semifinal game against Gateway at the RP Funding Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Buccaneer Anovia Sheals puts up another two unopposed points in the state semifinal game against Gateway. Photo by Michele Meyers
Anovia Sheals (4) guards Gateway's Malayna Stevenson (20) as coach Brandon Stewart motivates her from the sidelines. Photo by Michele Meyers
Buccaneer Tia Dobson scores a 2-pointer during the semifinal game against Gateway of Kissimmee at the RP Funding Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland captain Yashaiya Yisreal (3) defends Skylynn Peterson as she moves the ball down court at the state semifinal game at the RP Funding Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Tia Dobson and Anovia Sheals drive the ball down court in the state semifinal game against Gateway in Lakeland. Photo by Michele Meyers
Jordan Boddie (24) fights for control of the ball amidst Panthers Malayna Stevenson (20) and Evana Rivera (11) in the state semifinal game at the RP Funding Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Anovia Sheals puts another basket up against Gateway in the state semifinal game at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland guard Tia Dobson blows past gateway defenders Maylayna Stevenson and SkyLynn Peterson to make the shot. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland cheer team travelled to Lakeland to support the girls' basketball team at the state semifinal game in Lakeland. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland captain Tia Dobson flies toward the basket during the semifinal game against Gateway in Lakeland. Photo by Michele Meyers
Tia Dobson passes to Anovia Sheals who makes the shot in the game against Gateway at the state semifinals. Photo by Michele Meyers
Jordan Boddie shoots over Gateway forward SkyLynn Peterson during the state semifinal game at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland girls basketball coach Brandon Stewart at the state semifinal game against Gateway at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. Photo by Michele Meyers
Freshmen Sierra Wulf, Ronneisha Thomas and Natalie Williams are all smiles after their win against Gateway in the state semifinal game at Lakeland. Photo by Michele Meyers
Yashaiya Yisreal hugs Brianna Maxwell after Mainland won the state semifinal game against Gateway. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland basketball player Anovia Sheals is surrounded by her biggest fan club--her family. They are proudly wearing jerseys covered with her images. Photo by Michele Meyers
Family, focus, leadership and even the North Star played a part in the Mainland girls basketball team winning the Class 5A state championship Saturday, Feb. 25.
The Bucs defeated Plantation American Heritage 62-61 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland for their first girls state basketball title in school history.
Point guard Tia Dobson believed it was the Buccaneers’ time. Following the 56-23 win against Kissimmee Gateway in the sate semifinal, Dobson said the game plan was and always will be to be themselves.
“Our game plan, every game, is to go out and be ourselves,” she said. “At the end of the day, it’s basketball. We all grew up playing the same game so we just go out there and be ourselves and have fun. We did what we did to get us here. Why change something for the state championship game?”
Dobson and transfers Anovia Sheals and Jordan Boddie led the Bucs this season in points, assists, rebounds and steals. Sheals racked up 413 points and 192 rebounds while Dobson had 87 assists and 56 steals. The three of them were top scorers in the championship game with Sheals scoring 22 points, Dobson 13 and Boddie 10.
Coach Brandon Stewart’s dominant scorers factored into the Buccaneers’ success this season, but after three of his top players fouled out of the championship game, he subbed in freshman Ronneisha Thomas and sophomores Samantha Lecas and Shilah-rayn Lord. Each played aggressively and scored key baskets, showing glimpses of the Bucs’ future.
Being a players-first coach has helped Stewart develop a team that is family, making it easy to tap into the “Buc Pride Never Dies” belief system. The players not only bring skills to the court but the knowledge that the other players have their backs in any and all situations.
“Getting to know them as people (helped the team gel),” he said. “When times do get hard, I know how to communicate. I think being able to communicate the right way with them means everything.”
Sheals had the benefit of playing ball with Dobson before joining the team. She spent time creating a bond with each of her teammates and talked to them as individuals. By being there for them, she was able to establish friendships and be part of the family.
“Being able to know each other and already know how each other plays is great,” she said. “We already fit together so perfectly.”
The team’s bond seemed to tighten when, with less than a month from playoffs, a fight broke out during the game against the University Titans. The Bucs’ future was uncertain as disciplinary measures were decided by the Florida High School Athletics Association. Mainland faced a double forfeit and a few suspensions, but it did not stop their drive to the top.
“I’m so proud of these girls. To fight through the adversity of the suspensions, the not knowing if the season is going to be taken away from them and to come back and just put it all behind them and keep on marching, is impressive.” — TERRENCE ANTHONY, Mainland athletic director
“I’m so proud of these girls,” Mainland athletic director Terrence Anthony said. “To fight through the adversity of the suspensions, the not knowing if the season is going to be taken away from them and to come back and just put it all behind them and keep on marching, is impressive.”
Volunteer coach Kimberly Davis Powell has been involved with basketball for 26 years and played five years prior to that. She helps Stewart with defense and in-game adjustments. She credited focus and leadership as factors for the team’s ability to push forward.
“The girls are excited to be here but focused,” she said. “I think it attributes to our leaders — Jordan, Tia, Anovia and Shaiya — their leadership has been amazing, especially for the young girls we pulled up (from JV).”
As the seconds counted down in the fourth quarter of the championship game, American Heritage made an astounding 31-point comeback.
Mainland had to fight to hold on to its one-point lead. Lecas missed a free throw in the final seconds, American Heritage rebounded and Lecas went airborne to block the ball.
We focused on the mission. We knew what the mission was. I told the girls to treat this game like an airplane and we were almost done landing it. Even if they fouled out, we still had a plane to land and that’s what we did. — BRANDON STEWART, Mainland coach
“We focused on the mission,” Stewart said. “We knew what the mission was. I told the girls to treat this game like an airplane and we were almost done landing it. Even if they fouled out, we still had a plane to land and that’s what we did.”
Boddie was incredulous at the thought of being state champions.
“I never thought I’d be standing here, ever,” she said. “I couldn’t even make it past districts so I don’t know how I got here, but I’m happy I made the transfer. We just had to calm down and play the game we knew how to play regardless of what was happening with the ref, the score, with the team. We just had to keep playing. It got us here.”
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