Boys basketball | Bradenton Christian falls short of first state title against Grandview Prep

LAKELAND -- The Bradenton Christian Panthers turned the ball over 19 times Wednesday and allowed the most points they had all season in an 87-63 loss to Boca Raton Grandview Prep in the Class 2A championship game at George Jenkins Arena in Lakeland.

Shooting guard Ryan Leunk led BCS (29-4) with 14 points and recorded game-highs with nine rebounds and five assists.

BCS coach Scott Townsend said he knew what his squad would be up against during a mid-January scouting trip to Punta Gorda.

Boca Raton Grandview Prep, considered by many the best prep team in Florida, was undefeated and playing Sarasota Riverview in the Wally Keller Classic during the scouting trip. The Bradenton Christian head coach said he knew his team would have to beat Grandview Prep to claim the first state championship in program history.

He witnessed a blowout Jan. 16. Grandview earned a 17-point win against Riverview, the top team in Class 8A, but Townsend saw similarities to his team, even if the Pride was a bit longer and more athletic.

Those differences, however, made Boca Raton Grandview Prep's press more effective and offense more dynamic.

Speedy guard Juwan Frazier scored 18 points in the first half to send the Pride (32-0) into halftime with a 40-27 lead at The Lakeland Center. He finished with 23 points and also recorded six steals.

Bradenton Christian will graduate its entire starting five after the program's most successful season in nearly 20 years. The Panthers' senior-laden roster earned the program's first trip to the state title game since 1997 and first final four since 2009.

This story was originally published February 24, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Boys basketball | Bradenton Christian falls short of first state title against Grandview Prep ."