LAKELAND - Glance at the final margin of Florida Air's 62-40 Class 3A semifinal victory over Ribault and one could hardly imagine that the Falcons were as jittery as a first-time public speaker. Or that the Falcons seemed at times to be trying to score by forcing a cannonball into a Nerf hoop at the Lakeland Center.

"We have a lot of players who have never been here," Florida Air coach Aubin Goporo said. "To be honest, we were nervous at the beginning. Actually, the first half."

Up only 29-26 at intermission, the traditionally strong Falcons (25-3) finally looked like the program seeking its fourth state basketball title in seven seasons in the final two quarters.

They outscored the Trojans (20-9) 33-14 and shot 50 percent after halftime to turn a freewheeling-but-tight contest into a blowout Wednesday before about 1,200 fans on the opening afternoon of the boys state tournament...