- April 28, 2026
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He's long been their go-to guy. In times of need, they look to him.
Of course he would take the final shot.
Johnny Lackaff gathered the ball in the corner as the last few seconds ticked away. With a chance to force overtime, he hoisted up a shot.
The junior guard had steered the Sailors before, and with a state title on the line, he buoyed their offensive effort once again.
His contested 3-point attempt took flight, but hit only iron, swishing none of the net.
Sarasota boys basketball (25-7) fell to Miami Columbus (26-6) in a 53-50 heartbreaker March 14 in the FHSAA Class 7A state championship, held at Jacksonville's UNF Arena.
Making their first title game appearance in program history, the Sailors came oh, so close to dethroning the now-five-time defending 7A state champions.
"Only us in the locker room believed in us. That's what it is. That's the truth," Lackaff said. "We believed we could win, and we sure had a shot."
The Explorers are modern-day titans in Florida's highest classification. Dating back to 2022, their reign began behind now-Duke freshmen Cameron and Cayden Boozer.
This season’s squad had its own stars in senior forward Caleb Gaskins and senior guard Felipe Quiñones. Those two rank No. 10 and No. 69, respectively, in the Class of 2026 per ESPN, and have signed with Miami and Florida Atlantic.
Seeking to become the first program to win five straight titles in 7A, Columbus entered the contest ranked No. 21 in the country, per MaxPreps.
But Sarasota — entirely new to this setting — believed in its own chances.
"We know they're good, but they're not unbeatable. They're not the greatest players ever to touch a basketball," said senior forward David Young. "I thought we truly had a chance of winning that all throughout the game."
Young’s dunk with just over four minutes to go in the first quarter awarded the Sailors a 10-5 advantage. Early on, they got active inside and outside the paint while outshooting their more favored opponent.
A late push by the Explorers, though, put them in front by the end of the quarter, 16-13. Their top talents shined when, in succession, Gaskins slammed home an alley-oop and Quiñones drained a 3-pointer to earn a 27-19 lead.
Lackaff had answers.
He accounted for all nine of Sarasota’s points in the second quarter, ensuring his team didn’t fall into a double-digit hole.
“I’m not surprised. I know how hard he works,” said coach BJ Ivey. “The kid is such a competitor, so I knew he was going to have a special game. I didn’t have a doubt in my mind.”
A free-throw frenzy ensued after halftime as both teams traded trips to the line. Sarasota then trailed, 41-36, entering the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t an unfamiliar spot to be in.
One day prior, the group erased a seven-point, final-frame deficit against Orlando Oak Ridge to reach the title game.
So, the Sailors hung with the Explorers until the very end.
A pair of layups from junior guard/forward Isaiah Jenkins and Young trimmed the deficit to one. To follow, Lackaff and Jenkins each connected on field goals and one-shot free-throw attempts, tying the contest — first at 43-43, then again at 46-46.
But after Columbus gained a 50-48 lead, turnovers on consecutive Sarasota possessions forced the Sailors to foul. That sent the reigning champions to the charity stripe, where they pushed the advantage to 53-48 with 13.6 seconds remaining.
"We knew their size and physicality was going to be an issue," Ivey said. "They're a great team, super talented. There's a reason why they've won five in a row now.”
A technical foul put Lackaff at the line on the other end. He sank both free-throw attempts, thrusting Sarasota into game-tying position.
Just getting to the state semifinals was notable. Last season, this program made its first appearance there since 1968.
When Ivey took over ahead of 2022-23, he inherited a 5-20 team which had failed to record a win in its district tournament. It didn't even reach the regional playoffs.
Now in the fourth year under his direction, here the Sailors were, going toe-to-toe with a bona fide national power.
“We preached all year that we’re a defensive-minded team and our defense is our identity,” Ivey said. “We did a great job on (the Explorers) defensively (and) had a chance to win. That’s all you can ask for.”
Lackaff, having led Sarasota with 23.6 points per game this season, racked up a game-high 27 against Columbus, leading his team to the cusp of history.
He shot 5-for-9 from beyond the arc as part of a 7-for-16 overall clip. In doing so, he matched the combined scoring output from Gaskins and Quiñones.
But the last shot Lackaff attempted — a couple inches short — sealed the Sailors' fate.
"I feel awful that I can’t finish it out for these guys. I tried to do whatever I could,” Lackaff said. “I just want a do-over, almost, at that last possession.”
