Bradford defeats Hawthorne to advance to State Title Game

In a playoff matchup between two Gainesville-area high schools, the Bradford Tornadoes were able to defeat the Hawthorne Hornets in a 53-35 rout.

Bradford jumped out to an early lead sparked by a 14-2 1st quarter run and didn’t look back.

The Tornadoes dominated the Hornets on the boards 43-25 as Hawthorne struggled to connect on their shots.

The Hornets finished the game 2-14 from beyond the arc, and struggled to find any consistency on offense all night.

Their shooting inconsistencies on offense became even more problematic as Bradford packed the paint.

Forced to shoot the ball, Hawthorne failed to find a groove on the offensive side of the ball.

With the win, Bradford will advance to the State final to take on Paxton this Friday at 7 p.m.

Bradford’s push for History

The win for Bradford is about much more than advancing to the state title game. The victory for Bradford punched them a ticket at a chance for their first state title ever.

A first-ever #FHSAA boys basketball final is around the corner for @Bradford_ATHL after knocking out top seed Hawthorne, from @AinsliesTwoBits via @GNVpreps: https://t.co/umO1N3Nrds

— Clayton Freeman (@CFreemanJAX) March 3, 2022

Winning the state title would be a miraculous accomplishment for a Bradford squad that was 8-10 at one point of the season.

After reeling off seven straight, Bradford is playing with the confidence of a team looking for eighth.

Bradford will match up with a Paxton team coming off a nail-biting 51-49 win over Malone.

Paxton has an overall record of 24-4 and has won their last five games.

FINAL FOUR WIN ‼️‼️‼️

51-49 over Malone in the State Semi-Finals

We are playing for the STATE CHAMPIONSHIP on Friday night against Bradford! pic.twitter.com/GHXyU32vIw

— Paxton Basketball (@PaxtonHoops) March 3, 2022

If Bradford wants to make history, they must bring their A-game against a pesky Paxton squad.

Hawthorne Misses chance at returning to State Final

After winning the Class 1A title in 2020, the Hornets had the opportunity to return to the big game for the second time in three years.

Their dreams came up short, as they were blasted by the Bradford Tornadoes 53-35.

Ending the season 11-5 was not on the Hornets’ agenda when they matched with the Tornadoes on Wednesday night.

Their season ended in disappointing fashion as they were ranked the No. 1 seed coming into the Class 1A playoffs.

With their season now over, Hawthorne will begin focusing on bettering their squad for the next year.