Most of the Largo Packers players weren't born the last time the team was in the Final Four.
But on Friday in the Class 6A state semifinals, they played like it was 1998. Largo gutted out a 56-54 win over Pensacola to advance to the 6A championship game.
The Packers will play for the title live on BHSN Channel 47/HD 1147 Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
A sloppy first half of action, where the lead changed four times, led to a Largo 24-18 halftime lead. The Packers went on a 7-0 run in the second quarter to get the lead back for the first time since late in the first quarter.
Largo was strong on the boards in the first half, winning that battle 29-23. Guard Dakari Allen showed up big in the first half, scoring 13 of his game-high 24 points.
In a fast paced third quarter, Pensacola broke up a 28-all tie with a 7-1 run to take a 35-29 lead. Allen cut it to four with a jumper just before the end of the third quarter.
Allen opened the fourth quarter with a three and followed that up with a one-handed dunk to give Largo a 36-35 lead.
Trailing by two in the fourth, Largo's Amant Deliu gave the Packers a one-point lead with a three. Deliu followed that up with another three later in the quarter for a 52-49 lead.
With under a minute to go, Pensacola retook the lead with a three pointer from Javon Grimsley. But Largo would regain the lead and never lose it with a pair of three throws from Allen. A Largo steal at the end sealed the victory.
"They just don't quit," Largo head coach Phil Price said. "That's what they've shown all year. With some games, you'd think we're out of it with two minutes to go, they just pick it up and lucky bounce here or there and they next thing you know, we're back in it.
"They're resilience is why we're here. They never gave up."