As expected, Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest junior Brandon Knight was named
the state’s Mr. Basketball winner this week after voting by a statewide
panel of high school basketball coaches and prep media representatives.

What might actually have come is a little bit of a surprise is
that Gainesville High School senior guard Greg Gantt finished second.
Now, saying “surprise,” has nothing to do with Gantt’s ability. What it
does have to do with is numbers.

Often, in voting for basketball awards, the biggest thing that comes
into play is points-per-game. Not saying that’s right or wrong, but it
is true.

Of the six finalists, Gantt’s 16.8 ppg were easily the lowest, but
that was by design, as he had more potential scorers around him than
the other five classification winners. By comparison, Knight averaged
31.2 ppg.

But where Gantt gained ground was in Lakeland at the state championships.

There, in front of many of the voters assigned by the Florida Dairy
Farmers (of which I am one), Gantt averaged 27 points in two games, the
same as Knight. Gantt’s 33 points in the Hurricanes’ Class 5A state
semifinal victory against Tampa King was only topped in Lakeland by
Jacksonville Arlington Country Day’s Rodney McGruder (34 points against
West Palm Beach Summit Christian in the blowout 2A final).

Gantt, a Florida Atlantic signee, made five 3s in the two games and
also averaged six rebounds in the victories against King and Clearwater.

At The Lakeland Center, a fellow sports writer walked over to me and
said Gantt was the best shooter he had seen all year. That writer, also
a Mr. Basketball voter, said he would remember Gantt’s performance in
Lakeland when his ballot was due.

Obviously, he wasn’t the only one.