Impact Christian will have to wait for another shot at its first basketball state championship.
The Lions watched a slim lead dissolve in the final quarter in a 56-44 loss to Orlando Christian Prep in the Class 2A final on Friday at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
Recommended Videos
Impact (19-9) led 34-33 entering the fourth, but went more than three minutes without scoring. That afforded OCP enough of a chance to grab an eight-point cushion and Impact got not closer than four points the rest of the way.
The Lions, a fourth-year program, were making their second appearance in three seasons in the championship game.
Jordin Jackson led Impact with 14 points. Kelvin Johnson followed with eight. OCP (29-2) controlled the paint, outrebounding Impact 28-18.
Impact was one of three Jacksonville-area teams to reach the state finals. Hilliard (1A) and Jackson (3A) also reached championship games.