The Lake Highland Prep Highlanders defeated the Ransom Everglades Raiders 65-60 in the Class 4A boys basketball state semifinals on Tuesday night.
The Highlanders (22-5), behind the hot shooting of North Carolina commit Joel Berry and junior Jay Henderson, raced out to a 14-point halftime lead.
The Raiders, who attempted 31 three pointers, hit nine treys in the second half to take a 55-54 lead with four minutes to play, but Lake Highland managed to hit free throws in the final minutes to put the game away.
Berry led LHP with 26 points, while Henderson added 23.
Ransom guard Sam Singer, who is headed to Cal-Berkeley next fall, was held to two first half points by a tenacious Highlanders defense. Singer finished with 15 points, which is 13 under his season average.
LHP lost last year's 4A championship game to Pine Crest, and this year the Highlanders will face Boca Raton St. Andrew's at 4:35 p.m. on Thursday in a game that will be televised live on Bright House Sports Network.