The Moment of Truth Has Arrived For Indian Rocks Christian Girls Basketball Team

It has come down to this.

It's the Saturday night, Phil Farver has targeted for nearly a year. He scheduled some of the best of the best, including schools that are bigger and more prominent than his like; Clearwater, Boca Ciega, Plant, Gulf, St. Petersburg Catholic, Academy of the Holy Names, Bradenton Christian. They are some of the best girls basketball programs in the state.

More often than not, the Golden Eagles passed each test. Now comes the night Farver has been waiting for.

Indian Rocks Christian (28-3) faces Community School of Naples in a Class 2A region final on Saturday. The winner goes to the state tournament.  

"This is the game we targeted from the very beginning," said Farver, who collected this 500th career win earlier this season. Surprisingly, Farver has never guided a team to the state tournament. 

"We knew we would get to this game and knew it would either propel us to stop us. We are hoping things go our way now."

Farver is not known for hubris or poor mouthing his team. He generally is direct, honest. He has a good feeling about Saturday.

"I think we are ready for the next step," Farver said. "I believe we are peaking at the right time. We are running the court and passing the ball the best we have ever have."

Farver has had some good teams in the past. When Mo and Gabby Gattuso played the girls were solid, but not even that team could make it to a region final.

"This team is better than the team with Mo and Gabby," Farver said. "This team, they all can shoot and they all can run and they all can handle the ball. Before, it was just Mo and Gabby.

"This is the best team I have ever had."