Rickards' boys basketball team needed one basket from behind the arc, and the game would be theirs, even if it meant going an extra period against Leon.
Jordan Kelley answered the call by tying it up at 56 with under 10 seconds left. Once the game went to overtime, the Raiders took over and escaped with a stunning 68-61 victory over the Lions.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis overtime road victory wouldn't have been possible if the Raiders had remained confident and avoided self-doubt after trailing 28-19 at the half.
Leon outscored Rickards 21-9 at halftime, which led to a comfortable lead. Junior big Tarek Casesor recalled head coach Eli Bryant reminding the Raiders in the locker room to slow the pace down and take control of the game in the second half.
"Coach Bryant was saying we all just need to come together quickly, playing too fast," Caesor said. "We were playing their game. We just came back, scored, and won the game."
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AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementRickards Raiders took over the Lions Den in the final two quarters
Rickards' Calvin Thomas attemps a free throw. Rickards defeat Leon 68-61 in overtime on Tuesday, Dec 2, 2025.While the Lions have been up by double digits, the Raiders crept up on them in the third quarter despite trailing 48-37, heading into the fourth. After the game was tied at 56, Rickards completely shut Leon in overtime, holding the Lions to five points while Rickards put up 12.
Then the Raiders dominated in the fourth, thanks to the hands of senior guard Calvin Thomas, who dropped 25 points, including making nine of their 11 free throws.
Caesor was a rebounding machine after grabbing 10 early boards in the first half and finished the night with a double-double with 16 points, 12 boards, and three blocks. Sophomore forward also added 12 points and eight boards coming off the bench.
Leon's Khamari Thomas (No.1) matches up with Rickards' Jordan Kelley (No.0) .With the win, Rickards improved to 3-2, bouncing back after suffering back-to-back losses to Episcopal School of Jacksonville, 54-53, and Belen Jesuit, 74-49.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFor Leon, it dropped to 3-2. The Lions lost two of the last three games after an early 2-0 start. Three Lions finished in double figures. Elijah Knight led with 20 points. Kamari Thomas added 14 and DeKendrick had 13.
Rickards hopes to get over the hump
Rickards' Tarek Caesor after the Leon GameRickards wants to win it all. For two straight seasons, the Raiders have been in the regional finals, unable to get over the hump after falling to Ribault last year and to Ribault the following year.
Caesor, a junior, is a first-year starter. He has been part of both Rickards teams, experiencing the playoff success and hoping this year would be the year the Raiders win it all.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAt 6-foot-6, he has took the experience of facing high-level competition in the previous postseason at a young age and brought it to a young Rickards team that had to replace four seniors from last season.
"It really helps my fundamentals," Caesor said. "It helps me read the game better, and time when to jump for blocks because I played with so much good competition, it just helps me on the court."
More: FSU football 2026 recruiting class: Can these future Seminoles help?
Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at [email protected] or on X @_Da_pistol.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Rickards stuns Leon with an overtime win after late comeback
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