With 7-foot-1 Solomon Alibi patrolling the middle for the Florida-based team alongside 6-foot-9 and 6-foot-7 teammates and a line-up that featured a slew of Division I prospects, Lincoln would have their mettle tested, and by Morton's estimate, at just the right time.

"They were big," said Morton, with a knowing laugh. "I didn't think they'd be that big, but it was perfect timing. It was another test for us to win another championship."

Lincoln passed the test, aided by some old-fashioned Coney Island toughness, scratching out a 53-37 victory on Saturday. Lincoln gave up size at every position- sometimes by a considerable margin- but compensated for that with toughness and grit.

"We knew that they were tall and big, but we were still confident going in," said senior guard Nick Leon, who scored 14 points. "We weren't going to back down."

They might have been a bit squeamish against a team with more size and collective talent than they'd likely see all year, and in the early going, Montverde's physical edge was pronounced. Forays into the paint were met by a swarm of lanky bodies, and the seven-footer Alibi looked poised for a big game.

The junior caught an emphatic putback dunk in the first quarter and then swooped baseline for a two-handed slam. Menner tried to maneuver inside for a bucket midway through the second quarter only to have his shot punched by the man in the middle.

Lincoln trailed 22-17 late in the first half, but remained within striking distance. Sophomore guard Lance Stephenson (six points) wound through traffic for a bucket in the waning seconds of the half to cut Montverde's lead to 25-23 and snatch some momentum.

Enter Leon. Lincoln showed good energy after the half, but was in need of a boost. That came when the 5-foot-11, 160 pound lead guard/shooting guard caught fire late in the third quarter, knocking down a 12-foot pull-up jumper along the baseline and a pair of threes. His trey just before the end of the quarter handed Lincoln a 36-33 lead.

Menner, a 6-foot-4 1/2 power forward/small forward and Devon Peterson, a 6-foot-2 junior shooting guard, provided the extra oomph down the stretch. Peterson knifed through the lane and fed Menner baseline for a bucket to open the fourth quarter, and sunk a crucial three-pointer from the corner with 2:59 to play to put Lincoln up 43-36.

Menner scored all 14 of his points in the fourth quarter, most on pull-ups within 10 feet. Stephenson and Peterson penetrated and found the senior for buckets in-close, and Menner did some work on his own. A pull-up by Menner and a drive through traffic pushed Lincoln's lead to 47-37 with 2:16 to play, and the rout was on.