For the first time in Island Coast’s short school history, the Gators will play for a boys’ district basketball championship.

The Gators earned their way to the District 3A-12 title match with a fourth-quarter rally that netted a 67-60 victory over Dunbar in the semifinals Wednes-day night at Island Coast. The win also assures the Gators their first appearance in the regional playoffs next week.

The Gators (13-13), the tournament’s No. 2 seed, will face top-seeded Bishop Verot at 7 p.m. Saturday. Verot whipped LaBelle 69-38 in Wednesday’s other semifinal.

Senior Kyle Harding connected for four consecutive three-point baskets in the fourth quarter to ignite the Gators from an eight-point deficit into the lead for good. As time wound down, the Gators sealed the win at the free throw line with Harding sinking 5-of-5 in the final 1:30.

Harding finished with a team-high 17 points while Tim Dal Bon added 14, Jason Morris with 13, Billy Res with 11 and Terrell Griffin with 10.

Dunbar15 16 11 18 – 60

Island Coast18 10 9 30 – 67

DUNBAR 60 – Strawbridge 6, White 6, Williams 18, Barnes 9, J. Jackson 4, B. Jackson 5, Hendricks 11. Totals: 22 6-12 60.

3PG: Williams 5, Barnes 1, Hendricks 3.

ISLAND COAST 67 – Dal Bon 14, Griffin 10, Harding 17, Orellana 2, Rees 11, Morris 13. Totals: 21 14-22 67.

3PG: Harding 4, Rees 1, Morris 2.

LaBelle12 8 4 14 – 38

Bishop Verot15 13 21 20 – 69

LaBELLE 38 – O’Farrell 11, Ford 2, Burton 4, Gutierrez 2, Diaz 8, Jones 5, Kelley 6. Totals: 15 4-9 38.

3PG: O’Farrell 3, Jones 1.

VEROT 69 – Wagner 11, Taylor 20, Reeves 3, Hoop 2, Dierksheide 8, Mosher 7, Williams 2, Doyle 4, Howard 9, Diamond 1, Brittenham 2. Totals: 27 8-13 69.

3PG: Wagner 1, Taylor 1, Reeves 1, Dierksheide 2, Mosher 1, Howard 1.

Baseball

Mariner 16, Bayshore 0: Kevin Cavanagh (3-for-3) drove in three runs with three hits, including a double, and Alex Santana (2-for-2) clubbed a three-run homer as Mariner punished Bradenton Bayshore in a preseason game Wednesday.

Justin Gubelman pitched three hitless, scoreless innings and struck out four for the Tritons, who host Cypress Bay in another preseason match Friday.