Clutch Free Throws Pace Santa Fe
Tue. February 07, 2012 at 4:00 a.m. | By Polk Preps Staff
FORT MEADE'S Christopher Morris (21) knocks the ball away as Santa Fe's Chris Nattania tries to shoot during Monday night's 3A District 7 FHSAA Basketball Championships game at Santa Fe Catholic High School in Lakeland. Santa Fe won, 58-48. (Photo by SCOTT WHEELER | THE LEDGER )
By MIKE AKINS
LEDGER CORRESPONDENT
LAKELAND | The Santa Fe Catholic Crimson Hawk basketball team used clutch free-throw shooting in the fourth quarter to post a 58-48 victory over Fort Meade in the first game of the Class 3A-7 district tournament at Santa Fe.
With the victory, the 12-14 Hawks have the tough assignment of facing top seed and 21-1 McKeel Academy in today's second semifinal.
In the first semifinal, New Dimensions will face Lakeland Christian at 6 p.m.
The Miners finish their year at 5-14.
Davonte Drisdom led both teams with 27 points including 21-25 from the free throw line, while Tim Cotto added 14 points and 10 rebounds. Dunlop led the Miners with 12 points.
Fort Meade (48): McCalebb 5, Dunlop 12, Morris 11, Smith 4, Russell 6, Brown 10. Totals 15 4-5 48.
Santa Fe Catholic (58): Cotto 14, Drisdom 27, Kedzuf 4, Nattania 4, Guarnary 9. Totals 10 27-32 58.
Fort Meade 11 10 8 19 —48
Santa Fe 9 15 15 18 —58
Halftime: Santa Fe Catholic 25-21. 3-pointers: Fort Meade 4 (Dunlop 3, Brown 1), Santa Fe Catholic 2 (Cotto). Records: Fort Meade 5-14, Santa Fe Catholic 12-14.
Class 6A-9
Winter Haven 66, Sebring 24
LAKELAND | Winter Haven scored the game's first nine points, six by Kendrick Holland, and cruised in the semifinals of the Class 6A-9 boys basketball tournament at Kathleen High School.
Winter Haven (17-8) advances to Friday's district final where it will face the winner of tonight's Kathleen-Lake Gibson contest.
DeVon Walker led Winter Haven with 16 points. Holland had 12, while Chance McSpadden added 10 points as 10 Blue Devils got into the scoring column.
Sebring (24) – Tookes 3, D. Jones 12, Taylor 4, Cannon 3, B. Jones 2, Totals 7 8-15 24.
Winter Haven (66) – Celestin 1, Hendrix 2, Hawkins 5, Jordon 5, McSpadden 10, Holland 12, Morris 7, Haynes 2, Walker 16, James 6. Totals 22 22-32 66.
Sebring 3 12 6 3 – 24
Winter Haven 23 16 14 13 – 66
Halftime: Winter Haven 39-15. 3-Point Field Goals: Sebring 2 (Tookes, D. Jones); Winter Haven none. Records: Sebring 7-17. Winter Haven 17-8.
— RICK BROWN | THE LEDGER
Class 4A-10
Frostproof 47, Lake Placid 32
MULBERRY | A change in coaching brought about a change in focus and a more defensive mode as the Frostproof Bulldogs advanced in the first round of the Class 4A District 10 boys' basketball tournament at Mulberry High School.
The Bulldogs (7-13) picked up the win after switching their leadership three games ago.
Sensing the Bulldogs needed a change, head coach Keith Barker allowed junior varsity coach John Johnson to take over while he took a lesser role with the varsity with three games left in the regular season.
The fourth-seeded Bulldogs take on top-seeded Avon Park tonight at 5:30. Desoto, the second seed, meets third-seeded Mulberry at 7:30 p.m. in the semifinals.
Ricky Cobb led Frostproof with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Teammate Daniel Knighten added 12 points and seven boards. Cecil Cherry tallied six points and seven rebounds.
LAKE PLACID (32): Rufino Gutierrez 2, Jonah Brown 2, Clayton Mason 3, Devonta Chisolm 2, Marty Hickey 4, Scott Colley 2, Nick Swain 17. Totals 10 1 6-12 32.
FROSTPROOF (47): Zachary Barker 2, Jacob Bass 5, Ricky Cobb 14, David Dyer 1, Cecil Cherry 6, Daniel Knighten 12, Reginald Allen 2, Randall Knighten 2, Kaleel Gaines 2, Kijana Gaines 1. Totals 17 1 10-26 47.
Lake Placid 4 5 10 13 - 32
Frostproof 11 10 15 11 - 47
Halftime: Frostproof 21-9. 3-pointers: Lake Placid 1 (Swain). Records: Lake Placid 2-7; Frostproof 7-13.
– LISA COFFEY | THE LEDGER
Class 5A-10
Lake Wales 74, Tenoroc 41
LAKE WALES | Top-seeded Lake Wales had three players score in double digits to help the Highlanders breeze past Tenoroc.
The Lake Wales basketball program took a big blow earlier in the day after the passing of former player Hazell Stoudemire, the younger brother of NBA star Amare Stoudemire.
Amare was at the game, wearing a Lake Wales sweatshirt with ‘Amare' scrawled on the right sleeve. He received hugs and handshakes from the Highlander faithful.
Forward Marcel White had a game-high 18 points for Lake Wales (23-4).
The Highlanders not only flexed their muscle with a dominating full-court press that led to 17 steals — the play on the boards was outstanding as well helping them rack up 35 rebounds.
Alandre Denner scored 10 and Douglas Brooks added 11 for the Highlanders (23-4, 7-0). Point guard Russel Wilson had seven points and four assists.
Brandon Moore led the Titans (12-14, 1-6) with 13 points and eight rebounds.
Lake Wales will play the winner of Auburndale and Hardee to be played tonight at Lake Wales.
—BLAKE HASENZAHL | LEDGER CORRESPONDENT
Tenoroc (41): Karlos Odum 6, Robert Duffy 4, Victor Smith 3, Travis Tucker 8, Antonio Valrie 2, Darriean Laster 5, Brandon Moore 13. Totals 16 9-17 41.
Lake Wales (74): Lamar Welch 4, Douglas Brooks 11, Alante Fenner 10, Shaquille Snell 3, Russel Wilson 7, Marcel White 18, Savonte Frazier 2, Cedric Christian 9, Railond Garrett 4, J'Quayveon Williams 2. Dedrick Brinson 4. Totals 22 26-37 74.
Tenoroc 7 11 13 10 —41
Lake Wales 10 21 25 18 —74
Halftime: Lake Wales 31-18. 3-pointers: Tenoroc 1 (Moore), Lake Wales 4 (Brooks 2, White, Fenner). Records: Tenoroc 12-14, 1-6, Lake Wales 23-4, 7-0
Class 2A-7
LAKE WALES | On Monday night at The Vanguard School gymnasium, Victory Christian, All Saints and Walker Memorial each advanced to the Class 2A, District 7 boys basketball semifinals by beating their respective opponents.
Victory Christian began the tournament by rolling to a convincing win over Sebring's Heartland Christian, 66-25. Dylan Sechrest brought the fury in the Storm's offense with 16 points and Mike Morgan added 12.
Despite shooting 33 percent from the stripe, the Saints had a 59-42 victory against Sonrise Christian.
Reggie Evans led all scorers in Monday action with 19 points for All Saints, who will play Victory today.
Avon Park's Walker Memorial slid by Oasis Christian 47-37 in a close game and ended the Lions' tumultuous season that was riddled with leadership issues.
Johnel Lagabon's had a game-high 16 points for the Eagles, while Austin Bentley chalked up 15 points for the Lions.
Walker Memorial will play the No. 1 seeded host team Panthers (14-2) tonight at 5:30 p.m.
– B.J. PITZEN | LEDGER CORRESPONDENT
Victory Christian 66, Heartland Christian 25
HEARTLAND CHRISTIAN (25) – Shayne Fassler 10, William Puzynski 13, Tyler Johnson 2. TOTALS 8 9-22 25.
VICTORY CHRISTIAN (66) – Dylan Sechrest 16, Mike Morgan 12, Carlos Quiles 10, Raymond Johnson 8, Sterling Stanley 8, Alan Sheppard 6, Cody Green 4, Chris Nelson 2. TOTALS 30 2-9 66.
Heartland Christian 8 7 8 2 – 25
Victory Christian 22 20 19 5 – 66
Halftime: Victory 42-15. 3-pointers: Victory 4 (Stanley 2, Johnson 1, Sechrest 1); Heartland none. Records: Victory 17-5, Heartland 0-18.
All Saints 59, Sonrise 42
SONRISE CHRISTIAN (42) – Dylan Smith 9, Christopher Bullock 8, Jake Mason 7, Scott Thomas 6, Micah Bonner 6, Juddsen Mobley 5, John Bianco 1. TOTALS 14 9-16 42.
ALL SAINTS (59) – Reggie Evans 19, Andy Moats 12, Troy MacNeil 7, Mike Padgett 7, Connor Weber 6, Max Lindsey 3, Brooks Reagall 3, Shaun Strickland 2. TOTALS 23 7-21 59.
Sonrise Christian 5 11 10 16 – 42
All Saints 21 13 12 13 – 59
Halftime: All Saints 34-16. 3-pointers: All Saints 6 (Moats 4, Padgett 1, Reagall 1); Sonrise 5 (Smith 2, Thomas 1, Mobley 1, Mason 1). Notes: Weber made eight rebounds, while Evans added seven; Drayton added six steals in the Saints' win. Records: All Saints 11-4; Sonrise 3-12.
Walker Memorial 47, Oasis 37
OASIS CHRISTIAN (37) – Austin Bentley 15, Obi Ilonzo 10, Evan Lepak 12. TOTALS 17 2-5 37.
WALKER MEMORIAL (47) – Johnel Lagabon 16, Bree Fautheree 9, Jokschan Branchedor 8, Daniel Leyva 10, Austin Bautista 3, Nicholas Ruffini 1. TOTALS 19 6-9 47.
Oasis Christian 6 8 10 13 – 37
Walker Memorial 18 2 6 21 – 47 Halftime: Walker Memorial 20-14. 3-pointers: Walker Memorial 3 (Leyva 2, Bautista 1); Oasis 1 (Lepak). Records: Walker Memorial 10-6; Oasis 4-16.
