BOYS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEW
It would only be natural to expect Osceola High would be due for a down year in 2022-23. Graduation took a heavy toll on the Kowboys — four starters or regulars, including Player of the Year Cory Vega, were departing seniors and leading scorer Sean Combs transferred. About 90 percent of Osceola’s offense from that 20-6 team that advanced to a regional final departed.
That left Coach Steve Mason with one returning major contributor, guard Ryan Rivera. With that said, do not expect opposing coaches to be too sad for Mason or the Kowboys. This could still be a very good team, reloaded on talent and possibly the start of another outstanding era of Osceola basketball.
Osceola’s junior varsity team was dominant last season. Including scheduling two additional games against the best JV teams in the state – the team went 19-0 overall. Its average margin of victory was 35 points.
Those players coming up include Alex Springs (19 points a game), Jordan Mundle (11 ppg, 5 rebounds), sharpshooter Mason Tinnin (average four three-pointers per game), and point guard Josiah Cotto (8 ppg and 6 assists per game). Add that talent to Rivera – an outstanding three-point shooter – and the Kowboys’ roster simply reloaded for the coming season.
“We had a great season last year but most of those kids are gone,” Mason said. “What is really encouraging is this year’s team seems to be hungrier than ever. They understand the tradition of Osceola basketball and they are ready to contribute and make their own marks on that history.”
Under Mason and former coach Nate Alexander, Osceola has made it to the regional round for the last nine years, with three Final Four appearances, two state titles, and an average of 19 wins per season.
Osceola will compete in District 7A-6 with county schools Celebration, Harmony, Poinciana and Tohopekaliga.
Celebration is coming off a 13-10 season and Tom Bonnane’s team will look for leadership from two returning seniors in Mitchell Sparks (14.1 ppg) and Griffin Davis (9.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg). Nassim Bontayah, Andy Ndambo and Jedediah Sankitts move up from junior varsity and out-of-state transfer Eli Wilkins are expected to be regular contributors.
“This year we hope to continue the winning ways at CHS. We will be relying heavily on our senior leader ship and hope that our underclassmen perform as we think they can,” Bonanne said. “Mitchell and Griffin will lead the way and hopefully the youngsters perform up to the potential.”
Both Harmony and Poinciana move up from Class 6A to 7A this year. The Longhorns had a solid 16-10 season last year and return senior guards Miguel Tirado (12.9 ppg, 2.8 apg), Rafael Balines (11.6 ppg, 9.0 rpg) and center Caden Scarborough (6.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg).
Sophomores Jeremy Penner and Sylus Cory made the varsity as freshman last year and should help fill the shoes of departed seniors Anthony White (7.8 ppg) and Dallin Richardson (7.6 ppg); while incoming out-of-state transfer Teancum Paxman has shown tremendous promise in the pre-season.
Harmony Coach Duke Leonardo says that the move to 7A will be difficult but has not diminished his optimism for the coming season.
“It puts us in the same region as those loaded Orange County schools. Obviously, the district will still run through Osceola,” Leonardo said. “Still we are setting our goals high. Harmony has never won a district championship and that remains our goal for this season.”
Poinciana was 6-14 last year but did defeat Liberty and Harmony to make a surprising run to the district finals last year. Top returning players include Elijah Davis and Xavier Barnes; while first-year senior guard Abe Lougurre and sophomore forward Hakeem Alvena will factor in “We are looking forward to playing a more up-style offense as our roster is more athletic this year,” Coach Craig Walls said. “We still will have a very young team that will look forward to competing and getting better as the season goes along. We are excited about our new district and getting to play OBC teams multiple times.”
Under Jesus Merced, Tohopekaliga posted its first non-losing season last year – finishing 11-11 and making a run to the district finals where they lost 8252 to Osceola in the title game. The Tigers had won just 13 games the previous four years.
Jevon Andrews-Brown (8ppg, 4rpg), Steven Almonte (4 apg) and Victor Munyao (4 ppg, 4rpg, 3apg) are the leading returning players; while senior Jhaeem Azimyt and freshman Jesiah Merced are promising newcomers.
“We lost some outstanding players to graduation,” Merced said. “Our goal is to compete every game, try to get to .500 and qualify for the district championship game.”
Playing in District 5A-7, Gateway has traditionally been one of them more successful boys’ basketball programs in Osceola County. Last season, the Panthers won 18 games, took Osceola to the wire in a 54-53 loss and earned an at-large bid to regionals.
Coach Travis James returns five solid contributors: Dimas Cervantes (7.0 ppg), Robert Collins (8.1 ppg), Gabriel Melendez (5.4 ppg), Yangel Malpica (4.0 ppg) and Aiden Lake (3.0 ppg). James also believes that senior Deshawn Williamson, who transferred from St. Cloud, could be a major contributor.
“Losing our top two scorers certainly means a lot,” James said. “But I like the players we have coming back and our goals remain the same. We may start slow this year, but hopefully we’ll get better as the season progresses and we can make another run in the post-season.”
St. Cloud and Liberty will both play in District 6A-7 this season. Both teams struggled last season; Bulldogs finished with a 4-22 mark and Liberty was 4-16.
