The Orange Belt Conference boys and girls basketball tournaments get under way on Monday, and the Gateway Lady Panthers and Osceola Kowboys will be the top seeds as they look to defend their titles.
Gateway, who won their first OBC title in school history and broke St. Cloud’s long-time stranglehold on the girls’ title with a gritty 55-49 win over the Bulldogs last season, are off to a flying start this season.
Calling it “perhaps his best team ever,” Justin Marino’s squad won its first 12 games this season before dropping two road tournament games to North Miami, which featured three post players six-feet or taller, and Auburn, Ala., one of that state’s top ranked girls’ teams.
Gateway has some impressive wins this season, including a 20-point win over previously undefeated and then-ranked Lake Howell. The Panthers are led by a trio of outstanding players, including super sophomore Ashlynn Day (25.5 points, 12.1 rebounds per game), senior team captain and reigning OBC Player of the Year Alyssa Marino (16.6 ppg, 6.6 assists, 3.2 steals) and freshman YaYa D’Amore (11.9 ppg). Fellow senior Evana Rivera averages nearly a double-double (9.4 ppg, 9 rpg).
Gateway may face its biggest challenge from No. 2 seed Harmony (9-2) with its solid mix of youth and veteran players. No. 3 seed Tohopekaliga won its first seven games of the season.
On the boys’ side, defending champion Osceola will be the top seed and the favorites to defend with a senior-laden team led by two-time OBC Player of the Year Luke McCrimmon (16.1 ppg) and Jordan Mason (16.1 ppg), Osceola took an 11-4 record into the New Year, despite playing an ultra-competitive schedule. They entered January on a five-game winning streak, including taking the Springstead Holiday Tournament by winning three games by an average of 42.6 points.
Boys’ basketball in Osceola County was extremely competitive last year, as six of the eight public schools earned FHSAA playoff berth. And while a few teams have taken steps back, the OBC tournament should still be competitive. Although he lost seven starters and key reserves to graduation and transfers, Tommy Billiteri had St. Cloud at 9-4 at the break and has secured the No. 2 seed. In last year’s OBC final, the Bulldogs took Osceola to the brink before the Kowboys pulled out a 62-57 win. This year, St. Cloud is led by senior Dimoar Ortiz (15.5 ppg), with three other players averaging double figures.
No. 3 Liberty (6-2) and No. 4 Harmony (6-9) hope to be a factor.
The boys and girls tournaments will run concurrently, with first-round games Monday and second-round games Wednesday. Osceola and St. Cloud will host boys games and Gateway and Harmony hosting girls at 5:30 and 7 p.m.
The third, fifth and seventh-place games will be played on Thursday on the home court of the higher seed.
Just like the OBC soccer tournaments in December, the championships will be played on at the same site Friday. Gateway will host the girls’ title game at 5 p.m. and the boys’ game at 7.
Monday: Boys, at Osceola: Harmony vs. Tohopekaliga, 5:30 p.m.; Gateway at Osceola, 7 p.m. At St. Cloud: Celebration vs. Liberty, 5:30 p.m.; Poinciana at St. Cloud, 7 p.m.
Girls, at Gateway: Poinciana vs. Celebration, 5:30 p.m.; Osceola at Gateway, 7 p.m. At Harmony: St. Cloud vs. Tohopekaliga, 5:30 p.m.; Liberty at Harmony, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: Monday’s losers meet at 5:30 p.m. at each site, winners meet at 7 p.m.
Thursday: 3rd, 5th, and 7th place games at higher seeds, 7 p.m. (Sites that host two games will hold girls games at 5 p.m.)
Friday: Championship games at Gateway: girls, 5 p.m., boys, 7 p.m.
