Dogs, Longhorns, Storm take on Oak Ridge in district 7A-6

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor
The newly-reshuffled boys basketball districts bring county rivals together to compete for district championships this season.
Osceola and Gateway join Poinciana, Liberty, East Ridge and Lake Minneola in 7A District 5, while Harmony, St. Cloud and Celebration will join Oak Ridge in 7A-6.

New Dimensions seeks its third straight playoff appearance in 3A-7, and Life Christian and City of Life Christian Academy play in 2A-8.

Heritage Christian will defend its Florida Christian Conference state championship.

Osceola

Former assistant Nate Alexander assumes control of the Osceola program after Steve Mason stepped down last winter.

The Kowboys lost playmaker Jedarian Jackson and several others to graduation, but senior Michael Sanchez, one of the best point guards in OHS history, and senior forward Stanley Turk, a three-year starter, return.

“It’s not like the past two years, but we will still be competing,” Alexander promised.

He likes the young talent coming into the program, like junior Josh Antoine, and sophomores Alain Allard, a post player with a good mid-range shot, and Tre Perry, a guard who can get to the rim, Alexander said.

Also on the roster are Bobby Young, Zeke Cox and Alex Forde, who all should contribute said Alexander.

“The sophomore class is looking stronger each day. We should compete this year if we stay healthy,” Alexander said.

The Kowboys are off to an impressive 6-0 start, including district wins against Poinciana, 73-68 Friday, and Liberty.

Osceola hosts East Ridge for a district game Tuesday before a date Dec. 16 at Gateway.

Gateway

Coach Bob Baker has an experienced team that promises to be a factor in district 7A-5 and a favorite for the Orange Belt Conference title.

“We have a senior-dominated group, which is a strength,” Baker, starting his 11th season at Gateway, said. “We should be better overall in all areas, but senior leadership and defensive intensity are the keys.”

Senior David Jerome, 6-5, is a third-year starter at forward who averaged 12 points and eight rebounds last season.

Other returning starters are sophomore guard Giovanni Guzman and seniors Jordan Edmunds, Matt Ortiz and Joseph Mukuvi. Edmunds and Ortiz, like Jerome, are third-year starters.

Joining them on the roster are seniors Wyndell Firmini, Chris Abeleda, Leo Widman and Julian John-Lewis. Junior Theo Belhomme and sophomore Justin Peters also will play.

The Panthers are 4-2, including 2-0 in the district. Gateway hosts Poinciana, another OBC and district contender, Tuesday in addition to its date with Osceola next week.

Celebration

Coach Jeff Bean said the Storm will be athletic but inexperienced as it begins play in district 7A-6 this season.

Bean describes his roster as “very young.”

“We start three sophomores and two juniors,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of size and we’re very athletic, but we have only one returning player.”

He is Daniel Lues, a 6-0 junior.

The team has good size with Romelo Banks, a 6-9 junior transfer, and 6-4 sophomore Jhonny Victor.

“They have the ability to be very good. I hope we grow up quickly,” Bean said. “By January, when district play starts, hopefully we will hit our stride and challenge Oak Ridge for the district title.”

The Storm is 2-4 as the team works through early-season injury problems.

New Dimensions

Coach Dustin Gassert saw his team win the district championship last season and the Tigers return a senior-laden lineup to try and repeat that feat in District 3A-7 against Fort Meade, Lakeland McKeel, Lakeland Christian and Lakeland Santa Fe.

Returning are seniors Marc Serat, Xavier price, Kepler Francois and James Fuchs, all excellent shooters.

“I feel we have a great opportunity to make it back to the district championship and advance to the regionals for the third year in a row,” Gassert said. “We had a great summer, the guys have been working their tails off in the weightroom and I feel this is going to be a great season for New Dimensions.”

The Tigers beat Lakeland Christian 55-51 to improve to 2-6 in 3A District 7 Tuesday.

“We started our season off by playing  some of the top teams in the state. Our record looks horrible, but we’re doing great,” he said.

Harmony

Coach Steve Smith will have to fill a scoring void that occurred when Daniel East and Erik Sjostrom graduated as they accounted for about 60 percent of the team’s points last season, the coach said.

That is a concern, but Smith believes the returning players are equal to the challenge.

“We have hard-working kids back who made excellent improvement,” Smith said. “We are a work in progress, but I feel by Christmas we could be a pretty decent team.”

The lineup consists of senior post players Tyler Marcus and Chad Williams, senior wing players Kenny Garcia and Austin Bauer, junior wing player Isaiah Moser and junior point guard Colten Viscomi.

Also expected to contribute are Steven Norvell and Jesse Huff.

“We need to shoot well, play solid defense and rebound,” Smith said. “We are keeping things simple as it is really more what you do well more than worrying about the other team.”

The Longhorns started the season 0-3.

“The kids are working hard, hopefully things will get better soon,” Smith said.

Poinciana

Coach Oliver Simmons begins his tenure at Poinciana, succeeding Jay Lunce, who led the Eagles to three straight playoff berths.

Poinciana won the district championship last season, but saw four senior starters graduate.

Still, the Eagles may have the most dynamic player in the county in guard Stefan Moody, who recently signed a scholarship to Florida Atlantic University.

Simmons called Moody one of the most dynamic players he has coached.

“It didn’t take long in the summer workouts for me to see the ability he has,” Simmons said. “It isn’t often you see a player with his explosiveness.”

Also back are seniors Paris Greene and James Nicholson, post men who will benefit from Moody’s ability to drive to the basket.

“We have a good shot at being good, as long as we stay healthy,” Simmons said.

St. Cloud

New Coach Johnnie Jenkins takes over a veteran squad that could be the Bulldogs’ first to reach the regional playoffs.

Among those returning are center Zach Hull, Andrew Estrella, Louis Torres, Marcus Davis, Austyn Jandrew and Dustin Longstreet.

Jenkins said the team is transitioning to a new system and adding players from the football team.

“Once the new players mesh with the new coach, I think we will be fine down the stretch of the season,” Jenkins said. “We have a great foundation to build on. (Former) Coach Tim McMullen did a great job of coaching the kids to their potential.”

The Bulldogs defeated New Dimensions, 61-55, Monday to improve to 1-2.

Liberty

Anthony Clark takes over the Chargers program this season.

Clark said the team is set high and low with senior center Anamuko Utibe and senior point guard Oscar Alvarado, the team captain.

“This is a team effort, and all these players are outstanding,” Clark said. “I have 11 guys who could easily start somewhere else.”

The Chargers are off to a 1-2 start, the losses coming against district favorites Osceola and Gateway.

Life Academy

Coach Kevin Hosford begins his third season (24-29) at Life Christian Academy after a 22-9 campaign last season that saw the Lions reach the regional playoffs as the district runner-up.

This year, the Lions move to 2A District 6 against local rival City of Life Academy and several Brevard County teams. The team is 4-0.

Back from last year’s squad are seniors Jaaz Figueroa, Ulises Salinas and Mike Grabowski. Juniors Andre Waterhouse, Luis Torres, Jorge Rosa are back. Rosa, a 6-4 forward, averaged 18 points and eight rebounds last season. So far this year, he’s scoring 21 points with nine rebounds per game. Torres, a guard, averaged 12 points. Waterhouse, at guard, averaged 10 points and four assists.

Hosford said the team is strengthened with the additions of sophomores Devante Houvoras, Antonio Smith and Belfort Aponte, and freshmen Jamal Wilson, Javon Houvoras and Julius Rivera.

“This year’s team should be much deeper and more experienced,’ Hosford said. “We fared pretty well against several teams in our new district. We should have a decent shot to win it.”

City of Life

Coach Sam Milien returns to lead the Warriors in 2A-6.

The roster includes seniors Alain Barthelemy and Isaiah Griffin. The juniors are Moses Comacho, Frankie DeNike, Pedro Gildelamadrid, Harold Gomez, Malachi Hays, Tray Krisle, Tyler Travelute, Daniel Villa and David Villa.

Sophomore Justin Feichter and freshman Edesse Edouard also are on the varsity squad.

Heritage Christian

The Eagles won their fourth state championship last season under Coach Jim Estrella.

The bid to repeat will be more difficult after Maynard Rowe, the school’s all-time leading scorer, graduated and accepted a scholarship to Webber International University.

But Estrella has another returning standout in senior Josh Newman, who is averaging 33.5 points this season. He may break Rowe’s school scoring record (2,260).

“If we stay healthy and the grades are good, we will be looking to try and repeat as the state champion,” Estrella said. “(The players) are showing good chemistry so far.”

Senior Preston Bass is another leading scorer for the Eagles, and junior point guard Sean Greaves is playing well, Estrella said.

Sophomore Josue Ortiz is another option at point guard, and freshman Dominick Maldonado has stepped into the strong forward slot.

Transfer Jonathan Boone, a sophomore, will contribute as he learns the Eagles’ system, Estrella said. Boone scored 16 in his debut.

Eighth-graders Dallas Beaver and Brian Grant both will contribute, and seventh-grader Jacob Newman, Josh’s brother, is beginning what Estrella believes will be an excellent career.

“We are very young. We are fast, faster than in past years,” Estrella said. “I think it will get better and better as the season gets going.”

Heritage began the season 4-0 in the conference.