Panthers in control of OBC hoops

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Panthers in control of OBC hoops

Sports

Friday, 08 January 2010 19:00

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor
Gateway, 11-5, took two overtimes to win a 65-64 thriller at St. Cloud in an Orange Belt Conference shootout Tuesday to put the Panthers in command of the OBC race at 5-0.
The Panthers closed a halftime deficit to 24-20 on Luis Figueroa’s halfcourt shot at the buzzer, then surged to a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter before the Bulldogs scored eight points in the last minute of regulation to force overtime. James Boone’s (19 points) three-pointer in the last second tied the game. Jens Soto had 18 for the Bulldogs, 5-5.
“We couldn’t hit a shot, missed some free throws, and they got hot,” Gateway Coach Bob Baker said.
But as his team has done most of the season, Gateway found a way to win. Erick Marino had 14 points for the Panthers.
“We haven’t played well in the first half at all, and that’s something we need to work on,” Baker said. “But, we have been good about fighting back when we had to.”
Gateway, one of only two teams to beat Osceola this season, defeated Lake Weir, 66-61, at the Alachua Santa Fe High Christmas tournament after trailing 13-0.
The Panthers lost to Boone and Daytona Seabreeze at the tournament, but battled back from large deficits in both games.
“Lake Weir came out and they were like 6-9, 6-8 and 6-7 across the front with a couple of great guards. I thought it would be a 30-point game, and that’s what it looked like,” Baker said. “That was a good win for us.”
A win against Liberty Jan. 25 would clinch the conference title for the Panthers.
Gateway, which visited Vero Beach for a district game Friday, plays 6A District 6 games against Bayside Tuesday (home) and at Centennial next Friday.
Osceola, 12-2, resumed the torrid pace it set at the Great Florida ShootOut, where it placed third, when it sacked Celebration, 57-30, Tuesday. Jedarian Jackson scored 20 for the Kowboys. The Storm slipped to 4-10.
Thursday, Osceola, ranked No. 7 in the Class 5A state poll, handled Liberty, 70-48, to lift its OBC record to 2-1. The Kowboys are unbeaten (6-0) in 5A District 5.
Brenton Williams, the Great Florida ShootOut MVP, scored 21. OHS visits Poinciana Thursday for a conference contest.
New Dimensions lifted its record to 8-3 Tuesday after stopping Lake Wales Vanguard, 63-36, as Emmanuel Francois scored 22. His brother, Kepler Francois, added 9.
The Tigers won one game at the First Academy holiday tournament over West Palm Beach King’s Academy, 66-41. New Dimensions fell to First Academy, 60-33, and to Trinity Prep, 57-48.
Emmanuel Francois led the Tigers in scoring at the tournament with 12, 16 and 25 points in three games, and Jose Vasquez made the all-tournament team with 24 rebounds and 11 steals.
New Dimensions defeated Lakeland Santa Fe, 68-51, before the holiday break to go 2-0 in 2A-10. Vasquez (19), Francois (16) and Xavier Price (10) scored for the Tigers.
Heritage Christian im-proved to 12-1 after beating West Melbourne, 84-41, as Maynard Rowe and Josh Newman each had 23.
Poinciana’s girls basketball team notched a 51-39 win over Harmony Monday that counted in 4A District 6 and the OBC. Kadesia Johnson scored 13 and Brandi Walker added 12 for the Eagles (9-7). The Lady Eagles, 10-7, stopped Celebration, 55-36, Thursday as Johnson had 20.
Harmony, 8-5, rebounded to beat St. Cloud, 66-46 Thursday as Leah Smith scored 24. Diana Martinez had 16 for St. Cloud, 3-10.
Osceola’s girls (12-6) lost to Winter Haven, 72-60, Tuesday. Osceola’s Constance Uzzle had 17 points.
OHS met Harmony Friday in a key conference game.