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Boys hoops districts next week

Sports

Saturday, 06 February 2010 00:48

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor
It’s fitting that former OHS All-American Frank Ford visited the Osceola High gym Tuesday to see his No. 40 retired because the Kowboys are playing a brand of basketball that reminds fans a little of Ford’s undefeated (37-0) 1983 championship team.
The Kowboys, 20-2, haven’t lost a game since the semifinal round of the Great Florida ShootOut, by one point, to Oak Ridge in December. They won their 10th straight, over Harmony, Tuesday. It’s OHS’ best regular-season run since 1983.
Coach Steve Mason thinks that momentum will carry forward to the 5A District 5 tournament next week at Sebring, where OHS, 12-0 in the district, is the No. 1 seed.
“I’ve said all along that you measure your success by how well you do in the playoffs,” Mason said. “I’m happy with what we’ve accomplished in the regular season, but our main goals are ahead.”
Osceola defeated each of its six district opponents twice. But, with the tournament being held two hours driving distance away, at Sebring, and with a talented Lake Wales team adding players after the semester break, Mason said a district championship is hardly a lock.
“We’ve played well, I don’t want to discount our ability. But, at the same time, this district is loaded with athletes. On any night, any team in this district can win. We have to be prepared for that,” Mason said.
Osceola, with a first-round bye, will play the Sebring-Winter Haven winner Friday at 7:30 p.m, in the semifinal round. The winner plays for the trophy Feb. 13 at 7 p.m.
Liberty, seeded No. 7, plays No. 2 Ridge Community Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the quarterfinals.
The Kowboys guards and forwards are explosive, with Brenton Williams and Jedarian Jackson each capable of 20- or 30-point performances. Sophomore point guard Michael Sanchez plays with the poise of a senior, and senior center B.J. Butler, who signed a football grant to Louisville Wednesday, plays larger than his 6-2 frame underneath. The Kowboys have a solid group of role players like Nigel Daise, Johnson Decembre and Stanley Turk who make big contributions.
Osceola’s lone regular-season loss, against Gateway two months ago, cost it the Orange Belt Conference title.
“We’re a whole different team, now,” Mason said.
Gateway, 17-7, which won its fifth conference title in seven seasons under Coach Bob Baker, is No. 2 at the 6A-6 tournament at Vero Beach.
Gateway plays No. 3 Treasure Coast in the semifinal round Friday at 6 p.m. The winner moves to the championship game Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
“I won’t say we have it easy, because Treasure Coast beat Vero Beach,” Baker said. “But, we are capable of winning it. There isn’t a dominating team in our district.”
The 4A-6 tournament at Poinciana features top-seed Eustis, ranked in the Class 4A poll.
Poinciana, 6-13, seeded No. 4, plays No. 5 Celebration Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the first round. The winner plays Eustis Friday at 7 p.m. Oak Ridge, No. 2, meets No. 7 Tavares Wednesday at 6 p.m. St. Cloud, 12-8, plays No. 6 Harmony, 5-16, at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. The winners play Friday at 5:30 p.m. The championship begins Feb. 13 at 7 p.m.
St. Cloud may be the most dangerous underdog in the tournament. The Bulldogs lost to Eustis by one point last week, and took Oak Ridge to overtime in December.
“We’ve got some kids who can score, now we’ll see if we can get over the that hump,” Coach Tim McMullen said.
In James Boone, who signed a football grant to Colorado State Wednesday, and David Ortiz, the Dogs have two of the county’s leading scorers.
New Dimensions is the only county school already in the playoffs. The Tigers, 12-5, clinched the No. 1 seed at the 2A-9 tournament at Lakeland Christian and has a bye into the title game Feb. 13 at 7 p.m.
Guard Emmanuel Francois scored 28 in a 77-55 district win over Lakeland Santa Fe last week to became the second Tiger to score 1,000 career points.
In girls tournament action this week, county teams assured the 4A District 6 final at Harmony tonight at 7 p.m. would be an all-Osceola affair.
Celebration defeated Tavares, 57-40, on Wednesday, and played Poinciana in Friday’s semifinal.
Also Wednesday, St. Cloud beat Oak Ridge, 40-37, on Noehmy Aguila’s late lay-up, and Harmony downed Eustis, 54-25, setting up a matchup of the local rivals on Friday.