26 forced turnovers key in 45-39 win

By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer

Poinciana High's girls basketball coach Jamerson Jones looked on Thursday at the new Osceola gym and watched his Eagles take the lead in the Orange Belt Conference race.

His team didn't even play there.

After leading PHS to a 68-38 win over St. Cloud earlier in the day, Jones watched as Osceola defeated an upset-minded Harmony team that had never beaten the Kowgirls, 45-39.

Poinciana (14-1, 4-0) is now the only team undefeated in county play; the Longhorns and Kowgirls have one and two OBC losses, respectively.

OHS got the victory, but it wasn't a pretty one. Turnovers dominated the game early and Osceola (11-8, 3-2 in OBC) shot just 34 percent from the free-throw line (13-for-38) until Montana Bass and Chanel Chillers went 6-for-6 in the final 25 seconds of the game.

“You can win or lose from the free throw line,” a mentally-spent OHS Coach Barner Cooks said afterward. “Fortunately we hit the big ones at the end.”

Harmony (9-2, 3-1) had won seven in a row entering Thursday, and played like it for much of the first half, thanks to the passing and defense of Marie Gilbert (four points, six assists, four steals). Freshman Julia Ingler (game-high 17 points), scored seven of Harmony's eight in the first quarter when it took an 8-4 lead.

Osceola's Junior Diaz helped the hosts claw back by coming off the bench to score seven second-quarter points, but Gilbert's lay-up at the buzzer gave Harmony an 18-16 halftime lead.

After the teams traded baskets for much of the third quarter, Bass, who scored 14 to lead the Kowgirls, hit a 3-pointer and Chillers (13, eight rebounds) nailed a jumper on successive trips down court to forge a 24-22 lead OHS would never give up.

From there OHS ratcheted up the defensive pressure, forcing eight Harmony turnovers in the fourth quarter. On the night, Osceola forced 26 of them, which was HHS Coach Paul Strauch's key to the game.

“That number says it all, you can't win with that,” he said. “Osceola's game is to capitalize on turnovers.”

Strauch already had center Nia Frederick sitting out with a thumb injury, and he watched Ingler and Gilbert join her after fouling out down the stretch.

“It was a four-point game for most of the fourth quarter and our three best players were on the bench for most of it,” he said. “But, we played extremely hard.”

Ragen Dotson pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds for Harmony. Kaitlyn Sparks came off the bench to chip in seven points.

After losing to Winter Haven, 60-51, on Monday and beating Davenport Ridge, 59-20, on Tuesday to move to 6-3 in 5A District 5 play, Cooks said Thursday's nailbiter was welcome.

“We need some of these close games to get confidence. It's a good sign that the girls pulled this one out,” he said. “The playing field is pretty level between us and Harmony right now.”

The Longhorns can still earn a piece of the OBC title if they can topple Gateway on Tuesday, then beat Poinciana on the road on Friday.

Osceola concludes its OBC schedule on Monday at St. Cloud.

In boys basketball, Osceola (No. 7 in 5A) and Poinciana (No. 8 in 4A) are ranked in this week's Florida Association of Basketball Coaches state power index.

Those two teams play Friday at Osceola; see the story at www.aroundosceola.com.

The Kowboys (10-4), concolation champs at the Great Florida Shootout, won for the ninth time in 10 games Wednesday over St. Cloud, 71-46. Michael Sanchez led the way with 17 points  for the Kowboys.