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Highlands Today

AP Brotherhood Grows Strong

Chris Hoffman/Highlands Today

Avon Park's Cleveland Nobles will provide a sizeable presence in the paint for a united Red Devils team this season.

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By CHRIS HOFFMAN

Highlands Today

Published: November 21, 2008

AVON PARK - Teamwork was not a strong trait of last season's Avon Park boys basketball team, but over the summer, head coach Luther Clemons found his squad finally responding to his preaching.

"Our biggest problem last season is that there were way too many individuals who wanted to do their own thing on the court," Clemons said. "But we played in several tournaments over the summer and finally found a way to work together and grow as a team."

Members of the Red Devil squad played in summer tournaments, including one that saw the AP players beat teams from Lake Wales, Frostproof and Naples in the championship game at the Warner Southern Invitational.

Clemons is hoping the success over the summer will set the tone for the upcoming season, which the AP coach has a perfect blend of experience and youth.

"The summer has really helped me set solid rotations heading into the season," Clemons said. "But we still have to continue to work hard to improve each game and hopefully are peaking come tournament time."

The Avon Park boy's basketball team was dealt a blow before it stepped foot on the court, as senior guard Virgil Cooper is out for the season with an injured knee he sustained during football.

Clemons said that Cooper is going to be missed, but as a team, the injury will allow someone else to step up their game.

"We would've loved to have Virgil on the court with us and we're going to miss him," Clemons said. "But we have to come to play every night and we've got guys ready to step up and carry the load."

Junior center Cleveland Nobles shared Clemons' sentiments about the summer bonding sessions and is convinced the team is ready to take a huge step forward.

"Things didn't work out like we wanted last season at all," Nobles said. "I think everyone, including the coach, was getting used to each other and it finally clicked over the summer.

"Like football, we're a brotherhood, and it's time to make some noise."

The Red Devils' season ended with a whimper, as AP was bounced by Hardee 59-36 in the Class 4A-District 10 tournament after arriving almost two hours late for the game and with barely enough time to warm-up.

Nobles was sidelined for the final two games of the season and the tournament due to academic ineligibility and the Red Devils really missed their big man's inside presence.

"Last season, Avon Park wasn't the same team without Cleveland in the game," said a District 10 coach. "They run their offense through the high post and with him not in the game; it relegated them to a perimeter shooting team."

This season, Nobles and sophomore forward Alonzo Robertson will make a complimentary frontcourt duo, as both players got use to each other on the court over the summer.

"Alonzo has really gotten better and is a lot stronger than he was last season," Nobles said. "He takes a lot of pressure off of me in the middle, because now I have someone who can watch my back and I can watch his and hopefully we can control the middle.

"I want to force teams to think twice before they drive the lane against us."

Guards Avierre Connor and Derrick McKenzie worked well together in stretches last season and will be called upon to lead the backcourt this season with the injury to Cooper.

"Avierre did a great job running point for us over the summer and I think he's only going to get better," Clemons said. "As a team, we're in a bit of a youth movement, but we're lucky to have experienced players to guide us through this season and help strengthen us as a unit.

"I want them playing as a team and not as five individuals. One unit working for each other and that's to win. I think that's what we found over this summer."

Avon Park opened its season on Thursday against Pendleton in the opening round of the Bill Jarrett Tip-Off Classic. See Saturday's Highlands Today for complete coverage, including photos and reaction.

Chris Hoffman can be reached at 863-386-5837 or choffman@highlandstoday.com

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