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Sebring Hoops Sweeps Hardee

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Highlands Today Staff Report

Published: January 22, 2009

WAUCHULA - Five Blue Streaks scored in double figures on Tuesday night and the Sebring boys basketball team looks to be gelling at the right time after a 91-57 district victory over Hardee.

Devin Clarke finished with 13 points, while Joe Young had 11 points and Spencer Caton, Tevin Toney and Nate Orozco each added 10 points to lead the Blue Streaks to a 31-point first quarter and runaway district win.

Sebring coach Princeton Harris said his team turned up the defensive intensity to the level they showed against rival Avon Park last weekend. The result was 27 steals, which knocked the Wildcats out of synch from early in the game.

"The energy flowed from the beginning until the end," Harris said. "We're finally turning that corner I wanted to see.

"I'm seeing the team I thought I was going to have at the beginning of the year."

The Streaks (12-7 overall, 4-3 district) face two crucial district games to close out the week. Sebring travels to Palmetto tonight and hosts Braden River on Friday. Both tips are set for 7:30 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Sebring 59, Hardee 25

SEBRING - Tangie McCullors and Jerica Moore each had 10 points on Tuesday night and the Sebring girls basketball team worked its half-court press to its advantage to roll to a 59-25 victory over Hardee in district play.

Hannah Shoop and Shannon Williams each had nine points to lead the Blue Streaks (2-8 district) to the running-clock victory, Sebring's second against Hardee this season.

"We played hard and were very unselfish," said Sebring coach Mike Lee. "We've been talking since the beginning about being ready at the end of January, and we're getting close to it now."

Nearly every Blue Streak on the roster scored and Lee said his team's hard work in practice is paying off down the stretch. He said his girls need to gain confidence before district tourney play begins, and there'd be no better time than tonight and Friday when Sebring travels to Palmetto and hosts Braden River, respectively.

"We've got to play four full quarters," Lee said. "We're playing hard - we always play hard - but we have to not make mistakes and make some plays down the stretch."

BOYS SOCCER: Sebring 3, LaBelle 1

SEBRING - Forward Washley Jean had a hat trick on senior night on Tuesday to lead the Sebring boys soccer team to a 3-1 non-district victory over LaBelle at Firemen's Field.

The Streaks rallied from a one-goal deficit at half and scored three times in the second half, all off long feeds from the opposite sides of the field. Picking up assists on Jean's goals were junior Troy Talbert, senior Austin Brady and senior Daniel Klatt.

"It was a good way to end at home," said Sebring coach Tim Boulay.

The Blue Streaks are back in action tonight with a road game at Clewiston (kick-off at 7:30 p.m.) and open up district tournament play next week at Braden River.

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Lake Placid 57, Mulberry 33

LAKE PLACID - Kaneisha Hamilton scored 21 points and Kunshee Wilson chipped in 18 more on Tuesday night to lead the Lake Placid girls basketball team to a 57-33 district victory over Mulberry.

"They pulled it off pretty good tonight without me," said LP coach Shonda Legree, who who was suspended for the game after being ejected last week against Frostproof. "Friday's game will be a re-match of the mess I caused at Frostproof. I'm hoping we can get the win.

The Dragons, now 3-2 in district, travel to Fort Meade at 7:30 p.m. tonight and host the Bulldogs at 7:30 p.m. on Friday night.

BOYS BASKETBALL: Mulberry 56, Lake Placid 55

MULBERRY - Four Green Dragons found double figures and Trevalier Sholtz racked up a double-double, but Mulberry denied a furious Lake Placid rally to take a 56-55 district victory from the Dragons on Tuesday.

Andre Wilson had 18 points and six rebounds, while Kirk Veley had 11 points and eight rebounds and Von Moore added 10 points.

"We were down 10 at the half but we stayed with them in the second half," said LP coach David Veley. "We went man defense in the fourth, but we got into foul trouble."

LP also got five points and five rebounds and three assists from Avery Young.

The Dragons (5-10 overall, 1-2 district), travel to Frostproof on Friday, a game coach Veley says his team can win.

"We have to play with effort, rebound well and take care of the basketball," said coach Veley, who noted the Bulldogs' overtime victory in their last meeting. "Last time we played them, we gave up too many offensive rebounds early in the game. We need to start better and rebound and force them into bad shots."

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Braden River 54, Avon Park 40

BRADENTON - Beonca Godfrey had 10 points and Markida Hawthorne chipped in seven, but it wasn't enough as Avon Park fell 54-40 to Braden River in a Class 4A-District 10 match-up on Tuesday.

"We got off to a slow start and we just tried to catch up," said AP head coach Paulette Daley. "We were really inconsistent tonight and we were able to keep pace until the fourth quarter. That is when the game got away from us."
Avon Park is back on the court Friday when they host DeSoto in a district showdown. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m.

BOYS BASKETBALL: Braden River 45, Avon Park 42

BRADENTON - Sophomore Alonzo Robertson scored a team-high 19 points, but Avon Park squandered a 10-point fourth quarter lead in a 45-42 loss to Braden River in a Class 4A-District 10 game on Tuesday.

"I don't know what it is, but we seem to lose focus every time we get a lead," said AP head coach Luther Clemons. "Turnovers and not executing on offense really cost us a precious district win tonight."

The Devils committed 22 turnovers in the game.

Avierre Conner had eight points and Tekovin Miller finished with seven points in the loss.
Avon Park hosts Sarasota Booker tonight at 7:30 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER: Frostproof 3, Avon Park 0

FROSTPROOF - Avon Park's defense was vastly improved, but its struggles offensively continued in a 3-0 loss to Frostproof at Bulldog Stadium on Tuesday.

"We played good defensively, but we just haven't been able to put the ball in the net," said AP coach Craig Morris. "I'm really proud of how the boys played and am extremely excited for next year."
Avon Park is back on the field tonight when they travel to face Lake Placid. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.

The Highlands Today sports department can be reached at 863-386-5841 or sports@highlandstoday.com.

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