Hardee Blocks Sebring's Rally

SEBRING - Mark St. Fort saw it coming all the way.

Twice, actually.

The 6-foot-6 senior forward led Hardee with 28 points and leapt to two show-stopping blocks in the waning moments Friday night to lead the Wildcats to a 74-71 victory over Sebring in Class 4A-District 10 boys basketball action.

"I knew he wasn't going to try and pump-fake me," said St. Fort, who, with the Tigers up by two baskets in the final 35 seconds of the fourth quarter, turned back a pair of Sebring shots to put away the pesky Streaks. "I knew they'd try and score real quick, so I timed it right and got it."

Junior Chris Grubb led Sebring with 28 points and 11 rebounds, spurring the Streaks to three furious second-half rallies to keep the home team in it. Grubb said the Streaks' runs just so happened to occur when the team's communication and cool was at its best, a trend he didn't see as coincidental.

"When we get mad or frustrated, it brings us down," said Grubb, who added six assists and five steals. "We got back in it when we listened to each other and played together. That's what happens."

With the game tied at 62 and 2:11 left, Sebring was whistled for a technical foul after an unpopular foul call on the Streaks, giving the Wildcats four free throws and possession and slowing Sebring's momentum to a halt.

After Hardee hit just one of the four free throws and St. Fort put the Wildcats up three with some lane-work with 1:55 left, Grubb tied the game at 65 with a 3-point bomb from the right wing with 1:47 remaining.

That's when Hardee's Josh Jackson, who had 11 of his 17 points in the final period, went to work, hitting two threes and giving St. Fort's blocking ability a lead to protect.

"Wow," said Grubb when asked about St. Fort's defensive stand. "There's nothing we can do against a guy who can jump out of the gym like that."

Sebring senior Natanael "Chino" Orozco had eight points and 10 rebounds in a breakout performance for the Streaks, something coach Princeton Harris picked up on in a night where one of his guards (Grubb) led the team in rebounds.

"Chino was big for us on the boards," Harris said. "I'm looking for people who can go in and score at crucial times, and he did that tonight. He stepped up to the plate and earned himself some playing time."

Orozco said he prides himself on his rebounding, and that cleaning up the glass is something he feels can be his biggest contribution to the team.

"Rebounding - that's me," he said. "I've always played with bigger people to practice my rebounding. I try to use my body and just bang down low."

Hardee jumped up 22-15 after the first quarter, but Sebring roared back into the game with a six-point run to open the second. After a Grubb steal and lay-in put Sebring up 25-24, the Wildcats went outside, getting a 3-point ball from senior Marwin Simmons and a dunk from St. Fort to go up 34-25.

"We started off shaky," Orozco said. "If we start games how we end games, we'll be straight."

Hardee didn't hold its 37-29 halftime lead for long: Grubb again led the Sebring charge, tying the game at 42 with a 3-pointer of his own from the left wing.

Despite outscoring Hardee 42-37 in the second half, Sebring couldn't overcome the foul-shot discrepancy (The Wildcats hit 18 of 44 free throws, while the Streaks got to the line just 13 times, converting nine) or Hardee's eight 3-point buckets on the night.

Senior Sam Robinson added 11 points and five rebounds for Sebring, while sophomore J.C. Howard tallied 11 points and senior Javier Medina scored 16 points before fouling out. Senior Arnold Lewis chipped in 21 points for Hardee.

"Our guys played well; Overall, I'm happy with their performance," Harris said. "I think we're a pretty good ballclub, and what we saw tonight is a playoff contender in its early stages.

"I keep telling these guys, there might be a three- or four-way tie at the top of districts this year.

"Everyone's going to be there, because the talent is so even."

The Streaks hosted Southeast on Saturday night. For a full story, see Monday's Highlands Today.