Red Devils Earn Much-Needed Win

SEBRING -- Teamwork, fundamentals and playing for the betterment of the team is what basketball is all about, at least that's what Avon Park head coach Luther Clemons is trying to instill in his boys basketball team.

And the message might have finally sunk in.

The Red Devils ended 2007 on a positive note, defeating the Kissimmee Gateway Panthers 41-34 in the final day of the Jim Taveniere Holiday Tournament on Saturday, and in the process, may have found the blue print for success.

"We just had to dial it down just a bit, and things started happening for us," Clemons said. "We're too fast for our own good, and most of the time, we're out of control.

"It's amazing what happens when you work as a team."

A team with a street-ball style has shown little in the win column this season, but against Gateway, Avon Park ran set plays and moved the ball around to get the ball inside to center Cleveland Nobles, who either made the shot or passed out of the double team to the open man.

That simple solution in the second half watched the Red Devils outscore the Panthers 17-2 in the third quarter to take a commanding 34-16 lead. Avon Park's Xavier Caldwell and Nobles scored 10 points during the run to give the Red Devils the one-two punch they were looking for.

The Avon Park center said he gladly stepped out of the spotlight, and the rest of his teammates worked together to win.

"We finally started listening to Coach [Clemons]," Nobles said. "I think our individual egos has hindered our play all season. We started running the plays Coach was sending in for us and it opened things up."

Clemons was happy to see his scrappy bunch finally work together.

"I think we're going back to the drawing board and work on fundamentals," Clemons said. "We've got to get away from playing street ball and playing team ball."

"It felt good to get one win out of this tournament,"

That isn't to say that it was an easy victory.

With a 20-point lead and seemingly with the game in hand, Clemons let his bench play with four minutes left, which turned out to be a little too soon.

Gateway exploded to score 15 unanswered points off Red Devil turnovers by getting the ball to the inside with Kenry Montoney, who scored 12 of his game-high 18 points in the fourth to cut Avon Park's lead to 39-34.

But a pair of free throws by point guard Virgil Cooper down the stretch sealed the win.

"I think I took them out too soon," Clemons said after the Gateway run. "I wanted to give everyone a chance to play. I think next time, I'll wait a few more minutes before I do that again."

Nobles led the way for Avon Park with 16 points, while Caldwell had nine points and Rickey Taylor had seven for the Red Devils.

Avon Park is back in action Jan. 5 when they host the Frostproof Bulldogs at 7:30 p.m.