'Special' backcourt leads Sebring to win

No fourth-quarter collapse. No 26-turnover performance.

Two unofficial games into this young season, Sebring is looking more and more like a contender - again.

With much work to do still, Sebring broke open a tight game early and cruised to a 60-40 win over Mulberry in the consolation game of the Bill Jarrett Tip-Off Tournament on Thursday night.

"We got a win," Sebring coach Princeton Harris said, "and that's much better."

The Blue Streaks frittered away a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead against Clewiston on Tuesday night, eventually losing by three. They never even faced that scenario Thursday, jumping out to an insurmountable lead after halftime and subbing in reserves midway through the fourth quarter.

"We got after it more than we did the first game," said senior Joe Young, who finished with 10 points and six rebounds. "Defense wins games, and that did it for us Thursday night."

Devin Clarke and Marcus Dewberry, who comprise an intriguing backcourt, each scored 12 points to lead the Blue Streaks, who could have easily won by 30-plus points were it not for a dreadful 7 of 18 performance at the free-throw line.

Clarke and Dewberry have practiced together for only an hour, Harris said, and "after a couple of weeks you'll start to see a difference."

Consider: Clarke, who at this time last week was preparing for his final football game of the season, filled up the stat sheet: 12 points, five assists, three steals. And Dewberry, who on Tuesday made his unofficial varsity debut, scoring a team-high 20 points in the loss to Clewiston, scored all 12 of his points from beyond the 3-point line.

"They're definitely going to be something special," Harris said.

In the meantime, the Blue Streaks will need to rediscover their interior game. They have three post players - Tevin Toney, Jewel Campbell and Young - who can do damage inside.

But, "they're not needing the ball, and they're not focusing, really. They're watching the ball come in and not finishing," Harris said.

And then this: "I know what they're capable of doing."

Mulberry was unable to penetrate Sebring's zone defense in the second half, nor did it risk driving inside, where the 6-foot-9 Campbell looms. Only one Mulberry player - Lee Amos - scored in double figures. He had 20.

Sebring missed several shots from point-blank range in the first half and failed to capitalize fully on Mulberry's horrid 3-point shooting, taking only a 19-14 lead into halftime. But when they cranked up the full-court press in the third quarter, the Blue Streaks extended their lead to 38-24, and were never threatened again.

"At times we look OK," Harris said. "There's just not as much intensity as I would like to see. But I keep telling myself that it's only the preseason, and we'll get there."

Sebring, the reigning district champions, will open district play against Winter Haven on Monday.

"That's when the party starts," Harris said.