If there was any thought that the Out-of-Door Academy girls basketball team would still be savoring its thrilling overtime win against Sarasota Christian, it was erased early Thursday in an easy rout of Academy at the Lakes in a Class 1A-Region 3 quarterfinal. ...more

February 8, 2008

1A-6 GIRLS BASKETBALL Lions Go Furthest In School History HCA presses its way into the district final, crushing Lecanto-Seven Rivers, 55-19. ...more

February 7, 2008

After beating Lecanto-Seven Rivers Christian twice during the regular season, the Lady Lions needed that third series victory this winter to mark their names in the Hernando Christian Academy history books as the first girls' basketball team to ever make the district final, giving them an automatic bid to the regional tournament. They accomplished that feat Friday night in Marion County, trouncing Seven Rivers, 55-19. ...more

February 7, 2008

LAKE PLACID — Virgil Cooper had 10 points and Alonzo Robertson and Teddy Allen each added eight on Friday night as the Avon Park boys basketball team held off an inspired Lake Placid squad for a 44-39 victory in a cross-county showdown. "We played as a team and were focused," said Cooper, whose team watched its eight-point halftime lead dwindle to four with five minutes left before finishing off the Dragons late. "When we play together, we share the ball, and it's a lot more fun." ...more

February 3, 2008

LAKELAND — Intensity and effort kept Lake Placid close for the first half of Thursday night's Class 3A-District 10 semifinal against McKeel Academy. But the Wildcats superior height, ability and depth proved to be the difference as they cruised to 68-37 win over the Green Dragons. "We played together and with a lot of effort, and I'm proud of that," said senior guard Stacy Davis. "We gave everything we had, but we wore down in the second half and couldn't stay with them. ...more

February 2, 2008

Top-seeded Keswick Christian held Bradenton St. Stephen's to five second-half points en route to a 67-20 win Friday night. ...more

February 2, 2008

Top-seeded Seffner Christian easily defeated No. 4 Tampa Bay Christian 50-13 and third-seeded Cambridge beat No. 2 Bayshore Christian 34-22 in Tuesday's Class 1A-District 10 semifinals. ...more

January 30, 2008

LAKE PLACID — Playing with effort, intensity and determination — something that's been lacking on a consistent basis during the season — the Lake Placid boys basketball team used a balanced attack led by Conlin Veley's team-high 13 points to beat LaBelle 64-49 on Friday night. Veley also pulled down 12 rebounds, while younger brother Kurt Veley scored nine points on three 3-pointers as the Class 3A Green Dragons improved to 9-11 with the non-district win. "It was a good win for us," Conlin Veley said. "When we play with effort and intensity, we're a pretty good team. We need to play hard every minute, because when we let down we lose our tempo and teams make runs on us. ...more

January 27, 2008

FROSTPROOF –– Getting off to a slow start proved costly for the Avon Park boys basketball team on Saturday night. Frostproof took advantage as senior center Tony Pinion scored a game-high 17 points to go along with 10 rebounds to lead the Bulldogs past the Red Devils 59-45 in a non-district game. To further compound the situation, Avon Park's 6-foot-7 sophomore center Cleveland Nobles picked up three quick fouls and spent most of the second quarter on the bench as Frostproof took a commanding lead. ...more

January 21, 2008

AVON PARK — For one of the few times this season, the Avon Park girls basketball team got off to a good start in Friday night's Class 4A-District 10 game against DeSoto. That spelled trouble for the visiting Bulldogs, as freshman point guard Markida Hawthorne scored a team-high 17 points to lead the Red Devils to a 63-47 win. ...more

January 20, 2008