New year brings new season on the hardwood

The opening act almost is over for area college basketball teams.

Once the new year begins, it's time to start taking things more seriously.

That is when conference play tips off. It determines if there will be any postseason, which ultimately decides whether there will be any championship banners to hang in the gym.

At Eckerd College, just one more tune-up awaits before the real season begins.

The Tritons play host to the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth on Monday night, then -- after a nine-day layoff -- Eckerd's Sunshine State Conference schedule opens Jan. 8 against defending league champion Tampa. The Tritons finished second to the Spartans in 2001-02. But at 10-1 this season, Eckerd's hopes are high to end up on top of the SSC.

"I think I say this before every season, but this is going to be a tough conference," Tritons coach Tom Ryan said.

"I don't think you have a runaway team like Tampa was last year," he said. "There are several teams that are very good."

Eckerd is one of them. It leads the league with 85.7 points per game and has some of the top scorers.

Sophomore guard Sharrod McCree has been on fire during the season's first half, averaging 16.3 points. Center Cerwin Thompson, guard Kendrick Wilson and forwards Anthony Washington, Lester Chang Fong and Marcus Bryant will be critical to the Tritons' success.

St. Petersburg College also is aiming high.

The Titans (6-6) came off a three-week break with a Saturday night game against Broward Community College.

That will be followed by a Monday night home match-up with St. Johns River CC before conference play begins Jan. 4 against Pasco-Hernando CC.

This time last season, SPC went on a run that didn't stop until it secured the state championship.

With several new faces, Titans coach Earnest Crumbley has had to spend much of November and December figuring out the right lineup.

"This is a new team," Crumbley said. "We've still got some things to work out. Hopefully, we'll get them worked out soon."

ECKERD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: After starting 5-0, the Tritons have one victory in their last five games and were 6-4 entering Saturday's meeting with Dominican College.

Keep an eye on leading scorer Stefanie Mihalopoulus, who poured in 31 points in a 77-69 loss to Northern Michigan. The freshman guard from Downers Grove, Ill., is fourth in the conference with a 15.3-point average.

TRITONS SOCCER: The Eckerd women's team received an NCAA Academic Award for the 2001-02 school year.

The Tritons were among 213 collegiate squads to get the award and the only Sunshine State Conference team.

To qualify, teams must maintain at least a cumulative 3.0 GPA.

Additionally, seniors Monica Carrasco and Cady Dolan and junior Johanna Wiborg were named to the 2002-03 National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-South Region squad. They are eligible for the national All-America Team.

TAKING A BREAK: When Clearwater Christian College takes a break for the holidays, it really takes a break.

The men's basketball team last played Dec. 7, a 102-70 loss to Florida Gulf Coast University.

The Cougars (6-2) played well before the break, with their only other loss coming Nov. 16 to Johnson and Wales (R.I.) University.

When school resumes, so will the Cougars. They play Jan. 9 in the Piedmont Baptist Invitational.

The last game for the Clearwater Christian women's squad was Dec. 7 against Florida Gulf Coast, a 95-56 loss. The Cougars (3-6) don't play until Jan. 10 at Covenant College.

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