Big third quarter helps Hurricane girls take title
Palm Harbor U. goes on a 24-6 run to defeat Bradenton Lakewood Ranch 59-37.
By ERIC MUSKATEVC
Published December 31, 2003
ST. PETERSBURG - Palm Harbor University's girls took home their first tournament championship trophy Tuesday in the Keswick Christian Suncoast Classic.
Meanwhile, Tarpon Springs' boys came as close as, well, as coach Jerry Woodka put it, "Bam, bam, bam."
The Hurricanes defeated Bradenton Lakewood Ranch 59-37 in the girls final due in large part to a 24-6 third-quarter run.
LaToya Whiting scored a team-high 21 points and Lauren McNary 15 for PHU.
The Hurricanes (9-2) led by as many as eight during the first half and came out of halftime with new defensive schemes that coach Dustin Bengston credited for the win.
"We just changed it up a little bit. That's pretty much the answer," Bengston said. "We thought it would work. So we showed them some different looks."
Chelsea Camire and Kristen Fulmer led Lakewood Ranch with 12 points.
Woodka credited defense for the Spongers' loss in the boys final, 54-63 to Winter Park Trinity Prep. Leading 46-42 midway through the fourth quarter, Tarpon Springs switched to man defense.
"They spread us out in that man to man and made some shots. It was like bam, bam, bam," Woodka said.
Trinity Prep made five consecutive 3-pointers and wrapped the game up with free throws.
The Spongers (4-7) were led by Ben Gordon's 18 points but got off only six shots during the fourth quarter. Justin Morin made two 3-pointers during the final two minutes and scored 10.
Eric and Scott Dietrich combined for four of Trinity Prep's five 3-pointers and scored 14 and 20 points, respectively.
Host Keswick Christian placed fourth in both tournaments. The boys lost 76-55 to Mount Dora Bible. The girls missed a last-second shot and lost 56-57 to Owsley County, Ky.
