Always at the ready

Need a key rebound, basket or assist? Then Trevor Lee is Clearwater's go-to guy.

By MEYLA HOOKER
Published March 9, 2005

CLEARWATER - It is hard to imagine that a high school basketball player can epitomize the blue-collar mentality it takes to do grunt work on the court.

Amid a generation that has no shame pointing out the "me" in team, Clearwater's Trevor Lee just happens to fit that selfless mold. The 6-foot-5 senior has been a vital piece of the Tornadoes' two straight state final four squads. Clearwater (26-1) is 55-4 during that stretch.

"For two years he's had the same role," Clearwater coach Jack Coit said. "I never left a game thinking that Trevor didn't do everything he could to help us win. He gets the job done each time out."

Lee shot 69 percent from the floor last season to set a school record. He is shooting 64 percent this year, while averaging 11 points and six rebounds.

"The team can't do anything by itself," Lee said. "Some nights someone different may step up. Other times you play the role of getting the hot shooter the ball."

Lee has matured into his current role. With sharp-shooter Darius Hart on the outside and 6-10 shot blocker Cruz Daniels on the inside, the forward had adjusted his game to complement theirs.

It was Lee who got most of the rebounds that resulted from five first-half blocks by Daniels against Fort Myers in the Class 5A region semifinal. It was Lee who Hart found streaking downcourt for an open layup to put the Tornadoes up for the first time in the second half against Fort Myers.

"Trevor is just a strong athletic player," Daniels said. "It would be hard to do all this without him. It's the little things he does that help us out a lot."

Lee had a team-high 14 points in Clearwater's region final win over Bogie last week.

But he would have been satisfied with scoring none and contributing in other ways.

"He doesn't care if he scores two points or 20," Coit said. "We've come to expect good things from him.

"When you win as many games as these kids have, you have to have those types of players. He just fits."

Meyla Hooker can be reached by phone at 727 445-4224 or e-mail mhooker@sptimes.com

[Last modified March 9, 2005, 00:55:19]