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Talented, but rarely tested

Though Gulf has strolled through much of the season, the Bucs aren't overlooking West Port.

By IZZY GOULD
Published February 14, 2006

NEW PORT RICHEY - Studying game tape over eggs and bacon is a runaway winner to practicing drills.

No wonder no one complained when Gulf gathered Sunday for a film session at Turquoise Sampson's house. Breakfast simply was incentive to get out of bed just hours after cruising into the region semifinals.

Harmony - a surprise opponent in the region quarterfinal after upsets of the No.2 and No.3 seeds in its district tournament - provided little resistence in a 72-31 loss to Gulf on Saturday.

"It wasn't what we were looking for," Gulf coach Mike Quarto said. "It wasn't what we wanted."

Conversely, tonight's opponent, Ocala West Port (25-3), got all it could handle in a 54-51 win against St. Augustine Nease. Quarto called Nease coach Sherri Anthony to get the scoop on West Port.

Then he gathered game tapes, driving to Groveland South Lake. He also found film from Lecanto and Crystal River.

Preparation, Quarto prays, will be key to advancing to the final.

The Buccaneers (28-1) were routed 68-29 by Winter Haven in the 2005 region semis. Getting that far was quite an accomplishment for a program absent from the postseason since 1998.

Quarto and his girls are clear on one point - anything less than the final four would be a disappointment. There have been few tests along the way. Gulf easily won all of its Sunshine Athletic Conference games. The lone loss was in December, a 41-40 defeat to Carrollton (Ga.) in the Kessler's Hoop Classic.

"There's been nothing," center Tiara Cook said of Gulf's competitors. "It did get boring. You're not supposed to have a senior season like this. But you go on."

What Quarto and his girls saw between bites of bacon and grits was a replica of themselves.

The Wolf Pack has a strong interior presence, good outside shooting and speed.

Dominique English had some dirt on West Port.

She grew up in Ocala and was zoned to attend the school. She has played AAU with some of the Wolf Pack and knows a handful of starters. This is English's homecoming. Her mother, Monique, lives in Ocala and has only seen her play once this season.

"That's where I'm from," English said. "My whole family will be there. But I have to take care of business. This is a business trip."

Quarto insists he has no clue what teams await him if Gulf can advance. But he knows there are no cupcakes from here on out. He won't even discuss the remaining teams in the bracket.

"You're going down a road I don't want to talk about," Quarto said. "You worry about the game at hand. You don't look down the line. If there's another game for us to play it'll be there Wednesday morning when I wake up."

--Contact Izzy Gould at 813 909-4612 or sportsjournalist@gmail.com

[Last modified February 14, 2006, 02:45:31]