Sports

Wharton survives

The Wildcats pull away in the second OT after losing a chance to end it in the first.

By IZZY GOULD
Published February 17, 2006

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WESLEY CHAPEL - Shawn Vanzant emerged from the visiting locker room still in shock.

Few kids look so dejected after a playoff win.

He must have wondered how Wharton crawled out of Wesley Chapel's gymnasium with a 68-60 double-overtime victory in the Class 5A, Region 2 quarterfinal.

Vanzant couldn't shake one sequence racing through his brain.

He had a shot to win it in the closing seconds of the first overtime.

Wharton's full-court press forced a turnover at midcourt. Vanzant got the ball with six seconds left and raced in for a sure layup. He was knocked down from behind by Wildcats senior Ashley Thomas.

Two Vanzant free throws would end the drama. Each shot rimmed out.

Vanzant walked to the sideline - head down - where he heard it from Wharton coach Tommy Tonelli.

"I said, "If you didn't play that way in overtime we wouldn't even be standing here right now,"' Tonelli said. "He had to focus for four minutes and we were going to depend on him."

Vanzant set the tone for Wharton (23-6) in double overtime with the first basket. He finished with a game-high 25 points. He knew it took more than his effort to win, including 16 points from Leonard Simmons, 10 from Anthony Gomez and nine from Adam Noble.

"After missing two free throws I just give it to my team," Vanzant said. "They pulled me through. They kept my head in the game."

Wesley Chapel (23-5) put up a fight despite having its two leading scorers handcuffed much of the night in a tightly called game.

Thomas missed most of the first half in foul trouble, then joined Saladeem Dewberry with 1:44 left in the third as both sat with four fouls.

Thomas and Dewberry scored 17 and 16 points respectively and led Wesley Chapel's scoring sheet.

When it appeared Wharton would pounce on the reserves the underdogs stood tall.

Wesley Chapel's Jerome Harrison (eight points), Keon Critchlow (six) and Angel Alicea (nine) outscored Wharton 15-12. They gave Wesley Chapel a 50-47 lead with 3:51 left in the fourth when Thomas and Dewberry finally returned.

"I give them all the credit in the world," Tonelli said. "They stepped up, kept them in the game and carried them. They did more than carry them. They had the lead."

6A: Sickles eliminated

TAMPA - Sickles' calling card all season has been its hard-working defense.

But Thursday night, at least for one period, it was the Gryphons' opponent that played the stellar defense. Lakeland, using an 18-4 spurt in the second period, jumped ahead and then fought off a furious Sickles rally to post a 59-56 victory.

The win sends Lakeland (22-6) on to the region semifinals while Sickles loses its first game at home all season in front of a raucous crowd to end its playoff run at 24-4.

"You have to give credit to Lakeland," Sickles coach Renaldo Garcia said. "To go on the road, in a hostile environment and play well, they didn't seem fazed by the pressure or our defense."

Lakeland was bothered by the Sickles defense early as the Gryphons grabbed a 12-5 lead and were up 15-9 after one quarter. Then Lakeland's defense made a statement.

The Dreadnaughts seemingly pressured every shot, pass and inbound in the next quarter, limiting the Gryphons to four points. Meanwhile, Jordan Prais scored 12 of his 33 points in the second as the Dreadnaughts seized control. Prais added 10 points in the fourth including 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. The Gryphons were not as solid at the line, going 7-for-18.

Trailing 51-47 with less than three minutes left, Sickles made its last push. Two free throws each by brothers Matt and David Johnson surrounding a Lakeland bucket made the score 53-51 with a minute remaining. The Gryphons stole an inbounds pass but lost the handle. Forced to foul, the Gryphons sent Prais to the line, where he hit four free throws.

Jason Page led the Gryphons with 15 points, David Johnson scored 14 and Taylor Albrecht 10.

- ROD GIPSON, Times correspondent

[Last modified February 17, 2006, 02:15:35]

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