Wharton looks strong in league

By JIM REESE
Published June 4, 2006

TAMPA - The Tampa Bay Basketball Coaches Association Summer League opened this week with 19 teams scheduled to play, up three from last year, and for the first time including teams from Pinellas County. The season will run through June 26 with a single-elimination championship tournament scheduled June 27-29 at Tampa Prep.

In the initial week's games, Wharton showed why it should have another good year as the Wildcats registered double-digit wins over Sickles and Newsome, then a 54-38 victory against Tampa Catholic on Thursday. The Crusaders got off to a 7-0 lead before the backcourt tandem of Anthony Gomez and Shawn Vanzant took over and outscored the Crusaders 19-3 in the second quarter as Wharton took a 31-15 lead at intermission.

E.J. Ciaccio and Matt Dziagwa led a second half comeback that brought Tampa Catholic to within 37-33, but an alley-oop bucket by Vanzant and a four-point play by Adam Noble put the Wildcats in front to stay.

"We were very happy to hold them to 38 points," Wharton coach Tommy Tonelli said. "They have a number of great outside shooters."

NEW FACES: James Diddin of Tampa Catholic hit successive 3-pointers against Leto to jump start a comeback. The Crusaders overcame a 10-point third-quarter deficit on their way to a 66-56 win.

Wharton will have to decide whether 6-foot-4 Anthony Manuel or 6-1 Derek Holmes nails down the fifth starting position. Tonelli likes Manuel's toughness and Holmes' quickness.

Coaches were buzzing about King's 6-6 Toarlyn Fitzpatrick, a transfer from Bradenton's IMG Academy. Jesuit's Neal Goldman says, "he is going to be a major player in the county this year."

VETERAN FACES: Jesuit will rely on the all-around play of three-year starter Andrew Darst and the muscle underneath of Tommy Wyher. Both were instrumental in the Tigers' two opening week wins, 60-50 over Gaither and 55-38 against King.

"We are looking to some youngsters to round out the club, but no doubt Tommy and Andrew will form the nucleus of our team," Goldman says.

Coach Steve Smith will look to last year's sophomore sensation, Sheldon Cooley, when the Knights open their summer season June 12 with back-to-back games against Wharton and Gaither at Tampa Prep.

ACROSS THE BAY: Clearwater Central Catholic and St. Petersburg Catholic are pleased to be in the league for the first time.

CCC coach Al Braithwaite saw his team split two games Thursday, losing to Hillsborough 48-46 and edging Middleton 46-44. SPC opens play Monday with a tough doubleheader at Tampa Prep, playing Tampa Prep and its dynamic duo of 6-7 David Waller and 6-6 Walter Perkins at 7, then going up against Wharton at 8.

Braithwaite said of this week's games, "Both Hillsborough and Middleton were smaller and quicker than we were, but I was very pleased with the total effort our boys put forth."

[Last modified June 4, 2006, 01:17:19]