Trio of Wildcats head up county hoops all-stars

By SCOTT PURKS
Published April 3, 2007

TAMPA - Three players from Wharton - guards Shawn Vanzant and Anthony Gomez and wingman Adam Noble - will help lead Hillsborough County's boys basketball all-star team against the Pinellas all-stars April 13 at 7 p.m. at Eckerd College.

Vanzant, Gomez and Noble led Wharton to a 27-2 record this past season before losing in the Class 5A region final to eventual state champion Lake Howell.

Tampa Prep forward Walter Perkins, who averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds and helped the Terrapins reach the Class 2A state semifinals before losing to Port St. Joe, joins the Hillsborough all-stars in the post.

The rest of the county all-stars include: Matt Johnson, Sickles; EJ Ciaccio, Tampa Catholic; Carlos Figueroa, Chamberlain; Andrew Darst, Jesuit; Ryan Davis, Blake; Joel Himely, Leto; and Ashton Graham, Gaither.

Robinson coach Steve Smith and Robinson assistant Kala Phelps will coach the team.

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON: A little more than 20 years after his father, Lane McLaughlin, graduated from Jacksonville State University, Sickles third baseman Matt McLaughlin has committed to play baseball there.

"We went up there on a visit about a month ago and he loved it," said Lane McLaughlin, recently named football coach at the Community School of Carrollwood.

"We visited a few places but Matt felt the most comfortable there."

McLaughlin said Matt, currently hitting .349 with 12 RBIs, will sign his scholarship April 8.

"I think he's stepping into a great situation because the school may be small but it's Division I (playing in the Ohio Valley Conference) and is pretty darn good (qualified for NCAA Tournament two of past three years)," McLaughlin said.

"Now that he has this down he can concentrate on the rest of the season at Sickles."

The Gryphons (10-5-1) have a key district game tonight against cross-town rival Alonso (15-3).

[Last modified April 2, 2007, 22:29:57]