County boys fall in final seconds; girls prevail

A nerve-racking last-second shot was a heartbreaker for the Pinellas County boys all-stars Friday.

By MIKE CAMUNAS
Published April 14, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG - A nerve-racking last-second shot was a heartbreaker for the Pinellas County boys all-stars Friday.

Pinellas made a late 10-3 run to tie it at 82 and even took a four-point lead, but Wharton's Anthony Gomez hit a winning 3-pointer with four seconds left to secure Hillsborough's 94-92 win in the fifth annual Pinellas-Hillsborough All-Star Game at Eckerd College.

"That's probably one of the biggest shots I've ever had," Gomez said. "I was wide open so I just let it go like I always do."

Hillsborough was poised to pull away, taking a 12-point lead with about 10 minutes left in the second 20-minute half. But Lakewood's Anthony Dorsey, who had a game-high 28 points, and East Lake's Josh Garcia (17 points) led a run for Pinellas.

"They definitely had the momentum swinging their way," Robinson coach Steve Smith said. "I thought we were in trouble. These Hillsborough guys, though, are resilient and they're winners. They showed that tonight."

Dorsey scored Pinellas' last six points for a 92-91 lead, but it wasn't enough against Leto's Joelys Himley's 19 points.

For the Pinellas girls, though, the game was about keeping a tradition thriving. Pinellas won 70-64, a four-year win streak over Hillsborough.

Led by Lakewood's Kquanise Byrd, who had 19 points, and Clearwater's Brittany Carannante, who had 12 points all off 3-pointers, Pinellas held on to a lead from the start.

And that's all Largo coach Dee Feazell could ask for.

"We always want to make (this game) a fun atmosphere because we don't want to make it more than it actually is," Feazell said. "It's for the seniors to play for one last time in front of their people ... and you don't want too much pressure on them.

"But of course it's bragging rights. ...And we want to keep the tradition alive. We know Pinellas won it last year and we want the streak to go on."

[Last modified April 13, 2007, 23:37:54]