Pasco: News and notes

By IZZY GOULD and DAVID MURPHY, Times Staff Writers
Published December 18, 2007

on the Web: Dandy Dozen

Check out our weekly ranking of the top 12 boys and girls basketball teams from the Tampa Bay area. Then tell us which teams we overlooked or overrated, all at highschool.tampabay.com.

Montelongo nears county record

Pasco senior Jose Montelongo is within striking distance of Pasco County's career scoring record set by Novica Maric in 2005. The former Gulf star scored 127 times during his four seasons.

Before that, the record was held by 2000 Land O'Lakes grad Justin Geisler, who had 120 goals in four years.

Monetlongo entered Monday's match against Ridgewood with 123 goals after scoring 28 in 13 games.

Rams' Lawrence on the mend

What's even more impressive than Mike Lawrence's last-second layup to beat Land O'Lakes last week? The fact that he did it with a badly bruised hand that has hampered him since the Thanksgiving break.

Lawrence, who is averaging 12.7 points and 10.5 assists for the Rams 7-0, said after the 70-69 win over the Gators that his right shooting hand was at 70 percent health.

Coach Gary Anders said he thinks his point guard will be back to full strength shortly after the new year. It helps that the Rams are in the middle of a 10-day stretch with no games.

Backboard fixed; game will resume

Land O'Lakes faces Wiregrass Ranch at 5 p.m. today in the resumption of a game postponed Dec. 7 after a backboard malfunction.

Gators senior Jerome Harrison dislodged the backboard from the metal frame that allows it to hang from the ceiling. Harrison was attempting an alley-oop dunk and hung on the rim to avoid landing on players below. The game was stopped with 3:53 left with Land O'Lakes leading 53-33.

Wesley Chapel adjusts schedule

Wildcats girls basketball coach Warren Jones had to tinker with his schedule after learning Jacksonville Potter's House Christian was expelled from the FHSAA after a third rules violation.

The team will not be eligible for reinstatement until the 2009-10 school year.

The game, which was scheduled for Monday, was changed for Saturday's game against Orlando Winter Park, which the Wildcats won 44-39.

The wait is over: Look for the Times' all-North Suncoast football team in Sunday's sports section. Our all-Suncoast team (Hernando, Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas) will run Christmas day.

Wildcats to host winter camp

Wesley Chapel coach Warren Jones will put on a basketball camp Jan. 2-4 in the school's gym for boys and girls in grades 6-8. The cost is $50. For more information, contact Jones at (813) 794-8700 or wjones@pasco.k12.fl.us

Check it out

Can't make it out to the Bright House Shootout at Clearwater High on Friday? Catch 47 has you covered, broadcasting two games live: Newsome vs. St. Petersburg, 6 p.m., and Ridgewood vs. Clearwater, 8 p.m.

[Last modified December 18, 2007, 00:29:34]