Dixon, Tornadoes steamroll Falcons

By Girls basketball: BRYAN BURNS
Published February 3, 2008

LARGO - Clearwater guard Keona Dixon still might not be 100 percent, but opponents are finding it hard to notice much difference.

The Clearwater sharpshooter, who missed two games before the district tournament with a sprained ankle, made 5-of-9 shots from 3-point range, many from well behind the arc, and had 24 points in a 66-38 rout of Dunedin in the 5A-9 final.

"I'm not 100 percent, but I'm getting there," Dixon said. "It'll probably be another week before I'm there."

Dixon's first 3-pointer in the second quarter gave Clearwater (22-5) an 11-point lead. She hit another right before the break to put the Tornadoes up 37-24, its largest lead to that point.

"(She's playing at) maybe 90 percent," Shaneyfelt said. "I think she was more of a jump shooter than a driver, which isn't such a bad thing. I told people from the minute it happened, if she operates in fourth gear a little bit more instead of fifth, that's okay.

"Sometimes, she just outplays the game a little bit with her quickness and speed and goes a little too fast."

Clearwater pushed its margin to 23 in the third quarter and held a 31-point lead in the fourth. Aside from hitting the game's first bucket, Dunedin (17-7) never led.

"We knew we had to come out at them," Dixon said. "They've been playing well the last couple of games."

J'Beria Davis led all scorers with 26 points and collected seven rebounds for Clearwater. Dunedin was paced by Jessica Hamrick's nine points.

[Last modified February 2, 2008, 23:50:16]