Boys 4A hoops: Pasco can't overcome early struggles

The Pirates get it together too late to make up for their disappointing first-half effort.

By Joey Knight
Published February 20, 2008

EUSTIS - When his team fell behind early Tuesday in a hostile gym against a veteran Eustis team, Pasco coach Poncho Broner knew all the ensuing bounces would have to go the Pirates' way.

That was Broner being philosophical.

The bounces off the rim and backboard didn't. That was Broner being blunt.

"We didn't rebound," Broner said moments after his team's 58-51 loss to the Panthers (26-4) in the Class 4A region semifinals. "If we rebound the basketball, we come out of here with a victory - no doubt."

The Pirates' valiant second-half rally gave credence to their coach's words. Despite Eustis' 35 rebounds and a career night for 5-foot-10 Panthers sophomore Frank Popieski (21 points), Pasco nearly cut a 15-point first-half deficit into a one-possession game down the stretch.

Three times in the final 90 seconds, Pasco (21-8) trimmed its deficit to four but could come no closer. Its fate was sealed when T.J. Bryant's long miss resulted in an outlet pass to 6-5 Eustis senior Kenny Dale for a dunk and the game's final points.

Before that, Pasco had gone on a 9-0 run to cut Eustis' lead to 52-48 with 1:30 remaining. Pirates senior Demetrious Larry, who scored 20 of his 21 in the second half, scored seven during the spurt.

"I didn't see anybody quit," Broner said. "We had been there in that situation before, against tough teams before. We knew we still had a run in us."

But the run couldn't atone for the Pirates' miserable first half. Pasco didn't score a field goal in the second quarter, and watched Eustis infiltrate its 2-3 zone for interior baskets and transition layups to take a 32-19 halftime lead.

Dale, headed to Garden City (Kan.) Community College on a football scholarship, had eight first-quarter points. Popieski, one of only two Eustis starters not going to college to play football, added nine in the second.

"I'm an X factor sometimes," Popieski said. "Tonight, I just wanted to step up for the four seniors that we've got in our starting lineup and take care of business in their last home game."

[Last modified February 19, 2008, 22:40:41]