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Countryside holds off Clearwater, 83-76

The Tornadoes aren't the same team they were last season, but the Cougars still are.

By JOHN C. COTEY
© St. Petersburg Times,
published December 1, 2001

CLEARWATER -- For two and a half quarters Friday night, Clearwater showed that its last season, a campaign well below the standards set by Tornado predecessors, was just a mirage. It ran the ball up and down the court, buried its shots, hustled for loose balls and had little trouble putting up points.

But Countryside was more determined to show that last year, as far it was concerned, was not a mirage.

A regional semifinalist with plans on going back, the Cougars eventually wore down the still-young but improved Tornadoes to pick up an 83-76 victory at Jack Wilson Gymnasium.

Trailing 55-49 midway through the third quarter, the Cougars went on a 13-1 run to seize a lead they never relinquished, even with poor free-throw shooting down the stretch.

"I thought we executed a little better in the second half," said Countryside coach Randall Leath. "We were trying to make them run, and hope at the end they'd peter out and we'd take over. I think they got a little tired."

Clearwater coach Rudy Coffin concurred. The Tornadoes were hurt by the absence of injured starter Jacob Loucks, who twisted an ankle in a preseason game.

"I think Randall is right; we kind of ran out of gas," Coffin said. "I think they outhustled us and outrebounded us."

Stretching a 44-40 halftime edge to a seven-point lead after a driving lay-in by Luke Postorino, Clearwater went more than six minutes without a basket. Meanwhile, Countryside was taking control of the game as Will Wightman's three-point play -- his only points of the second half -- gave the Cougars the lead for good at 57-55.

Julian Mascoll added a three-point play at the end of the third quarter, and after a Tornado free throw, Trevor Brown and John Picardi scored on putbacks and Mascoll slammed home a steal to punctuate the run with 6:30 left in the game.

Clearwater fought its way back but never got closer than four points. It was down seven and on a 2-on-1 fastbreak when Wightman stepped in to stymie the play, then after the Tornadoes regrouped, he blocked a shot. Countryside scored the next three points to push its lead back to 10.

The tired Tornadoes couldn't take advantage of Countryside's poor free-throw shooting. In the final two minutes, the Cougars went to the line seven times, but made only one of two shots six times. For the game, Countryside was 19-for-38.

"Unacceptable," Leath said. "And the defensive end has us a little concerned too."

Mascoll and Wightman both had 17 points for Countryside, and four other players had eight points or more.

Clearwater was led by Kyle Franklin's 21 points, though just five came in the second half. Postorino added 19.

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