Pasco sideline

QUOTABLE

"He dropped 40 on Ridgewood. That's all I needed to hear."

-- TOM JESSEE; Mitchell boys basketball coach, on whether his team will be ready to face Springstead's Emory Strachan, a transfer from the Bahamas. Strachan went off against Ridgewood in the Rams' double-overtime 83-74 victory Friday. Springstead visits Mitchell on Thursday.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Rams' home streak ends in tourney

At 6-1, Ridgewood can still lay claim to being Pasco County's best team. But the Rams are no longer undefeated this season, and no longer have a regular-season home win streak that dates back to 1997.

Sarasota Riverview (6-1) ended that streak with a 40-28 win in Friday night's opening round of the Lady Ram Shoot-Out. Yet Rams coach Gary Zimmerman hadn't even thought about the streak.

Instead, he was focused on how much better the loss to Sarasota Riverview will make his team.

"It was a good learning experience for us," Zimmerman said. "I know that Sarasota's always got a great program so I like to play them to gauge where we're at in comparison to a quality program like that one. "

Shooting was a key weakness, but Zimmerman was pleased by the all-around defensive effort, holding Sarasota Riverview to just 40 points. Ridgewood rebounded Saturday afternoon with a 49-37 win over Lecanto (2-4).

Crystal Ayers led the Rams with 13 points against Sarasota Riverview, and Joeyn Dearsman had 10. Against Lecanto it was Rachel Rauber who led the team with 14, and Dearsman chipped in 13.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Mitchell makes statement in win

One of the biggest wins in the brief history of the Mitchell program came Friday night in a 61-59 SAC win over Wesley Chapel.

But Mustangs coach Tom Jessee doesn't want it to be the last one for 4-2 Mitchell.

"It was a big win our for program," he said. "Obviously, Wesley Chapel has a great program and a lot of athletes, but I think we sent a message that we still have a basketball program being built over here."

The Mustangs did it by keeping pace with the Wildcats' fast and frenetic style of play.

"We matched their transition game," Jessee said. "Our guards are our strength, too, and we actually outran them in the first half to establish that lead. I think that might have surprised them a bit."

Mitchell took a 13-point halftime lead, but was outscored 20-8 in the third as Wesley Chapel came storming back. Both teams traded baskets in the tight fourth quarter, with free throws earning Mitchell the win.

Jeremy Hopper went 4 of 5 from the free-throw line in the fourth, and Kyle Cregan was also 4 of 5. Cregan led the team with 16 points, and Jason Weaver and Hopper had 14 apiece.

Mitchell beat Crystal River 55-51 on the road Saturday, giving the Mustangs their first three-game win streak in team history and putting them halfway to last season's win total -- eight -- in mid-December.

BEST BET: GIRLS SOCCER

WHO: Mitchell (6-2-3) at Land O'Lakes (8-0).

WHEN: Tonight at 7 (no junior varsity game).

NEED TO KNOW: The Mustangs are one game shy of their first-year victory total, but coach Steve Doyle lists the Gators as the best team in the county and would settle for just being the first team to score on Land O'Lakes in this non-district, Sunshine Athletic Conference matchup. No one has done it yet, but Mitchell forward Kate Slaughter told her coach she aims to be the first. "It's inevitable we'll be scored on or beaten," Land O'Lakes coach Vicky King said. "But we don't talk about it."

TODAY'S SLATE

BOYS BASKETBALL: Bartow at Wesley Chapel, 7:30 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Central at River Ridge, 7:30 p.m.; Gulf at Mitchell, 7:30 p.m.; Wesley Chapel at Bartow, 7:30 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER: Gulf at Wesley Chapel, 8 p.m.; Land O'Lakes at Mitchell, 8 p.m.; Pasco at River Ridge, 8 p.m.; Zephyrhills at Ridgewood, 8 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER: Hudson at Central, 8 p.m.; Mitchell at Land O'Lakes, 7 p.m.; River Ridge at Pasco, 8 p.m.; Wesley Chapel at Gulf, 8 p.m.

WRESTLING: East Lake at Ridgewood, 5:30 p.m. weigh-in; Gulf at Pasco, 6:30 p.m. weigh-in; River Ridge at Hudson, 6 p.m. weigh-in.

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