Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
The Hernando star pours in 47 points in the Leopards' 64-52 win.
By CAREY FREEMAN, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published December 15, 2001
LECANTO -- The look -- or should we say, smile -- on Bernice Mosby's face said it all. This was easy.
The Hernando center and University of Florida signee showed why she was such a coveted recruit this fall, scoring a school- and career-record 47 points Friday -- most from within 5 feet of the basket -- to lead Class 3A No. 5 Hernando (8-1) to a 64-52 victory against Lecanto.
"They kept letting me in the middle," said Mosby, whose previous best was a school-record 41 against Leesburg earlier this year. "I thought they were going to come out in a box-and-1, but they didn't and we just kept passing the ball and it was open in the middle."
Too open, if you ask Panthers coach Ron Allan. Lecanto's inability to deny the 6-foot-1 Mosby the ball cost the Panthers (2-7) and allowed Mosby to have the easiest night of her career.
Fourteen of Mosby's 22 field goals came on layups and the rest were within 10 feet of the rim. Mosby helped Hernando to a 23-11 lead with 17 first-quarter points, then added 14 more in the second, finishing the half with five consecutive buckets to complete a 12-0 run and give the Leopards a 41-25 lead.
"I would say this was my easiest game," Mosby said. "Most of the games, I have two people on me or a box-and-1 or something like that. ... I wish I could have gotten 50."
That wouldn't have been hard had Hernando coach Pete Lahey not sat the senior in the closing minutes. Mosby scored 14 points in the third quarter, but had only four in the fourth.
If there was a downside for the Leopards, it was the one-sided nature of the scoring.
Mosby was the only Leopard in double figures. Ellen Widboom was next with nine points and Jackie Matherly and Mallory Freeman completed Hernando's scoring with six and two points, respectively.
Mosby's absence in the fourth helped Lecanto salvage some respectability.
The Panthers trailed by as much as 35 in the second half, but outscored the Leopards 18-6 in the fourth quarter.
Kylene Colasanti, Kristen Dorn and Kate Wheeler had eight points apiece for Lecanto.
"When you've got a kid that's as talented as (Mosby) is and you just basically let her do what she wants to, she's going to score whenever she feels like it." Allan said.