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Inaugural Hoops Classic A Success

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By NICK WILLIAMS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 30, 2007

TAMPA - If there was any doubt whether the McDonald's Tampa Hoops Classic could thrive in Tampa, an electrifying championship game at Jefferson High School on Saturday should have solidified the tournament's place within the city.

Junior Jamel Marshall scored with 3.4 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give Class 6A powerhouse Orlando Olympia a 99-97 win against Humble (Texas) Christian Life to win the inaugural 16-team tournament.

Olympia, ranked No. 4 in the latest state poll, led by as many as 20 points before Christian Life closed the gap to 94-92 with 1:14 remaining. Trailing 97-94 with 16 seconds left, Christian Life senior guard Garland Judkins nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the key to tie the game.

Olympia junior guard Dexter Fields led the Titans (13-1) with 27 points while tournament MVP Martell Buie added 21. Junior Cadougan, rated as one of the top juniors in the country, led Christian Life with 34 points. Oregon State-bound Chris Turner sank five 3-pointers in the second half to help Christian Life close the gap.

"This ranks up there with all the great tournaments," Olympia coach Brian Resnick.

Brooklyn (N.Y.) Bishop Loughlin finished third while Cincinnati Princeton took fourth. Plantation American Heritage defeated Ridgewood in the fifth-place game 76-60, while Plant defeated Jacksonville Lee 53-45 to win the consolation bracket. Pinellas Park defeated Wharton 41-37 in overtime in the consolation bracket.

Junior center Lukas Poderis led the Rams with 20 points, while Sheldon Cooley led the Panthers with 29 points. Both players were named to the all-tourney team.

KEELER MEMORIAL: Two Hillsborough County schools, Armwood and Tampa Catholic, finished with decidedly different results against two out-of-towners in the Craig Keeler Memorial Tournament semifinals.
Armwood fell to Spruce Creek 45-28, while tournament host Tampa Catholic prevailed 78-65 against Tarpon Springs. The winners will meet Monday at 2:30 p.m. for the title.
Armwood led 20-19 at the half, which Hawks coach Billy Teeden said gave his team hope, but didn't make them lose perspective.

"All season our nemesis has been the third quarter," Teeden said. "We knew that and we were prepared to come out and play well in the third."

Didn't happen.

Spruce Creek pressed and harassed Armwood's ball-handlers throughout the second half, ultimately holding the Hawks' offense to eight points after the break.

"Overall, though, I'm happy with how hard we worked and how well we've played throughout the tournament going 2-1," Teeden said. "I think we got better as a team in this tournament."

In Saturday's final game, TC (13-3) pulled away midway through the first quarter, pushed it to a 20-point lead by halftime, and, except for brief defensive lapses, cruised to victory.

"I'm very happy with the way we played in the first half," TC coach Nancy Kroll said. "I wish we would have played a little better defense in the second half. We'll go to work some on that defense. Offensively, I'd have to say I'm pretty pleased."

Scott Purks

KINGDOM OF THE SUN: Berkeley Prep came close to becoming the first Tampa area team since 1980 to win the Adidas Kingdom of the Sun Classic in Ocala, but fell at the buzzer to McEachern (Ga.) 65-62.

"We became the darlings of the tournament," Berkeley Prep coach Bobby Reinhart said. "We're very proud of the kids."

Chris Reintgen led the Bucs (11-1) with 18 points while Austin Suarez added 11.

Keyword: Prep Sports to read about Brandon's wrestling team, which continued its winning ways Saturday by capturing the team title at the Heart of Dixie Classic in Alabama.

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