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2,000 Career Points Are In Sight For Trio

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By NICK WILLIAMS

nwilliams@tampatrib.com

Published: December 12, 2008

Only 10 players have been able to reach the 2,000-point career milestone in Hillsborough County, and this season, three seniors have a chance to accomplish the feat.

Entering the season, King senior forward and Georgia Southern signee Toarlyn Fitzpatrick had 1,594 points, Plant senior guard and East Tennessee State signee Sheldon Cooley had 1,536, and as of Wednesday, Bloomingdale senior forward Callum Townsend had scored 1,346 points to become the program's all-time leading scorer.

Townsend, a 6-foot-5 sharpshooter, led the county in scoring last season with 539 points, but his Bulls did not make the postseason. He's certainly capable of having a similar, if not better, season and if his team advances far in the postseason, could see himself among the county's all-time top scorers. He currently leads the county with a 21.7 scoring average.

Fitzpatrick is averaging 11.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game while Cooley leads Plant with 17 points per game.

There are some players who also may reach 1,500 points this season. Durant senior guard A.J. Garden entered the season with 1,083 points, Berkeley Prep senior guard/forward Austin Suarez entered with 1,059, and Tampa Bay Tech senior guard Fredrick Drayton recently reached the 1,000-point milestone and currently has 1,008.

Last season, former Brandon guard Blake Allen became the first county player to reach 2,000 points since Tampa Prep's David Smith in 2003.

SEFFNER VS. BAYSHORE: Some may view Class 1A programs Seffner Christian and Bayshore Christian as small potatoes, but when the schools meet on the basketball court, the games match the intensity of some of the best rivalries in the county.

Seffner Christian (3-2) and Bayshore Christian (3-2) will meet for the first time this season in a 1A-District 10 game today at Bayshore Christian.

The teams met four times last season and split the series, with Bayshore claiming the district title only to fall to Seffner in the 1A region semifinals, 64-58.

Both teams are led by standout junior forwards. Fred Lewis (6-4) leads the Faith Warriors with 21.3 points per game while Devin Paularinne (6-3) leads the Crusaders with 20.3 points per game.

TAMPA CLASSIC: Four Tampa Bay area teams have been selected to play in the second Tampa Hoops Classic tournament to be held at Plant and Jefferson and the USF Sun Dome Dec. 26-30. Sickles, King, Berkeley Prep and Clearwater will be featured in the 16-team national showcase.

FEATURED PLAYER

Fredrick Drayton

Tampa Bay Tech,

Senior, Guard

ABOUT DRAYTON: The senior recently reached the 1,000-point plateau and also has more than 300 assists as a four-year varsity player. Through Wednesday, he led the 4-1 Titans with an average of 18.2 points a game

Reporter Nick Williams can be reached at (813) 259-7851.

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