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Gryphons, Bucs Can't Spring Classic Surprise

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By NICK WILLIAMS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 27, 2008

TAMPA - The Sickles and Berkeley Prep boys basketball teams had their opportunities to upset some of the top teams in the second annual McDonald's Tampa Hoops Classic on Friday, but both teams fell short in the opening round of play. And the losses eliminated the chances of a Hillsborough County team playing for the tournament championship.

Sickles fell to Winter Springs, 78-73, while Berkeley Prep lost to defending tournament champion Orlando Olympia, 69-64.

King lost to Chicago North Lawndale, 59-55, in overtime earlier in the day.

Clearwater, a 74-65 winner over St. Mary's Ryken of Maryland, will represent the Bay area in the tournament quarterfinals against Orlando Olympia tonight at 7:15 at Plant High.

Facing the fourth-ranked team in the state's Class 6A poll, Sickles, ranked No. 5, led 65-60 with 2:45 remaining in the fourth quarter, but within the final minute and a half, sent Winter Springs to the foul line five times. The Bears made seven of eight shots to take a 71-65 lead.

With 2.3 seconds left, Sickles junior guard Jordan Davis hit a 3-pointer to close the deficit to 76-73, but it wasn't enough.

Center John Henson led the Gryphons (9-3) with 26 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks. Davis added 15 points.

"It felt like they were a team that had been here before and we hadn't, including me," Henson said. "This was a tough loss for us. We had the lead for three of the four quarters."

Junior forward Luis Jacobo led Winter Springs (8-2) with 25 points, while sophomore guard Austin Keel added 21, 15 coming from beyond the arc.

"We expected them to make a run," Sickles coach Renaldo Garcia said. "We made some poor decisions down the stretch."

Berkeley trailed Olympia 64-53 with 1:37 left in the fourth quarter when senior guard Johnathan Gray scored six points during an 8-3 Berkeley run to cut Olympia's lead to 67-61 with 27 second left. Olympia sealed the game at the free-throw line.

Gray led the Buccaneers (6-3) with 24 points, including four 3-pointers. Florida Atlantic commitment Jordan McCoy led Olympia with 19 points and seven rebounds.

"I'm proud of the way we fought to the buzzer," Berkeley coach Bobby Reinhart said. "The last possessions of the first half were crucial, but we battled back."

Berkeley will face St. Mary's Ryken in the consolation bracket at Jefferson High today at 2:15 p.m.. Following the Bucs, Sickles will face Cincinnati Princeton at 4 p.m.

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

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