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Berkeley Loses In A Thriller

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By CHRIS ERRINGTON, Tribune correspondent

Published: February 15, 2008

TAMPA - Four times Berkeley Prep had chances to tie in the final 20 seconds. Four times the Buccaneers misfired.

In a game in which neither team led by more than five, those missed opportunities were the difference in a thrilling 58-56 Class 3A-Region 3 quarterfinal loss to Fort Myers Dunbar on Thursday night.

"We've played such difficult competition and had so many tight games that we're actually used to this," said 21-year veteran Dunbar coach Andre McGill. "We knew if we could come in here and rebound well and play at our pace, we'd have a chance to win it."

After Johnathan Gray hit his fifth 3-pointer to pull Berkeley Prep (23-5) within 58-56 with 1:09 remaining, Dunbar (20-7) nearly gave it away. A trio of turnovers and a miss free throw of the front end of a one-and-one gave the Bucs chances, but a pair of missed 3's and a turnover set up the final 10 seconds.

Berkeley's Zak Kazanski made a move to the middle to get an open look in the paint, but his jumper was just long. The senior, who finished with eight points, followed his miss, but his off-balance follow-up was short as time expired.

"We got the look we wanted and got it into the hands of who we wanted," Bucs coach Bobby Reinhart said. "He's a four-year starter who's gotten us a lot of wins over the years.

"He was just a bit long with that shot."

Dunbar's David Paulk, who averaged 18 points this season, led all Tigers with 19, while Gray led Berkeley Prep with 19 and Archie Barnes finished with 18.

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