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Pirates Down Tornadoes, Into Final Four

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By LEE DIEKEMPER, Tribune correspondent

Published: February 17, 2008

CLEARWATER - In his 21 years of coaching girls basketball, Clearwater coach Tom Shaneyfelt has seen a lot of things. He witnessed a first Saturday night. And it was the root cause of his Tornadoes losing to Boca Ciega 81-66 in the Class 5A-Region 3 title game.
Boca Ciega made 17 3-point shots. In fact, the visiting Pirates made seven more 3-point shots than they did two-point field goals.

"I don't ever remember something like that," Shaneyfelt said, shaking his head in amazement. "They just kept launching them and they kept hitting them."

It was the third meeting this year, all three won by Boca Ciega.
Boca Ciega (27-3) came out firing 3-pointers and the Pirates never let up until the final moments when the game was wrapped up. At one point, Boca Ciega hit seven consecutive 3-point baskets.

How crazy was Boca Ciega shooting against Clearwater (24-6)? Consider that it wasn't just a player or two who was hot. All five starters hit from beyond the 3-point arc.

"Oh, my," Boca Ciega coach Will White exclaimed when told of the 3-point baskets. "We've always been a pretty good shooting team. I'm not sure why we rolled so well with that tonight. And we needed them obviously."

Freshman Tamara Taylor led Boca Ciega - which will face Winter Haven on Wednesday in the state semifinals in Lakeland - with eight 3-pointers and 33 points.

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