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Tampa Prep Gives Fenlon Win No. 500

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By NICK WILLIAMS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 13, 2008

Updated: 01/13/2008 12:11 am

TAMPA - As he swept the gym floor the day before his team's toughest challenge of the season to date, Tampa Prep boys basketball coach Joe Fenlon walked over to his star player, 6-foot-7 senior forward David Waller, and shared with him a premonition.

"I told him this was going to be his breakout game," Fenlon said. "I said, 'This is your game.'"

Fenlon was right.

Waller scored a game-high 27 points to go with seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks to lead the Class 2A No. 1 state-ranked Terrapins to a thrilling 65-61 victory against 3A No. 1 Berkeley Prep at the fifth annual Headmasters' Challenge on Saturday.

Fenlon guessed it was the first matchup between two top-ranked Hillsborough County boys basketball teams since 1993, when his top-ranked Terrapins beat Tampa Bay Tech, then No. 1 in 5A, during a Christmas tournament.

The win also marked Fenlon's 500th career coaching victory. He is 500-236 all-time during his 25 years at Tampa Prep.

Berkeley Prep won the overall challenge, which included competition in girls basketball, boys and girls soccer and wrestling at the middle school, JV and varsity levels as well, 11-9, to lead the all-time series 3-2.

Tampa Prep (16-1) trailed 34-25 heading into the third quarter, but closed the deficit to 49-45 going into the final quarter. The Terrapins, who trailed the entire game since leading 2-0, captured the lead with two free throws from Waller to make it 52-51 with 6 minutes left. Seconds later, Tampa Prep senior guard and coach's son Conner Fenlon sank a 3-pointer that sent the home crowd into frenzy.

With 29.7 seconds remaining, Berkeley Prep senior guard Zak Kazanski was able to make it a two-point game, but with 6.7 on the clock, Waller managed to get off a shot as he was fouled to give his team a 65-61 lead and seal the game.

"The beginning of the game, I wanted to get off to a good start," Waller said. "I wanted to keep our crowd behind us."

"We had no answer for Waller," Berkeley Prep coach Bobby Reinhart said. "He affected the game on both sides of the floor."

Kazanski, who scored his 1,000th career point in the first quarter, led Berkeley (15-2) with 16 points. Junior guards Johnathan Gray and Austin Suarez and senior forward Archie Barnes added 13 points each. Sophomore Jamal Cherry and junior guard Jake Haslam added 12 points each for Tampa Prep.

"We just weren't able to play well down the stretch," Reinhart said. "We couldn't get anything going in transition in the second half. We were on our heels defensively."

Waller said he couldn't have been happier to lead his team past its rival and to help his coach earn his 500th win.

"This is probably the best picture you can create," Waller said. "The only thing missing is the championship factor. Fenlon has done so much for me and my family, it's fantastic to repay him like this. It's an honor."

After the game, Fenlon was swarmed by past and present players, close friends and family, which included his wife Cindy, his daughter Mychael and his parents Pete and Pat.

"I've never been so happy in my life," Pat said.

"Couldn't have happened to a better guy," Pete said.

Fenlon said those around him were more excited about the 500-win milestone than he was.

"This one just happened to have a number attached to it," he said.

When the gym floor finally cleared, Pete walked over to his son with a smile on his face. "They just said they added wrong, you're still at 499," he joked.

Fenlon smiled back.

"The funny thing is, whenever we won the Headmasters' game, we lost the cup."

Berkeley Prep won the varsity girls basketball game, 43-33. Junior guard Jalan Wishik led the Buccaneers with 20 points.

Reporter Nick Williams can be reached at (813) 865-4848 or nwilliams@tampatrib.com.

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