Welcome to TBO.com. Skip directly to: our Keyword Search, Section Navigation, Content.

TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Sports

TBO > Sports

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Crum and Sickles Pull Away From Mitchell

By LEE DIEKEMPER

Tribune correspondent

Published: January 9, 2009

TAMPA - When opponents prepare for Sickles, the first order of business is to find a way to somehow, some way slow down 6-foot-4 Gryphons star Amber Henson. The sophomore is so talented and has so many attributes, trying to contain her, much less stopping her, is far easier said than done.

But there are times when opponents do a decent job of defending her, so it helps when Henson and Sickles can find someone to take the heat off of her.

Of late, that has been freshman point guard Bre Crum, specifically in Thursday's Class 6A-District 7 showdown at Mitchell. The Gryphons won 63-47, pulling away from the Mustangs midway through the third quarter.

While Henson again got her usual double-digit points (28), Mitchell hung tough with Sickles (11-5) until Crum began to help out Henson. The freshman poured in 16 points.

"Bre was big tonight," Sickles coach Mark Key said. "She played the best game this year. She had a great game. She gave us balance."

Crum hit a couple of key buckets to help create a cushion late in the third quarter. With Mitchell in foul trouble trying to guard Henson and not able to buy a basket, Crum made Mitchell pay for the bad timing.

Crum's rebound put back with 58-seconds left in the third gave the Gryphons a 38-34 lead. Later, from the right side, Crum buried a 3-point basket with two seconds left in the quarter to put Sickles up, 43-35.

Mitchell never could recover.

"I want teams to think that," Crum said of opponents' double- and triple-teaming Henson. "They might trap her and then I'll get open. That works out for both of us then because [opponents] will have to start covering all of us."

"She's a second half player," Mitchell coach Jacob Tavo said.

Mitchell (7-6), despite being at a significant height disadvantage, hung with the Gryphons until the fouls and cold shooting caught up simultaneously. Lashe Kirkland's bucket from the right side early in the third gave Mitchell a 30-29 lead. But Henson answered with a three-point play followed by a basket off the glass from Erica Early. That gave Sickles a 36-32 lead and the Gryphons never looked back.

"They took advantage of their opportunities," Tavo said.

SICKLES 63, MITCHELL 47
Sickles 16 13 14 20-63
Mitchell 14 14 7 18-47
SICKLES (63) Crum 6 5-6 16, Fernandez 0 6-10 16, Early 1 2-2 4, Millan 2 3-4 7, Henson 11 4-5 28. Totals 20 18-29 63.
MITCHELL (47) Kosmalski 3 0-0 7, Latrel Kirkland 8 7-8 26, Lashe Kirkland 3 1-2 7, Bernard 1 0-0 2, Paselio 2 0-0 5. Totals 17 8-12 47.
Three-point field goals- Henson 2, Crum (S); Latrel Kirkland 3, Kosmalski, Paselio (M). Total fouls- S 10; M 23. Fouled out- Latrel Kirkland, Lashe Kirkland (M). Records- S 11-5; M 7-6.