Berkeley Prep Still Fighting For Respect

TAMPA - Last season, the Berkeley Prep boys basketball team was predicted to finish last in Class 3A-District 11. The Buccaneers went on to win the district tournament after upsetting defending district champion St. Petersburg Catholic in the title game.

The Bucs advanced to the Class 3A region semifinal, where they lost to eventual state champion Melbourne Florida Air Academy, 67-57.

The team had one senior on that team, which finished the season 22-7.

This season, the team is off to a 5-0 start and is ranked No. 2 in the latest Class 3A state poll. During the summer, Berkeley won the Tampa Bay Basketball Coaches Association Summer League, which included teams such as Plant and Brandon. The players, however, still think the team is underrated, and they are on a mission to prove last season wasn't a fluke.

"I don't think we have earned respect," senior guard Zak Kazanski said. "But we haven't lost a game yet, and we don't plan to."

Four players are averaging double digits for the Bucs, led by 6-foot-3 junior guard Johnathan Gray with 15.8 points per game. Kazanski (6-2) follows with 14.0 per game, while junior guard Austin Suarez (6-6) and senior forward Archie Barnes (6-5) are averaging more than 10 points.

Coach Bobby Reinhart knows this season will be a growing process.

"They're good," he said. "Are we where we want to be? Absolutely not. Everyone is so hard to defend, but we're still not there yet."

"Reinhart lets us play our game within the system," Gray said. "It benefits all of us."

Reinhart said he has noticed the Berkeley community grow more excited about the team. Although he enjoys it, he said it won't satisfy what he truly wants for the team.

"People are taking notice, but you can't be talked about like the big boys until you play in Lakeland for the state tournament," he said.

Reinhart has entered his team in the adidas Kingdom of the Sun National Classic in Ocala. The tournament, scheduled for Dec. 26-29, will feature Clearwater and Lakewood among other notable programs from around the country.

"It won't make or break our season, but it would give us more respect," Barnes said.

"We just want to go in and play well," Reinhart said. "The real season starts in January, and it's going to be tough."

JESUIT'S SEYMOUR COMMITS: Jesuit senior guard Jake Seymour has committed to Washington University, a Division III school in St. Louis.

Seymour, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard, leads the Tigers (5-4) with 17.9 points per game. Seymour, who has a 4.0 GPA, has enrolled in Washington's business school.

Washington (6-2) is ranked No. 12 in the d3hoops.com national poll.

"I decided on it early, because I like the academic side of it," Seymour said. "For Division III, they have a really good program."

"I think it's a perfect fit for him," Jesuit coach Neal Goldman said. "People support the school, and they pack the gym pretty well."

Seymour said he also received interest from Boston University, New York University and Columbia.

"I figured I'd get more playing time right away, and it was the best decision academically," he said.