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LEVY COUNTY JOURNAL

SPORTS & RECREATION

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2006

Page 9

 

Levy roundballers take to the tourney floors

BY NEAL FISHER
Sports WRITER

On the heels of the
Hitchcock tournament, all
three Levy County teams will
continue the holiday tradition
of participating in local

‘tournaments.

Williston travels to Ocala
Vanguard to partake in the
mix known as the Kingdom

of the Sun tournament. While
‘Bronson invited Chiefland to

spend a part of the holiday

‘season at its own end of the
calendar year affair.

The Bronson Holiday
Tournament —Bronson
High School

Bronson

The Holiday

‘Tournament might not get the

national and state attention

as the Kingdom of the Sun
‘Tournament does, but it is in

its own right an event worthy

‘of high prestige as it invites

‘some of the best small schools

‘from the state and country on
‘an annual basis.

In tipping off for the 15th
time this year, it reaches a
In its existence

tournament of quality as over
the years it has averaged four

‘of its eight teams qualifying
for the playoffs.
“The single elimination

tournament also places all of
its teams from first to eighth:
And this year’s field

consists of three teams which

played in the Hitchcock’s
tournament at Santa Fe High

‘School this past weekend.

“Tt is known for bringing in
‘excellent talent from smaller
Chiefland High

Webber said. “They bring

in the best competition from
‘around the tri-county area

and sometimes go out of the
area. nay buily etree
“In all the years I have
been here, it has always had
a strong field. The teams
_are capable of playing with
the bigger schools and they
are the type of squads that
improve with every game.
The kind of improvement that
wins district titles and leads
to playoff runs. So, when
you accept the invitation, you
better lace up the sneakers
and be ready to play.”

The Indians will be making
their second consecutive
appearance in the tournament
and come in with a 1-9 record.
They open the tournament
against the Trenton Tigers.
Despite their record, they
might make some nojse as
they recently got Jairius
Wimberly and Steven Davis
back.

The host team, Bronson,

‘comes into the tournament ’
‘with a better record of 6-6,
‘but it is below their usual
‘expectations. —
round win against Union
‘County at the Hitchcock’s
tournament should provide
‘some much needed reference

Their first

'

. wouldn’t see.

towards the strengths of the
Eagles.

They are looking to
rebound from a thrashing by
state power Columbia in the
second round, but the loss
should help in dealing with
the inexperience of playing
title contenders. The Eagles
played against a team which
was physically bigger and
stronger than them, by virtue
of their higher classification.

That experience should
be an assist in dealing with
the physical attributes of the
schools in their tournament.

Bronson plays its first game
against Dixie County. .

Both coaches want this
to be a tournament that will
help their teams improve on
their weaknesses and gain
experience in using their
strengths as they head into
the meat of their district
schedule.

The other first round games
are Westshore vs. Middleburg
and Lafayette vs. Newberry.
Bronson will play one of the
teams in the former game
in the second round, while
Chiefland’s game is in the
same bracket as the latter
contest.

The tournament runs from
Thursday to Saturday.

After losing to state ranked
Columbia by less than ten
points in the first round of the
Hitchcock’s tournament, they
enter the tournament as the
favorite.

The Kingdom of the Sun
Tournament —Vanguard
High School (Ocala)

It began 32 years ago and
since its inaugural event,
Vanguard High School has
made their annual Kingdom
of The Sun Tournament
one. of the nation’s premier
basketball events.

With 10 players who are
presently playing basketball
in the NCAA and five athletes
who are currently inked to an
NBA contract, the tournament
invites teams from all across
the nation and high school
coaches know of it from coast
to coast.

Heading that list of players
are the Orlando Magic’s
Duane Howard and_ the
NCAAs defending champion
Florida’s Brandon Powell and
Chris Richards.

“Tt is an honor to be invited
to this tournament,” Williston
head coach George Miller
said. “It isn’t just a premiere
tournament in the state of
Florida. It is a premiere event
nationally. Fans get to see a
group of talent they normally
Coach Haley
doesn’t invite just anybody.

“To be invited is truly a
sign of respect among the
coaches and players. Being
a smaller school, there are
some things that are uniquely
special to us and getting an
invite to this tournament is

one of them. After advancing
to the regional finals last
year, we expect to face the
same caliber of teams in the
playoffs again. These are the
same type of teams.”

After tasting post-
season victory last year,
the Red Devils enter this
year’s Kingdom of the Sun
Tournamentas an experienced
team playing against such a
high level of talent, but they
want to use it as a continuing
step in their development as
a high. powered transition
team.

They come into the
tournament after finishing
2-1 at the Hitchcock’s

tournament, which includes
a disappointing first round
loss. The catalyst of the loss
was missed free throws and
the failure to get back on
defense.

’ Those issues have been the
Red Devils’ Achilles’ heel
this year and this tournament

will an opportunity to change | |

them. By playing such an
eclectic group of high quality
teams, they will be forced to
do it for every game.

The experience of seeing
the need to do it for every
game during the tournament
should make them continue
that mental state for the rest
of the year.

“We can’t live off of last
year’s accomplishments,”
assistant coach Curtis Stacy
said. “This tournament has
some great competition and
we will have to come in ready
and. play like we haven’t
accomplished anything. We
have the opportunity to use
this tournament as a way to
get prepared for every game
as if we are playing playoff
caliber teams.

“The teams we play at the
tournament prepare’ that way
and we need to start doing it

for every game as well. That

is why they-are not just known
in their states, but nationally.
Being that this is our second
year in the tournament,
we know the caliber of
competition we will face and
we learned from facing them
last year that we need to think
that way.”

Williston will count on its
four starting seniors and a
deep rotation, both played
significant role in the team’s
two victories during . the
tournament at Santa Fe.

The tournament is a double
elimination event among 16
teams. Among the sixteen
teams vying for the coveted

title is defending champion,

the Eagles of Columbia,
Georgia.

They finished last season

with a 32-1 record en route

to the class 4A championship
in their state and have three
starters who have already
signed letter of intents to play
at the next level.

They boast a starting squad

Journal photo by Neal Fisher

In the second game this season, between the Levy County rivals, Williston
dominated Chiefland again as even when the Red Devils couldn’t coral the ball
the Indians turnover count was in the 30s.

 

Journal photo by Neal Fisher

AFTER A DISAPPOINTING loss in the first round, the fans saw what could be in
2007 as Williston played its best game of the tournament against Chiefland.

of three seniors and- two
juniors. Their coach, Phil
McCrary, entered this season
with a career record of 367-
169.

They also won
tournament title in 1982.

The Red Devils play in
the bracket opposite the
defending champions, but
they truly indicate the class
ofthe tournament. | |

‘Among’ the other téams
included in this year’s field are
nine which qualified for post
season play in their respective
state, seven which won their
district or conference title,
and three which earned berths
in their state finals.

Seven teams are guided
by coaches with at least 300
wins and 10 programs have
men at the helm who have
claimed at least 200 wins.
The gaudiest records are held
by St. Petersburg Lakewood’s
Daniel Wright, and the host
school’s coach Jim Haley.
They have compiled stellar
marks of 600-258 and 619-
234, respectively.

Six of the coaches who
bring teams to this year’s
tournament have been
directing high school teams
for at least 20 years and
11 have been stalking the
sidelines for at least 11 years:

The Cincinnati LaSalle

the

 

 

Lancers return after a two-
year absence. The 2002
champions they are another
team to keep an eye on as
they return all five starters
from a 15-9. season.

The event’s reputation is
such that this year’s field
also includes Fresno, Calif.’s
Edison Tigers, who come
off of a 25-6. season, . three

teams. from Georgia and one

from the Bluegrass State of
Kentucky.

The Red Devils take on
the North Marin Colts in the
first round. They will face
either the host team or Ocala
Keystone Heights in the
second round.

“We need to. improve our
free throw shooting,” Miller
said. “If you don’t shoot at
least 70 percent, you aren’t
going to win. We will
be playing teams that are
fundamentally sound and we
need to to do the same. We
have the ability to do it and
know how to do it. It is a
matter of us doing game after

game.
“We have to get our outside
shooting game working

consistently and handle the

ball better than we did at

Santa Fe. That is why a team
plays in a tournament like
this. It is the opportunity for

“us to get ready for February

pects
them as they | ould oe won
this gam n numerous occasions. ee

and March by getting our
fundamentals to the point
they will be ready to carry us
for a run at the district title
and the post-season.

“Haley does a great job
at not only organizing the
tournament, but by pairing
the teams according to
their levels so they get the
expetience’ of 'working=: on
their fundamentals.

Despite an unusual sett
record last year, the host team
is a good pick for dark horse.
Miller pointed out Haley’s

ability to get his team rolling .

in this tournament as he
prepares them for February
and March and his 34-years
of experience. |

The tournament showcased
some of its “rock ’em-some
‘em in your face talent”
Tuesday with a three-point
shootout ‘and a slam-dunk
contest. ¢

It also gives’ the players
the chance to play in front of
recruiters who work for some
of college’s biggest names.

“Ttisjust a great opportunity
to get recognition, both for
the program and our players,”

Stacy said.

Williston enters the
tournament with an 8-3
record.

 

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