PREP ROUNDUP: Charlotte High caps Wally Keller Classic with victory
PUNTA GORDA – A full day of basketball (13 games) wrapped up the 16th Annual Wally Keller Classic on Saturday at Charlotte High School’s two gymnasiums.
The final and marquee match-up featured the homesteading Tarpons against their rival Port Charlotte High.
Charlotte jumped out early and never let up in a 60-38 victory over the Pirates in front of a near packed house at Wally Keller Gymnasium.
The Tarpons swept the two games with Port Charlotte, winning 49-43 on the Pirates’ floor on Dec. 7.
In all 19 games were played during the two days with some of the top talent in the state displaying their skills in front of big crowds.
In the 16 years, 214 varsity basketball games have been played and Wally Keller, the former Charlotte High director of athletics and namesake of the tournament, has given out 428 plaques to players.
The Tarpons and Victory Rock were the only area teams to win Saturday.
Here is a recap of all the games:
Charlotte 60, Port Charlotte 38
TOP PLAYERS: C, John Gamble (20 points), DJ Woods (12 points), Logan Clauser (10 points); PC, Alex Perry (14 points),
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Gamble, Onix Diaz (PC)
OF NOTE: Charlotte jumped out to leads of 17-9 after the first quarter and 31-19 at halftime.
RECORDS: Charlotte (11-8), Port Charlotte (8-11)
Tampa Catholic 68, Riverview 66
TOP PLAYERS: R, Ja’mier Jones (25 points), Jason Jackson (21 points); TC, Isaiah Campbell-Finch (21 points), Carter Knox (16 points), Christian Cole ()10 points)
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Jones, Knox
OF NOTE: Knox hit a fadeaway jumper with 1.4 seconds remaining to break a 66-all tie. … After calling two timeouts, Riverview did not get off a final shot. … Knox, a 6-5 sophomore, is the younger brother of NBA player Kevin Knox.
RECORDS: Riverview (15-5), Tampa Catholic (12-8)
Oldsmar Christian 73, Southwest Florida Christian Academy 59
TOP PLAYERS: SWCA, Jalen White (15 points), Eiram Cuevas (12 points), Yadniel Sanabria (10 points); OC, Javen Harrison (30 points), Willie Piggot Jr. (12 points).
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Harrison, Cuevas
OF NOTE: Oldsmar Christian played in the Ascenders Classic at IMG Academy on Friday and had a game against IMG Academy Blue at 2:45 Saturday because the Eagles missed so many games because of COVID. RECORDS: Oldsmar Christian (8-6), Southwest Florida Christian (12-8)
Naples First Baptist 55, Lehigh Senior 54
TOP PLAYERS: FB, Olson Henry (21 points), Bennett Mather (10 points), LS, Jose Constanza-Garcia (12 points)
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Henry, Garcia
OF NOTE: Latrell Davis had a dunk in the final 10 seconds to put the Lions up three.
RECORDS: First Baptist (15-2), Lehigh Senior (9-11)
Jacksonville Andrew Jackson 64, Bartow 47
TOP PLAYERS: AJ, Mike Swift (15 points); B, Kjei Parker (26 points)
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Swift, Parker
OF NOTE: Swift was the only player in double figures for Jackson
RECORDS: Jackson (18-2), Bartow (12-6)
Victory Rock 63, Barron Collier 56, OT
TOP PLAYERS: VR, Markwan Adams (17 points), Jamal Jacobs (17 points); BC, Anthony Cancelleri Jr. (21 points), Noah French (9 points), Yvens Paul (6 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks).
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Adams, Cancelleri Jr
OF NOTE: Victory Rock scored the final three points of regulation and the first three points of overtime. … The Blue Devils outscored the Cougars, 14-7, in the four-minute overtime.
RECORDS: Victory Rock (13-7), Barron Collier (12-8)
Winter Haven 83, Venice 47
TOP PLAYERS: V, Deylan Platt (15 points), Shea Cullum (11 points); WH, Dylan James (24 points), Isaac Celiscar (17 points), Jamie Phillips Jr. (19 points)
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: James, Platt
OF NOTE: Winter Haven led 48-29 at halftime. … The game was played with a running clock for most of the second half.
RECORDS: Winter Haven (9-3), Venice (8-7)
Pembroke Pines Charter 64, Lake Highland Prep 59
TOP PLAYERS: PPC, Geoff Sprouse (16 points), Caelum Ethridge (13 points), Elijah Wyche (13 points), Sami Elkamel (10 points), Kolby King (10 points); LHP, Brice Sensabaugh (24 points), Jah Quinones (15 points)
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Sprouse, Quinones
RECORDS: Pembroke Pines Charter (16-2), Lake Highland Prep (14-3)
Auburndale 46, Fort Myers Canterbury 42
TOP PLAYERS: A, Kervin Knaggs (21 points), Tre Jackson (10 points), Nehemiah Turner (12 points); C, Leroy Roker (15 points), Kendall Jackson (12 points)
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Knaggs, Roker
OF NOTE: Jackson hit a 3-pointer to put Auburndale up 44-42 in the final minute.
RECORDS: Auburndale (12-9), Canterbury (12-6)
Orlando Christian Prep 66, Tallahassee FSU High 42
TOP PLAYERS: OCP, A.J. Brown (16 points), Ven Allen Lubin (16 points), Ameer Ramadan (12 points); FSUTre Donaldson (14 points), Thaddeus Burns (10 points)
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Brown, Donaldson
OF NOTE: FSU is coached by former Heisman Trophy winner and NBA veteran Charlie Ward.
RECORDS: Orlando Christian Prep (15-4), FSU (12-7)
Evangelical Christian 63, Lemon Bay 59
TOP PLAYERS: LB Jace Huber (19 points), Jacob Newcomb (13 points), Gabe Arritt (11 points), EC, Noah Gergley (24 points), Gavin Williams (13 points)
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Huber, Gergley
OF NOTE: Evangelical Christian made 23-of-30 free throws; Lemon Bay 16-of-28. … Evangelical Christian snapped a three-game losing streak.
RECORDS: Lemon Bay (6-12), Evangelical Christian (12-9)
Science Hill (Tennessee) 67, North Port 49
TOP PLAYERS: NP, Elijah Lupsey (14 points), Maxx Huml (12 points); SH, Jamar Livingston (25 points), Keynan Cutlip (14 points), Dalvin Mathes (12 points)
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Livingston, Lupsey.
OF NOTE: Science Hill is coached by former Charlotte High junior varsity coach Ken Cutlip, who was a teammate of current Tarpons coach Tom Massolio at Tusculum College.
RECORDS: Science Hill (14-2), North Port (10-9)
Stuart Martin County 59, Kissimmee Life Christian 44
TOP PLAYERS: MC, Elijah Duval (19 points), Cameren Insalaco (18 points); LC, Breylin Garcia (19 points), Hansel Enmanuel Donato (13 points)
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Duval, Enmanuel Donato
OF NOTE: Duval is younger of former Duke University standout Trey Duval. … Enmanuel Donato, a 6-6 guard, has one arm.
RECORDS: Martin County (16-3), Life Christian (7-10)
ASCENDERS CLASSIC
AT: IMG Academy
Bradenton Christian 65, Parrish Community 53
TOP PLAYERS: BC, Ashton Desrocher (18 points), Jaden Baker (15 points), Cameron Desrocher (11 points), Landon Dempsey (10 points), Aaron Clark (10 points)
RECORD: Bradenton Christian (17-5)
NEXT: Bradenton Christian at Booker, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday
GIRLS BASKETBALL
SSAC Class 6A
Championship
Saint Stephen’s 49, Riverview Bell Creek 27
TOP PLAYERS: SS, Maddy Boehm (22 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals), Jamie Springstead (15 points, 6 rebounds)
OF NOTE: Mia Ferdinand and Ava Rogers held Bell Creek’s leading scorers to two made field goals.
RECORDS: Saint Stephen’s (13-6), Bell Creek (18-4)
Semifinal
Saint Stephen’s 44, Tampa Patel High 29
TOP PLAYERS: SS, Jamie Springstead (16 points, 10 rebounds), Maddy Boehm (10 points, 8 assists, 7 steals), Megan Wolfe (6 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks)
VOLLEYBALL
Saint Stephen's hires coach
Saint Stephen's Episcopal hired Millie La Vassaur as its new volleyball coach.
La Vassaur has private and public high school experience and extensive club experience. She has coached at Sarasota High, Imagine School at North Port, the Gulf Coast Home School (HEAT). For the past 10 years, she has coached with the Jelly’s Volleyball Club out of Venice.
"Coach La Vassaur’s mission and style is exactly what my staff and I were looking for to grow our volleyball program," Falcons director of athletics Lenny Paoletti said in a statement. "We will work with Coach La Vassaur to develop a Jelly’s North at Saint Stephen’s to provide club volleyball experience for our students and the local community."
Dennis Maffezzoli is the deputy sports editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and chief reporter for Sarasota Herald-Tribune and HTpreps covering Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: PREP ROUNDUP: Charlotte High caps Wally Keller Classic with victory
