The saying is “Go Big or Go Home”. Well, our friends at Issa Bucket Productions definitely went big with their First Annual The National Hoopfest Thanksgiving Tournament this past Friday and Saturday at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus just north of Tampa. Close to 100(!) teams took part with the eight- court facility humming non-stop both days.
Game #1: Lakeland McKeel Academy vs. Wesley Chapel Cypress Creek
Both teams played on Friday but seemed well rested with no Thanksgiving hangover. Midway through the first period the score was tied at 8-8 but Cypress Creek was able to grab an 18-14 advantage going into the second as both teams played “cleanly”. It didn’t help that McKeel’s top player, 6’1 senior Alex Sessoms picked up two fouls and had to sit most of the second quarter. Cypress Creek maintained its advantage until McKeel went on a 6-0 run to go from a 21-18 deficit to a 24-21 advantage with 2:30 left in the half, forcing a Cypress Creek timeout. McKeel maintained its lead and the score was 31-27 at the break.
McKeel kept its lead for most of the third quarter. Cypress Creek grabbed the lead back at 42-40 with 2:30 remaining in the period. Cypress Creek held a one-point lead, 46-45, to start the fourth quarter. McKeel tied the gameat 48-48 just a minute into the period and the teams battled back and forth from there. Cypress Creek had a four-point advantage, 55-51, with four minutes left but Sessoms led McKeel back to tie the game at 59-59 and we headed into overtime.
McKeel scored the first five points of the extra session and looked to be in control. Cypress Creek got to within two, 64-62, with 1:15 to play and looked like they could pull it out. However, McKeel made their free throws and won by the score of 69-65.
Sessoms led McKeel with 26 points. Toby Thompson, a 6’2 junior added 10 points.
Cypress Creek got 20 points from 6’3 senior Manuel Castro and 12 points from 6’0 junior River Randall.
Game #2: Tampa Carrollwood Day School vs. Miami Country Day School
The Patriots of Carrollwood jumped out quickly and led the Spartans of Miami Country Day 13-9 with 3:30 remaining in the first quarter. The Patriots held that four-point margin, now 19-15, going into the second quarter. Within a minute Miami Country Day tied the score at 19-19. The fast pace continued from there as both teams were making contested shots against some pretty solid defense. The Spartans had just a bit more juice and took a 37-34 lead at the break.
Miami Country Day extended their lead in the third quarter and then disaster struck for Carrollwood. With 5:07 to go and down 42-37, 6’8 sophomore Travis Triplett, who had been dominating the inside to the tune of 16 points, was tossed from the game for “throwing elbows” as he was trying to protect the possession of a loose ball. A judgement call of questionable judgement in our minds. To the Patriots’ credit, it did not totally take the steam out of their sails but Miami Country Day stayed in control and was up 48-43 going into the final quarter. Carrollwood kept it close and got to within 54-53 with under four minutes left in the game. At that point, Miami Country Day ripped off an 8-0 run, ultimately winning by nine, 64-55.
Herb Wilson, a 6’4 senior, led the Spartans with 22 points.
Carrollwood was led by 6’2 junior Logan Kanicki with 19 points and 6’4 sophomore Moses Allen added 12 points.
Game #3: GA Hebron Christian vs. Jacksonville Bishop Snyder
The first quarter was played at a fast pace and Hebron got out to the gate quickly. They led 12-7 at the midway point and 18-13 going into the second quarter. Hebron dominated that period, taking a five-point lead and growing it to eighteen, 43-25, at the break. Snyder struggled to take care of the ball and when they did get a shot off rarely was it a clean look.
Hebron started the third period with a 9-0 run, pretty much ending the game then and there. To their credit, Bishop Snyder did not allow the running clock to kick in but still fell by twenty, 77-57.
Hebron got an impressive 26-point performance from 6’6 senior Blake Wilson. They also got ten points each from 5’8 sophomore Devon McField and 6’2 senior Mataj Glover.
Bishop Snyder got 10 points from junior Mark Beasley.
Game #4: Wesley Chapel vs. Springstead
In a bit of a surprise, Springstead jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first four minutes of play and led 14-8 after one quarter was complete. Wesley Chapel got itself together between the first and second quarters. They cobbled together a 9-2 run to take their first lead of the game with 5:15 left in the second. They would eventually push the margin to five, 27-22, at the break.
Wesley Chapel took control of the contest in the third quarter. The lead grew to double-digits at 34-24 with just under six minutes remaining, forcing a Springstead timeout. That break in the action didn’t work as planned and Wesley Chapel was able to turn Springstead misses and turnovers into points on their end. Going into the final period, Wesley Chapel led 51-35. The fourth quarter was played by mostly non-starters for both teams. Even then Wesley Chapel showed its superiority, winning comfortably by the score of 70-43.
Trey Murray, a 6’2 senior, last season’s top scorer in the state at 28ppg, and a St. Leo signee, led Wesley Chapel with 23 points. Sian Morris, a 5’11 junior, added 16 points.
Springstead was paced by 6’2 senior Austin Nicholson with 18 points.
Game #5: Tampa Blake vs. Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian
One of the “marquee” matchups of the day, both teams have aspirations of playing in Lakeland in March. The first four minutes were very competitive with Calvary on top 12-9. Then BOOM! Calvary erupted on an 11-1 run and finished the quarter up twenty 31-11. The combination of defensive pressure and the making of multiple threes by Calvary had Blake totally disarmed. Calvary was up 50-20 at the break and with a 6-0 run to start the third period, the running clock kicked in. In a shocker, Calvary rolled to a 72-31 victory.
Sean Abaev, a 6’7 junior, led Calvary with 18 points. Jamiro Smith, a 6’3 junior and Collin Paul, a 6’7 sophomore, each scored 10 points.
For Blake, Josh Lewis, a 6’6 junior, led the way with 10 points.