Holiday Hoops finale

(Boca Ciega's Lamorya Daniels, Hooters' Tourney MVP. Times photo by Atoyia Deans. Click to enlarge)

Julius Forte did it again.

The Boca Ciega sophomore forward, a 50-percent free throw shooter, came up clutch at the line against Clearwater in the Hooters Holiday Shootout Championship Saturday night.

With the game tied at 53 in OT and 27 seconds left, Clearwater fouled Forte as soon as he got the ball.

All Forte did was go to the line, and knock them both down -- nothing but net.

Bogie's win (56-53) avenged an earlier loss to Clearwater and shows that, when they play consistent ball, the Pirates (11-3) can play with anyone in the county.

Their three guards - tourney MVP Lamorya Daniels (hit game-tying 3 to force OT), Nehemiah Simpkins and Steve Andrews -- took turns taking charge, and battling back and forth with Clearwater's big guns Luke Loucks (15 points) and Justin Morin (16 points).

OUT-OF-TOWNERS: Largo (12-3) lost in the championship game of the Gulf Coast Shootout in Naples. Mount Dora outscored the Packers by 14 in the final quarter to win 53-50. Largo had a nice tourney, though, beating Bishop McNamara in the semis.

Lakewood (12-2) beat Williston in the third-place game of the Kingdom of the Sun Tourney in Ocala. The Spartans lone loss in the draw was to powerhouse Decatur (Ga) Columbia, the No. 10 team in the nation.

DOWN IN HUDSON: Oldsmar Christian lost to Wharton, 75-41 in the title game of the Chase Memorial Tourney. Wharton (12-1) is ranked fifth in the state for good reason, as Chris Perez & Co found out

Perez, a star sophomore, scored a team-high 18 and made the all-tournament team.

As for St. Pete Catholic, the Barons dropped a heart-breaker to host Hudson High, 55-53, making that two straight losses for SPC. Hudson junior guard Tyler Hooten made a game-tying 3-pointer with less than a minute left and picked up a free throw to go up by one.

Stay tuned next week, when the Times will run holiday tourney wrapups and quasi-midseason reports on Wednesday (girls) and Thursday (boys).

Happy New Year

-- JOE SMITH

Comments

[anon]

it just goes to show that st.pete catholic cannot hang with the big boys. first their coach gets two techs in a blowout loss to wharton.(i guess the refs were to blame) then they come back and lose to hudson. maybe they should stick to playing in small, private school tourneys

it was a great game bogie won in the end but clearwater will Still be a powerhouse...great job to both teams....as for the trash talk leave that to the scoreboard......

Wow st pete catholic lost to hudson????

Is this the same Julius Forte that transferred from Admiral Farragut Academy? If so, our we sure that he was not enticed to Bogie?

Enticed? Justin Morin! And Almost Half Of Clearwater's Team Has Been Enticed!?

[LAG25]

yeah clearwater recruits like crazy. Coach coit gets away with a lot there something needs to be done....i mean look at largo and pinellas park. they needed no recruiting and still they compete with clearwater who couldnt even beat bogie, more athletic team...

[wooden otb]

the clearwater program is what entices players to clearwater--thats not recruiting,just kids and parents wanting to play for a quality program that plays team ball and looks to win. name 1 player that coach coit has spoken to about transfering--surely there are some that did not come and would love to give their name and details of coits sales pitch.if not,worry about improving your own program.by the way,clearwater did beat bogie easily at bogies home gym,or did you forget. bogie earned the win at hooters,hit every big shot. but one game does not make a successful season,,at least not ar clearwater.

"WOODEN OTB" I THINK YOU ARE A VERY BIAS PERSON....CLEARWATER RECRUITS LIKE CRAZY!!!! JUSTIN MORIN IS THE MOST RECENT....DONT TELL ME HE JUST SAID "HEY IM GOING TO GO TO CLEARWATER MY SENIOR YEAR JUST FOR THE HECK OF IT" PLEASE YOU CAN MAKE ALL THE EXCUSES BUT CLEARWATER IS A JOKE, COIT IS A LITTLE DWARF MAN!!!! HAHAHA

[wooden otb]

bias,you do not think coit is over 6 foot,cmon,yes i am bias,however morin was not recruited.if you knew the boy or his parents you would not suggest it. once again,please list any recruits you have knowledge of,not just good players that did not come to your school.

ps. morin came to play for a good team playing good team ball,he is the definition of a good team player--could have stayed and averaged 30--chose to av. 15-20 instead and is the best defensive player on the team.

[24pack]

what is your real name wooden otb?

[nickyboy]

Check out the Bogie vs Clearwater and Lakewood vs Clearwater record the last 10 years or more. It is like 8-2, favor Lakewood and 10-4 favor Bogie. Also, only the "Wood'---Back to Back state Champs (2002 and 2003) and Bogie have been to state in the 90's (Champs-1994) and Final Four (2002).

I Think Nickyboy has a POINT!!!

[wooden otb]

LAKEWOOD IS IN A DIFFERENT LEAGUE THAN BOGIE-WELL COACHED,PLAYS HARD CONSISTENTLY.BOGIE IS LIKE A PARK GAME-NO ONE PLAYS UNTIL THE LAST COUPLE OF POINTS,THIS IS WHY CLEARWATER AND LAKEWOOD GAMES ARE GREAT GAMES AND BOGIE ARE ALL ABOUT HIGHLIGHTS AND RARELY A GREAT GAME. GOOD LUCK ANYWAY,MAYBE AGAIN IN THE STATE TOURNAMENT.

[WOODENOTB IS A PUNK]

WOODEN OTB CLEARWATER IS NOT THAT GREAT SO GET OVER YOUR SELF!!!! THEY WILL NOT WIN A STATE GAME PERIOD THEY CANNOT PLAY WITH ANYBODY....THEY GET LUCKY.........

[wooden otb]

alot more lucky than you-i agree,they probably will not win state--lake howell will-- but clearwater will finish ahead of bogie and everybody knows it.

Man all this talk about Clearwater and how they are a good team is true but everyone needs to pay more attention to teams like Pinellas Park and Boggie ..These teams are doin good and no one is givin them any credit for what they have done this season.

[WOODENOTB IS A PUNK]

YEAH CLEARWATER WONT EVEN MAKE IT PAST DISTRICTS! PLEASE DONT ARGUE THAT OLD MAN...

[wooden otb]

lakewood would be the favorite--but bogie and p.p. are wanna bees,both young and old can see that.

WHY ARE THEY WANNA BE"S....

Coit has people doing the recruiting for him. Loucks dad is the one who has brought in the two new starters this year

See WOODEN THERE IS RECRUITING YOU IDIOT

[wooden otb]

you think loucks dad brought in burke ---and im the idiot. and as for pinellas park,the coaches sons can only flop so many times before they have to actually guard someone,its a joke,if reggie miller and vlade divac had a basketball camp,these kids would be camp mvp for sure,bogie held the ball for a entire quarter, these are tricks used when your outmanned or afraid,i think both apply.

Wooden You Are all talk lets meet some where and play one on One

[wooden otb]

you got it--mandalay on clearwater beach--tomorrow at 12

ILL BE THERE!!!

[nickyboy]

Wooden and "?' quit having childish comments with each other and deal with facts. Wooden: first of all, you are right, Bogie did TRY to hold the ball against Clearwater, but failed at that attempt as they were down 11-2 at the end of the first quarter. Clearly the Bogie coach thought that startegy would work....it didn't, Clearwater was oustscored the other 3 quarters 54-42. I was at the game and it was a hard fought game by two good high school teams, neither of which will be a State Champion, although, anything is possible in the playoffs. Just ask Clearwater that generally can't get out of one of the weekest districts in the state. By the way, i am not a Clearwater hater as they have a very good team with a lot of depth but will suffer defensively against more athletic teams. Loucks and the Big boy, Burke can not guard on the perimeter as they lack the foot work and foot speed. thus, when Bogie spread the half court, these weeknesses were exposed by Bogie. Once again, the guy from Bogie outcoaches Coit as he did for years when Coit was at Sp Pete (Coit NEVER beat Bogie when Coit was the coach---check the St pete Times archives) and now that will show at Clearwater. In the final analysis, it is a down year in pinellas county for high school basketball...so, stop all the cheap, useless smak talk. Ps. coaches sons or not...credit is do to the P Park coach for making his team very competitive when they have not been for years and, by the way, they are almost all back next year. PPS My bet is Loucks will be an outstanding college quarterback...much better suited for that sport

[wooden otb]

first,the one on one challenge,dont make a challenge and then not show up,im not sure witch is sadder,you not showing or me showing and after a half hour of shooting being as tired as i used to be after playing for hours,not much game left,but integrity to show beats you.

[wooden otb]

nickyboy,you have some valid points,however please remember coit did beat bogie this year,were you at that game,clearwater won easily,where was the superior coaching then.as for bogies win,they hit about 5 threes down the stretch,they are good,but i would not want to count on that every game. i like the pinellas park coach,the point on flops is still valid,on 1 play at clearwater,cam fell 3 times,once trying to pull loucks down on top of him.my point is ...play ball,these kids are good enough to do that.

[nickyboy]

Wooden: thanks for recognizing the valid points. i was at the game which Clearwater beat Bogie, at Bogie, by 17. Frankly, Since Bogie had beat Clearwater at Clearwater last year, i think Bogie was outcoached, in the sense I am sure they didn't knew where Clearwater got all the depth. Additionally, The transfer from CCC had 28 and i am sure the Bogie coach never saw the kid before. He was a huge difference, but after Clearwater surprised Bogie and basically whipped Bogie's butt, the Bogie coach had to start coaching and hence, the new game plan that exposed Clearwater's weaknesses. Again, both are good high school teams, but that is about it. As for the brothers and the "flops"..if the refs don't call the "flops", but instead call the offensive fouls..how can you say that is not smart basketball? Seems like you are a little upset that they got some calls. Nevertheless, The P Park coach has done an outstanding job taking a perenial losing program and made it very competive....give credit where credit is do....there is more to the world of Pinellas county high school basketball who hasn't won a state championship in about 25 years when several Pinellas county teams have won several(Lakewood and Bogie) By the way...who the heck plays a basketball challenge game at Mandalay on Clearwater Beach? Go play somewhere south of Ulmerton Road, at least...but the other guy should have had the courage to at least show up !

TONIGHT CLEARWATER AT LARGO!!!!!! CLEARWATER DOMINATION!!!!!!!!! CLEARWATER WILL DESTROY THE PACKERS OF LARGO!!!!! C_WHAT C_WHAT!!! CLEARWATER

[largo#24]

CLEARWATER CAN KISS MY ASS!!!!! WILL SEE ABOUT THE CTOWN IN THE LARGO!

[Vinnie]

Opportunity to play Basketball? County issue.
Experienced head coach? the PRICE was right.
Enthusiastic fans? $3 per person
Beating your biggest rival on your home court? PRICELESS

Thanks to all the fans who came out. You prove that the rivalry is still alive. I can still hear the "C T what" and the "LARRRR GOOO" chants ringing in my ears.

Credit to Clearwater for playing tough right to the end.
Largo, thanks for giving the alumni a chance to cheer one more time.
"Buckets", way to step up for your team.

Now no trash talk on this one. This was another close game between bitter rivals, and last night, @ Largo, the better team was the PACKERS.

NOBODY can tell me this won't still make a fantastic District Final.

See you at the districts.

Vinnie You Are A Punk!

[Vinnie]

Wooden OTB, You're a clearwater fan. What was your take on the game last night? How about you, Nickyboy? You're basketball person. There has to be someone who has an opinion of the GAME.

The OFFICIATING in this game was horrible!!!!! LARGO GOT LUCKY!!!!!!!!!

[wooden otb]

largo deserved the win,2 of the 3 officials were good,the other was equally poor to both sides.in the 2 years ive been here,ben odonell was always hyped,this is the 4th clearwater largo game ive seen and i also saw the largo-lakewood this year at lakewood.odonell was great last night.lytle was good also but a little to much peremiter for me.clearwater commited many turnovers,both forced and unforced and lacked the rebounding to overcome a poor shooting night.still,a great match up.hard nose play but no cheap shots,a credit to the players integrity.i believe clearwater is the more talented team,but i am admittingly bias.but it wasnt the officiating and it wasnt luck.congradulations to coach price and his players

[wooden otb]

ps.. a special thanks to the largo program for sending over enough tickets for the players parents to purchase,a classy move and very much appreciated...

WOODEN OTB IS A PUNK

[nickyboy]

teh largo Vs Clearwater was a great game to watch and i really enjoyed it. both teams pretty equal with clearwater having more depth. Both teams played hard til the end, as they should. As with Bogie, Largo exposed Clearwater's weakness on perimeter defense, but again both are very good high school teams. I am off tonight to see the Lakewood at Bogie rivalry and can only hope it is as close and interesting a game as the Clw vs largo game

TARPON GO TARPON SPONGERS!!!