Hoop Scoop: Berkeley Prep turning heads in Ocala

Think Berkeley Prep is for real yet?

The Bucs basketball team is on one of their best regular season rolls in recent memory, racking up three straight wins against strong teams at the prestigious Kingdom of the Sun Tournament in Ocala.

First were wins over Lakeland Kathleen and Gainesville Eastside. Friday’s victim? Perennial Pinellas County power Lakewood, Class 5A finalists last year. The Bucs (10-0) won 78-64 after going down 10-2 to start the game.

“It’s very rare you play three games of this caliber in a three day period,” Bucs coach Bobby Reinhart said. “I don’t know if we’ve ever played three teams of this caliber in three consecutive days – much less win them.”

As usual, Berkeley won with its team defense – and depth. It wasn’t Zak Kazanski (12 points, 5 rebounds) or Johnathan Gray (17 points) who carried the Bucs Friday. Rather, it was Christian Reintgen, who had some big baskets inside to curb the Spartans early run. The 6-2 junior finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds; that's 13 more points than his average.

"He was just awesome," Reinhart said.

Berkeley, ranked No. 1 in the Times Hillsborough Super Seven, beat Lakewood by 14 to aadvance to the tournament final Saturday against McEachern (Power Springs, Georgia) at 7:30; the past three days, the Bucs have won by no less than nine points.

“Our balance has really carried us,” Reinhart said. “And, all in all, it’s been our defense. Every night we play teams with one or multiple Division I players and we’ve done a very good job of containing them.”

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Comments

HEY JOE? HOW COME NOBODY MENTIONS THAT CLEARWATER WAS ALSO BEAT!!!????

[CT WAT]

CT has never lost a game this year. Luke Loucks is skipping FSU and going straight to the NBA.

Since Clearwalter got kicked off the team, he is now serving burritos at Taco Bell.

[RSPP]

wow you sound like an idiot

[ctNOT]

who cares about CLW they are as dishonest as a lot of other teams. THey try and make everyone believe they are better but they are not. Recruiting, assault, etc.........
boy what happened to CT. Not what it used to be. The reputation is really getting it hard. Coach (cough) you better do your job and save whats left of clw reputatin

[Wooden otb]

FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER--I AGREE WITH RSPP-WHERE DO YOU IDIOTS COME FROM? HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A BASKETBALL GAME? CLEARWATERS REPUTATION IS FINE,IT IS ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED PROGRAMS IN THE STATE.THE JEALOUS CRIES FROM LOCAL LOSING PROGRAMS WON'T CHANGE THAT.TRY BUILDING YOUR OWN PROGRAM ,LIKE COACH CARDEN...INSTEAD OF WHINING ABOUT OTHERS.

[ct not]

no jealousy here
basketball isn't even sport followed here but clw high is so stop thinking you know all and let people give their opinion. You must not have kids in high school if you think clw reputation is fine.

[wooden is an idiot]

carden recruited 2 solid players to rebound for his sons who are the "stars" cough cough. great program building.
wooden is an idiot

[the guy who says wooden is an idiot is an idiot]

if you are talking about woods and troyli, you are wrong. this is woods' third year at the very least...and troyli ended up going to ppark out of sheer luck. he was ineligible to play at osceola because some canterbury parent angry that he left after having a full 4 year scholarship, reported that osceola had recruited him. instead of sitting out for his junior year his mother and him decided on ppark because his mother's best friend went there years ago....since you don't know the family or the truth, and obviously not the coach, you should not comment.