BROOKSVILLE – Nature Coast’s boys basketball team received some shiny new toys this Christmas, a couple of holiday tournament championship trophies.
After winning last week’s Hernando Holiday Classic, the Sharks kept their undefeated season alive and won their own tournament for the first time in the process on Thursday night, defeating Tampa-Alonso, 52-34.
“We’re definitely excited, especially to win our own tournament,” Nature Coast head coach Dave Pisarcik said. “We set up our tournaments to get tested and the last two tournaments we were in, we were tested and somehow we found a way to come out with a win.
“It wasn’t pretty tonight, especially in the first half. But we found a way to win in the second half, and I think we started executing a little better, too.”
The Sharks (14-0) were one of two bracket champions in the fourth annual, three-day, 16-team tournament. Fletcher won the other bracket, defeating Clearwater-Countryside on Thursday, 68-61.
On Wednesday, Nature Coast defeated Land O’ Lakes, 61-35, then knocked off Georgia’s Lowndes on Thursday, 58-52.
Yet in the finale, Alonso (7-5) had the upper hand early. Christian De Leon scored 11 points in the first half, leading the Ravens to a 17-15 halftime advantage.
Alonso focused in on Sharks’ leading scorer Kaine McColley, holding him without a field goal across the opening two periods.
“We were playing uncharacteristic,” Pisarcik said. “I think we’re so used to going through Kaine so much, that we sort of were frazzled a little bit. But we came out, we made some adjustments and guys were free to make shots.”
McColley scored just nine points and converted two field goals for the game, yet became a facilitator in the second half. The primary beneficiaries were guards Robert McAfee and Anthony Valante, who combined to knock down four 3-pointers and score 22 points after the intermission.
“I told Coach to put me in the pick-and-roll, and that opened up a lot more,” said McColley, who was chosen as the MVP for the bracket. “There were two defenders coming off me, so I was hitting my teammates and hitting my shot when I was open.”
Nature Coast blew out Alonso in the third quarter, 20-6, and outscored the Ravens 37-17 in the second half. McAfee scored 14 of his team-high 16 points, to go along with seven rebounds.
“We were down in energy in the first half. Coach told us, ‘Let’s go, we need some energy,’” McAfee said. “Confidence, energy. That’s all it was about, was the energy.”
Valante added 10 points, while Jordan Baxter tallied eight points and 16 rebounds. Baxter, McAfee and McColley were named to the All-Tournament team. De Leon had 18 points for Alonso.
Now the Sharks embark on the remainder of the regular season, which will resume Jan. 6 against Ridgewood.
“I looked at our season prior, and I definitely didn’t think we’d have this record,” Pisarcik said. “But we’re happy with it, and we’re hoping to use this as a guideline to try to propel us into the second half of the season.”
Hernando (4-9) went 0-3 for the tournament, losing to Alonso on Wednesday, 61-43, Gibsonton-East Bay on Thursday, 70-47, and Land O’ Lakes on Friday, 83-45.
Follow Chris Bernhardt Jr. on Twitter @cpbernhardtjr.
