CRYSTAL RIVER – On Tuesday night, Nature Coast’s boys basketball team received its stiffest challenge from a Class 6A, District 7 foe this season, and apparently, it didn’t sit well.
Crystal River was the perhaps in the wrong place at the wrong time, then, when hosting the Sharks on Friday night. Coming into the season the Pirates, district runners-up to Nature Coast a year ago, were viewed as a serious threat in district play.
But they could do little to push the Sharks in this one, as the visitors rode a hot shooting touch from beyond the arc and rolled to a 90-56 victory.
“The combination of we didn’t play so well the game before. I think we wanted to come back and get back to the basics, and do what we do. We got contributions from everybody,” Nature Coast head coach Dave Pisarcik said. “They started out by denying Kaine (McColley) so much, guys were open. The guys took advantage of it tonight and I’m happy that we did.
“We thought coming in, Crystal River is probably one of the most dangerous teams in the district. There’s four or five teams that can win the district. We’re fortunate to be able to go through right now undefeated, but we’re definitely aware of what other teams can do.”
The Sharks (18-0 overall, 9-0 6A-7) had won their first seven district tilts by an average of 33.6 points, never losing by less than 12 before a 56-47 win over Citrus this week.
Against the Pirates (8-8 overall, 5-5 6A-7), Nature Coast left no doubts about the outcome, leading wire-to-wire. The Sharks opened up a 22-9 lead by the end of the first quarter as Robert McAfee and McColley combined for 17 points.
That advantage ballooned to 45-23 by halftime and Crystal River could never recover despite a 22-point third quarter in which Caleb Bray scored eight of his 15 points. He added six rebounds and a steal for the game.
When McColley, who hadn’t scored since the first quarter, knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to open up the fourth, the lead reached 80-45 and a running clock was initiated.
While McColley had 14 points, seven rebounds and four blocks, the Sharks were led in scoring by Anthony Valante (22 points) and McAfee (19 points). Those two plus Austin Rivera combined to hit on eight shots from beyond the arc. McAfee also recorded four steals.
“We were just getting open shots and making them. We practice shooting a lot. So, it was just making open shots,” Valante said. “We were moving the ball real good, finding the open man for the open shot.
“We’re feeling great. But it’s all from hard work. We work hard for what we get.”
Crystal River had previously lost at Nature Coast on Dec. 6, 71-59, in a rematch of last season’s district final. Based on the district standings, there’s a decent chance these two teams could meet in a district semifinal next month.
Aside from Bray, the Pirates were paced by Tyler Pollard with 13 points and Xavier Francois-McCullough with 10 points, seven rebounds and a block. Point guard DeAndre Parker had eight points, seven assists, five rebounds and a steal.
“We just never got in the flow of the game. From the tip, we just never got into the flow of the game,” Crystal River head coach Jim Ervin said. “The kids played hard and certain things don’t always work your way. You’ve got to work through it. They played hard, just things didn’t work for us tonight.”
Making the Sharks’ performance more impressive was the fact that center Jordan Baxter was benched for the first half and didn’t enter the game until midway through the third quarter due to a violation of team rules.
“We didn’t play well last game. We didn’t make a lot of shots that we normally do,” Pisarcik said. “We got back on track a little bit. We just got knocked off and Citrus played great.
“We try to prepare and realize what got us here and what we’re doing to get us here, and we try to keep it going.”
Follow Chris Bernhardt Jr. on Twitter @cpbernhardtjr.