When the Nature Coast boys basketball team began its current run of six straight seasons of advancing to regionals, it could be attributed to a top-notch talent. Tyler Bergantino came to the Sharks as a ready-made prep star, a polished big man who led the Sharks to three straight regional finals and a 2012 appearance in the Final Four as a senior.
But a funny thing happened after he graduated and moved on to UMass. Nature Coast kept winning. In fact, the Sharks have collected three district titles and three regional three victories over the past three postseasons without Bergantino. It’s that legacy that senior guard Nick Crima now finds himself protecting. He has taken the reigns of the team as it embarked on a new season this past week.
“There’s some pressure. But I do it for the alumni, to keep the thing going. Keep our winning going,” Crima said. “It’s super-important. That’s the goal right there. That’s all I care about, is keeping it going. District championship, every year, Nature Coast. It’s what we do.”
At least until the school’s football team finally ends its dream campaign, Crima is the only returning regular for the Sharks. With fellow guard Jamison Carnegie playing football, Crima was playing the role of primary playmaker in Tuesday’s season opener, a 73-28 win over Weeki Wachee in which he had nine points, eight assists and three steals.
“Just trusting the other guys to make the shots, really. And like I said, execute. We’re just running the plays and having some energy,” Crima said. “I’ve got to keep everyone in line.”
“He started a few games for us as a sophomore around Christmas time. Then he had a huge role for us last year,” Nature Coast head coach Dave Pisarcik said. “Now the torch is in his hands. Without Jamison being there, he’s been taking over the point guard duties and he’s been doing a great job.
“He’s one of the smartest basketball players that we’ve had and he executes. He shoots the ball well. He does a lot of the little things that you just don’t really notice sometimes, that doesn’t show up in the scorebook, that helps us win.
The 6-foot Crima appeared in 30 games two seasons ago, averaging 3.2 points and 1.4 assists as mostly a reserve. Then last year he averaged 9.8 points, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals while knocking down a team-best 41 3-pointers. “I think I could have done better,” Crima said. “Scoring, shooting (went well). Having my teammates trust me to shoot, because that was my thing last year, shoot the ball.
“It was awesome. It was like my dream since middle school, really. Ever since middle school, I used to look at Nature Coast basketball and watch them on YouTube, and want to be them one day. And then it’s here.”
Now the younger players are looking up to him. Several of his assists on Tuesday went to backcourt mate Austin Rivera, a sophomore who hit on five 3-pointers and scored a game-high 17 points. “It’ll hopefully get me more confident, get me more experience just being able to take the (point guard) role next year, to be able to handle the ball,” Rivera said. “Being with a good point guard like Crima, I could get more experience like that.”
Providing that kind of leadership is all part of Crima’s role on the team this year, as the Sharks pursue another successful season but also while he attempts to lock down a college scholarship. “It’s (playing in college) been my dream ever since I was a little,” said Crima, who started playing basketball in the sixth grade. “Just keep working hard and win games, and get my game better.”
If he can achieve that goal and help Nature Coast fulfill its postseason expectations, he’ll become further proof that the Sharks’ program can develop top players instead of just being carried by them. “We graduate a lot every year and everybody thinks we’re going to be down and not be able to compete,” Pisarcik said. “But we’re young this year. We graduated a lot. We’ve got a lot of young guys who really don’t have a lot of varsity experience. But they’ve seen, they’ve been a part of the program. They know what we expect, and as of right now they’re stepping in and doing well.”
