Prep report: Tritons cruise again
After a strong defensive performance Friday in holding Gulf Coast to 18 points, the Mariner Tritons used a powerful offensive display Saturday in an 82-59 win over Cypress Lake on the second day of the Cape Coral Turkey Shootout at “the Nest.”
The Tritons (3-0) sprinted out of the gate against the Panthers and never looked back.
Cypress opened the game hitting a three-point shot, but that was the last lead they held as Mariner scored 11 unanswered points forcing a time out.
Mariner’s full-court press forced Cypress into many first quarter mistakes. Mariner senior Ricardo Barsesa capitalized with four steals in the first quarter and scored 13 of his 22 points.
“My guys played hard, and they got a lot out of our press,” Mariner coach James Harris said. “It created a lot of transition buckets and gave us some easy scoring opportunities.”
Mariner’s hot shooting also helped, as the Tritons hit 14-of-19 shots inside the arc in the first half, building a 49-31 lead.
Barsesa finished with seven steals steals, and fellow senior Kameron Beach scored 22, while leading the team with seven rebounds and five assists.
Three point shooting was the lone highlight for Cypress, with Andrew Drake and Clayton Edwards combining for eight three pointers.
The Tritons return to the court Tuesday when they host Riverdale.
Cypress Lake 13 18 11 17 – 59
Mariner 25 2420 13 – 82
Mariner (82) – Barsesa 22, Beach 22, Emmons 9, Marrero 8, Guerrier 4, Kuchman 3, Rivera 3, Moore 3, Marte 3, Adams 2, Ferrera 2, Walker 1 Totals: 30 17-25, 82
3-point goals: Barsesa 1, Guerrier 1, Marte 1, Moore 1, Marrero 1
n Gulf Coast 45, Cape Coral 43: The Cape Coral Seahawks and Gulf Coast Sharks waged a thriller in the second game of the doubleheader Saturday. The Sharks rallied to win by two.
A sloppy first quarter saw the Seahawks trailing the Sharks for most of the quarter, until a buzzer beater by senior Joel Hill gave Cape a 13-12 lead after one.
Hill led all scorers with 11 at the break and the Seahawks led 24-18.
The teams opened the third quarter by trading scores, until junior Louis Adams sparked a Seahawk run. He made a steal and converted a three-point play to give the Seahawks a 35-24 lead.
The Sharks refused to quit, clawing back to make it 36-29 to start the fourth.
Gulf Coast’s Tom Eble scored two quick baskets to continue the comeback, cutting the lead to one.
After Cape hit one free throw to go up by two points, Gulf Coast’s Brandon Bolack converted a three-point play giving the Sharks their first lead since the first quarter.
Free-throw shooting down the stretch kept Gulf Coast from trailing the rest of the way. They held a two-point lead in the final seconds as Cape missed a fade away jumper and had an inbound pass deflected, ending the game.
Hill finished the game with 20 points and Eble led the Sharks with 10.
The Seahawks (1-1) host Estero Tuesday.
n Boca Ciega 67, Ida Baker 26: The host Bulldogs shot 20 percent from the field and the result was a 41-point loss to Boca Ciega Saturday in the championship game of the Baker Turkey Shootout.
Christian Davis scored seven points to lead the Bulldogs (1-1).
Baker hosts Mariner Monday.