Prep Report: Tritons outrun Bulldogs 72-54
The Ida Baker Bulldogs picked a bad time for a cold spell.
It came early in the third quarter of Monday’s high school basketball game against Mariner, around the same time the visiting Tritons were stepping out and burying three-pointers.
Mariner senior Harrison Kuchman came off the bench and hit two from long range to help trigger a 13-3 run that sent the Tritons on their way to a 72-54 win.
Mariner led 38-34 at halftime, but built a 51-37 lead with three minutes left in the third quarter. The Bulldogs were 1-of-8 shooting during that span.
“We knew Baker was going to play us tough,” Mariner coach James Harris said. “We certainly would’ve liked a bigger halftime margin, but I told them now is the time to play two halves of basketball.”
In remaining unbeaten, the Tritons (4-0) knocked down nine three-pointers, many of them coming at key points when the Bulldogs had closed the gap.
Senior Ricardo Barsesa made three three-pointers and led the Tritons with 22 points. Senior Kameron Beach added 16 points.
Al and Rob Serrano scored 14 and 12 points, respectively, to pace the Bulldogs (1-2), who are suffering from a lack of experience. The Bulldogs lost all five starters from last year’s regional qualifying team.
“I thought what really killed us was the fourth quarter,” Baker coach Greg Coleman said. “We had open shots and couldn’t hit them, and that’s just inexperience.”
“We kept hanging around and then they kind of put their foot down,” Coleman added.
After leading 55-46 at the end of three periods, the Tritons outscored the Bulldogs 17-8 in the fourth. Rob Serrano scored all eight of the Bulldogs’ points in the fourth, while the Tritons continued to get offense from a variety of sources. Justin Emmons worked hard inside for six of his eight points in the final quarter.
In the first quarter, the Tritons got off to a slow start. They made only one of their first seven shots and fell behind 4-3, but then went on 17-5 run to take a 20-9 lead.
The Tritons picked up their defensive pressure and played at a faster pace overall.
Nick Marrero, who scored 10 points, got in the lane for a jumper and converted the three-point play to make it 11-6. Barsesa made two threes and hustled for a rebound and put-back to continue the spurt.
“We play better faster and I think that’s what got us going,” Harris said.
Barsesa buried another three to give the Tritons a 29-19 lead at the 4:30 mark of the second quarter, but that’s when the Bulldogs made their most significant charge.
Al Serrano and Hernerson Cheremond were key during that stretch with Serrano running the offense and Cheremond attacking the basket inside.
Serrano scored eight points and Cheremond had seven of his 10 in the second quarter.
Baker’s Justin Pascale made a three to tie it 29-29, but the Tritons regained the lead in the final two minutes of the half and never relinquished it.
Mariner 24 14 17 17 – 72
Ida Baker 14 20 12 8 – 54
Mariner (72) – Kameron Beach 16, Sam Guerrier 5, Nick Marrero 10, Ricardo Barsesa 22, Luiggy Marte 4, Harrison Kuchman 7, Justin Emmons 8. Totals: 28-58 7-12 72.
3-point goals: Barsesa 3, Beach 2, Kuchman 2, Marrero 1, Guerrier 1.
Ida Baker (54) – Devontay Dobbins 8, Rob Serrano 12, Al Serrano 14, Justin Pascale 8, Hernerson Cheremond 10, Shaun Manego 2. Totals: 20-48 7-14 54.
3-point goals: Al Serrano 3, Pascale 2, R. Serrano 2.
Girls Basketball
Cape Coral 61, East Lee County 50: Senior Jomaris Vazquez scored a career-high 30 points, lifting host Cape Coral to a season-opening victory over East Lee County.
The Seahawks trailed by three after one quarter, but got stronger as the game progressed. Kassie Griffin chipped in with 17 points and Camary Williams added 10.
“Rough first game. We started a little sluggish,” Cape assistant coach Kirk Myers said, “but in the second and third quarter we found our stride.”
The Seahawks (1-0) play at Estero Tuesday.
East Lee County 13 8 9 20 – 50
Cape Coral 10 17 11 23 – 61
East Lee County (50) – Felix 13, Garcia 13, Munan 8, Washington 2, Espinosa 12, Love 2. Totals: 16 9-15 50.
3-point goals: Espinosa 2.
Cape Coral (61) – Vazquez 30, Griffin 17, Manzo 2, Williams 10, Smart 2. Totals: 22 13-29 61.
3-point goals: Griffin 2, Vazquez 1.
Ida Baker 57, Mariner 15: Ali Nicloy scored 12 points and Miko Dougherty and Hannah Del Negro each added 11, leading the visiting Bulldogs to a lopsided win over Mariner.
Baker (2-3) plays at North Fort Myers in a district game Tuesday.
Ida Baker 17 11 15 14 – 57
Mariner 3 6 4 2 – 15
Ida Baker (57) – Sanchez 5, Dougherty 11, Nicloy 12, Ortiz 2, Emmons 3, Hambsch 3, Del Negro 11, Brown 6, West 2, Ross 2. Totals: 21 9-12 57.
3-point goals: Del Negro 3, Brown 1, Hambsch 1, Emmons 1.
Mariner (15) – Bono 2, Stephens 4, Yafiesta 5, McClure 2, Mercado 2. Totals: 7 1-13 15.
Boys Soccer
Ida Baker 2, Mariner 0: The Ida Baker Bulldogs gained the upper hand in the first half against visiting Mariner and it carried over into the second half when Nick Presti and Marlon Herrera scored to give the Bulldogs the two-goal margin.
Baker coach Mick Whitewood liked the aggressive play his team brought to the field from start to finish.
“We played some good football, some of the best I’ve seen in awhile, but they kept us at bay (in the first half),” he said. “In the second half we kept the pressure on and began to break them down.”
Presti scored the first goal 10 minutes into the second half on an assist by Daniel Sharkey and Presti assisted Herrera’s goal with 30 seconds left in the match.
Matt Brust made six saves for the Tritons.
“We didn’t play very good,” Mariner coach Martin Cardenas said. “We got outhustled. They beat us to all the 50-50 balls.”
Both teams return to district action Tuesday. The Bulldogs (5-2-1) put their unbeaten district mark on the line when they host North. Mariner (5-3) hosts Riverdale.
Oasis 2, Community Christian Port Charlotte 2: Oscar Trujillo and Austin Abbondalol scored goals giving Oasis a 2-0 halftime lead, but the match against Community Christian of Port Charlotte ended in a tie.
Community Christian scored both goals within the first 10 minutes of the second half and the tie stood the rest of the way.
In the first half, Oscar Trujillo scored off an assist from Colin Cole, and Joey Giammarusto assisted the second goal.
Oasis keeper Alex Trujillo made a whopping 31 saves to keep it tied.
Oasis (1-2-1) plays at Southwest Florida Christian at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.