17-0 Tritons see tough road ahead
Perfect seasons are extremely rare so even the most rabid of basketball fans around may not expect the Mariner Tritons (17-0) to finish out the season undefeated.
But they can still hope and debate the issue, at least until the next game comes up on the calendar. The road to Lakeland only gets harder from here.
“The goal every year is to make it to Lakeland and with our record we haven’t deviated from that goal,” said Tritons coach James Harris. “Our hot start has opened some eyes as to how good we are. Individually, we don’t have the best of talent, but as a whole we are really good. It’s been a special year and the streak has a lot to do with our coming together as a group, relying on each other.”
The Tritons have never started a basketball season 17-0, not even in 1996 when they lost to Daytona Mainland 80-74 in the Class 5A state championship game.
“This is my 13th season at Mariner and the longest winning streak we’ve had was seven games,” said Harris.
The Tritons play six of their last seven games on the road, starting Friday night at Cypress Lake, followed by a date against North Port Saturday in the Wally Keller Classic in Punta Gorda.
“Those games are all tough,” said Harris. “Cypress Lake is a big game for us because we have a chance to go undefeated in the district for two years in a row for the first time since I’ve been here. That’s special by itself.”
There is still Island Coast, Fort Myers, Gulf Coast, and Lehigh to deal with, too. The latter three of those come up next week.
“Fort Myers and Lehigh are among the best teams around here,” said Harris. “And we play Sarasota Riverview (Jan. 26), the No. 1 team in Class 8A, and Winter Haven in the Mosaic Shootout.”
Mariner’s strength all season has been its depth. Several players have stepped up at different times to lead the team in scoring.
“We have (Isaiah) Darrett and (Trenton) Ferrara and Tyrell Smith setting things up and (Jahmel) Myers and Amari Haynes are really talented,” said Harris. “That’s why we are able to play 10-12 guys.”
The players have bought into the solidarity of the team and no one is taking the rest of the season for granted, right down to the coaching staff.
“With such a special year the coaches are working harder, too,” Harris said. “I’m scouting North Port (Wednesday night) instead of being home doing something else. The season is worth the sacrifices everyone is making.”
As the season comes down to its final weeks before the playoffs, players are beat up from the grind of 17 games.
“Our guys have bumps and bruises like everyone else, but we are still able to play,” said Harris.
The postseason already has arrived for soccer teams. Ida Baker and Gulf Coast are playing for the girls’ District 4A-12 championship while North Fort Myers and Mariner square off for the District 3A-13 title, both on Friday. Also, Oasis and Bishop Verot play for the District 2A-12 championship for the third straight year.
District champions and the runners-up head to the regional quarterfinals next Thursday.
Boys’ teams begin district tournament play on Monday. No. 1 seed Cape Coral goes up against Dunbar at 5 p.m. Monday in District 3A-13 at Mariner. Third-seeded Mariner takes on Cypress Lake at 7 p.m.
Earlier games pair up Port Charlotte with Island Coast at 1 p.m. and North Fort Myers with Lemon Bay at 3 p.m.
Ida Baker opens the District 4A-12 Tournament at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Palmetto Ridge. The semifinals in both districts are scheduled for Wednesday with the championship games on Friday.
Softball and baseball seasons are not far away. Preseason games in softball start up scheduled on Jan. 26 with baseball preseason clashes starting Feb. 2.