After a 27-day layoff for the holidays, St. Ed’s varsity girls basketball team should be well rested this week when it tips off the New Year with a trio of games that will take a big chunk out of the remainder of its independent schedule.
The season will come to an end on Jan. 23 and by design there will be no postseason playoffs. More importantly, Paula Robinson’s 2014-15 team could make a significant push forward in revitalizing a program that was on the verge of collapse.
At 2-2 the Pirates have already surpassed the one win total from a year ago. Progress has been made in baby steps and the players would like to tack on a few more wins to solidify that point.
“I think the rest of the season is looking good as long as we keep taking the schedule one game at a time,” Robinson said. “As we continue to work on plays in practice, and improve our conditioning, I think the girls will be more successful.”
How they fare in the last seven games will depend largely on the play of senior Nicole Alden and freshmen Maya Jenkins and Tea Tee. Through the first four contests, Jenkins averaged 13.7 ppg as the floor leader. Tee became an offensive threat with 11 ppg while Alden was right behind at 8.3 ppg.
In a departure from the recent past, the varsity boys team was anything but idle during the break. Invitations to holiday tournaments tend to flow toward schools with a proven competitive pedigree, and St. Ed’s certainly fits that profile. Head Coach Greg Zugrave’s teams were 49-24 in his first three years. His fourth Pirate team will take a 7-5 record into 2015.
The holiday interlude was generally productive. Three Pirates hit for double figures in an 80-44 rout of Morningside Academy on Dec. 22. Bobby Barker paced the attack with 17 points. Nick Succes and Brian Carter added 15 and 11 respectively.
It was a quick turnaround the next afternoon as St. Ed’s blasted Community Christian 69-41. The game took place at American Airlines Arena, the home of the Miami Heat. Thomas Bockhorst found the sightlines to his liking. He scored a season-high 17 points and dished out five assists.
The nightcap disappointed the home crowd. The Heat blew a huge second-half lead and fell to the lowly Philadelphia 76ers 91-87.
The final scores were much closer at The Pine School Holiday Classic in Hobe Sound the week before the New Year. Barker finished with 21 points and six assists as the Pirates outlasted Barron Collier of Naples 67-62 in overtime.
Succes and Carter came up with big time performances. Carter contributed 15 points and eight rebounds, while Succes was strong at the free throw line (4-4) in the extra period. He wound up with 13 points, including a three-pointer.
St. Ed’s advanced to the semifinal round of the tournament with the victory over 6A Barron Collier. Barker again was high scorer with 19 points (9-9 from the foul line) but a late rally was not enough to overcome a double-digit second-half deficit in a 63-60 loss to Seminole Ridge.
Once again, Barker had a strong supporting cast in this one. Carter and Sean Kenney had identical double-doubles with 11 points and 10 boards. Kishore Chundi hit three treys for his nine points.
Zugrave’s team will take a lot of positives into 2015. The games over the holidays showcased a versatility that will be much needed down the stretch.
Bobby Barker will of course be the lynchpin in keeping the offense on track. He is averaging 18.5 ppg through 12 contests and has never failed to score in double figures. He always has potential help from the outside from guys like Chundi, Bockhorst, Nick Duncan and Sam Kelly.
Of equal significance is the emergence of an inside game with Succes and a healthy Carter. Not to be overlooked down low is Kenney and the two double-doubles he has recorded so far.
Eight of the 11 remaining regular season games will be played at home before the district playoffs begin on Feb. 3. Three of those games will count in the district as the Pirates will play to earn a favorable seed. All three will be against tough opponents. They get Melbourne Central Catholic and John Carroll at home, and Benjamin on their hardcourt. An earlier home encounter with Benjamin (that will not count in the district standings) jump-starts the 2015 portion of the schedule this week.
