By Matt Wiley
It’s been quite a year for both the Wharton High Wildcats and Freedom High Patriots boys basketball teams in their respective runs at a state title, each setting impressive milestones for their schools that will live on as some of these players graduate and move on to college.
This especially is true for head coach Cedric Smith’s Patriots (19-6), who have created a new name for themselves as this year’s Class 7A, District 8 champs, with a solid 8-2 final record in the District.
Just three game after winning their first District hoops title since 2005, the Freedom boys’ sensational season came to halt against the Bartow High Yellow Jackets (20-10) on February 22, falling 69-54. Although the Patriots battled to continue their State title run, they couldn’t overcome Bartow’s strong inside game. Trailing 17 points with seven minutes left to play, Freedom capitalized on two consecutive Bartow turnovers that brought the Pats within 11, but it was the closest they would come to defeating the Yellow Jackets.
Humble in his third season, despite coaching his team to its second-ever District title, taking down area rival Wharton for the first time in eight years and making it all the way to the FHSAA Regional Finals, Smith says that he didn’t expect to go this far heading into the 2013-14 season.
“We lost a lot of seniors last year,” Smith explained. “We’ve had a young squad. Typically, younger teams have a tougher time. This season has been beyond my vision. I’m very proud.”
However, thanks to attention to detail, the Patriots have prevailed. Smith says that each player has bought into their role on the team, learned to share the ball, resulting in a committed, tight-knit group of players.
Standout performances from junior forward Miguel Rojas (averaging 6.6 PPG), senior forward Daniel Thompson (averaging 4 PPG), sophomore winger Sheldon Odunna (averaging 8 PPG) have largely contributed to the Patriots’ success, Smith says.
The last six weeks of the regular season were tough, Smith explains, as he was suspended for the use of profanity, after watching one of his players get injured when he was knocked down during a breakaway at Spoto High on Dec. 20, followed by no call from the referees.
“It was nerve-racking not being able to be there and getting updates throughout the game,” Smith says. “It’s really tough not being able to be there for your team.” Letters sent to the New Tampa Neighborhood News by parents of the players on the team indicated that part of the reason for the success of the team this season in the coach’s absence was how strongly the players felt about Smith and how motivated they were to get on a roll to show their support for him. Smith added that he is proud that his players developed into a solid squad and set this milestone for their school.
“People are now going to know that when they play Freedom, it’s going to be a fight,” Smith said. “Other teams can’t just cross us off the list as an automatic win anymore.”
Wharton Wins 5th Dist. Title
Although their postseason run may have ended a few games earlier than last season’s trip to the FHSAA Class 8A Final Four, Wharton was able to retain its District 8A-7 title at the Wildcats’ Bruce B. Downs Blvd. campus for the fifth straight year.
“I’m tremendously proud of what this group of players has accomplished,” said ‘Cats head coach Tommy Tonelli.
Wharton defeated the Newsome High Wolves 40-37 in a Feb. 7 nail-biter to clinch the District crown and gain home-court advantage during the first round of the Regional playoffs on Feb. 13, in which the host Wildcats obliterated the Palm Harbor University Hurricanes 55-23.
Despite losing a large group of seniors last year, Tonelli still was able to coach his team to a 20-7 (8-2 in the District) record. However, he said the season-ending 63-45 loss against the St. Petersburg High Green Devils on Feb. 18 still stung.
“We had beaten St. Pete in the Northeast Holiday Tournament championship in December,” Tonelli explains. “But, they’re an outstanding team. There was no shame in losing to them.”
Although it was only a six-point game at halftime, the Green Devils ran away with it in the second half to move on in the Regional playoffs, 63-45.
“We missed some key free throws and turned over the ball,” Tonelli says. “But, we still played well. We just couldn’t keep up.”
Tonelli says that although everyone played well together this season, performances from senior captain and point guard Jack Taylor, senior forward Chase Litton, junior center Auden Tate and junior guard John Christian were noteworthy. But, even though he’s losing another group of great seniors, Tonelli doesn’t seem too phased.
“We had a good group of juniors this year that will be returning and some guys that came up from JV,” Tonelli explained. “I’m encouraged and excited for next season.”
And, why shouldn’t he be encouraged? Tonelli, who has averaged 20 wins a season in his 15 total years at the helm of the ‘Cats, always seems to be able to find outstanding talent and get it to mesh together in time for another playoff run.
We’re always looking for sports freelance writers to help us cover the myriad of boys and girls sports other than high school football and basketball all season long. Submit a short (no more than 600 words) writing sample to Matt@NTNeighborhoodNews.com to apply and for more details, including possible pay.
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