PrepZone: Monday basketball notebook

Notes on area basketball teams:

BARRON COLLIER

As expected, senior guard Deion Clark has carried the Cougars' offense early in the season. The Old Dominion recruit is averaging 32.3 points a game so far.

Clark has led Barron Collier to three wins in its first four games. As well as Clark is playing, Cougars coach Carlos Clark, who also is the star player's father, said he would like to see his son improve in other areas.

"He's not at the level I want him to be at as far as being a leader," Carlos Clark said. "It's something he's working on."

Barron is one shot away from being 4-0. The Cougars' only setback was a 63-62 loss at East Lee in which the Jaguars scored on a tip-in with three seconds left. Barron was down by 13 points at halftime against East Lee.

— Adam Fisher

COMMUNITY SCHOOL

The Seahawks boys basketball team is on a roll so far this season, still undefeated and looking to continue the streak.

Last week, CSN faced off against Cape Coral-Oasis and won 75-15. Max Kent had a huge game, scoring 18 points. Other great performances were made by Johnny Baker and Neal Defossez.

"I'm pleased with the progress that's been showing," coach Greg Donahue said. "We still need to improve on communicating. We're young so we're not that vocal yet."

Tonight, CSN goes up against the No. 9 team in the state — Seacrest.

"We've scouted their players and made a few adjustments," Donahue said. "The boys are good friends with the guys from Seacrest so this is going to be a really exciting game."

The Seahawks are ready for their showdown, and are also looking forward to playing Moore Haven and rival St. John Neumann later this week.

— Daryl Scopino

ESTERO

Three injured starters returned to action on Thursday for the Estero girls basketball team.

Still, the Wildcats fell to Ida Baker, 45-42, despite a season-high 16 points from Amber Huther, who also snagged a career-best 14 rebounds.

Huther, Chanell Campbell and Felice Rismay sat out two other losses earlier in the week as the Wildcats (2-6) struggled using an inexperienced and thin lineup. Rismay said it was tough for her and the other starters to sit on the bench.

"I'm not saying we're like all-stars or anything, but we definitely have more experience and knowledge of the game than they do. We've been through all that," Rismay said.

— Kevin Johnson

FIRST BAPTISTAs a former point guard, First Baptist boys basketball coach Scott Stewart has no patience for poor

decision-making.

Especially when his guards can't get the ball to Austin Williamson, a 6-foot-8, 230-pound junior center.

After starting 3-0 the Lions lost two straight (Evangelical Christian, Seacrest) as guards Adam Smith,

Chris Tomkins and Jason Perry struggled to patiently beat traps and incorporate Williamson.

"We have to handle pressure better and not turn the ball over if we expect to win," Stewart said. "When

two guys come at you and you're always on defense it's hard to get Austin (Williamson) the ball. It's really

starting to get to me."

Stewart hopes getting off to faster starts will help First Baptist get into the half court and give Williamson

more touches.

The Lions host St. John Neumann on Thursday.

"Good decisions come with experience," Stewart said. "I'm concerned right now but we'll get there."

— Josh SiegelGOLDEN GATE

Coach Joe Consolino's boys squad got three-fifths of its starting lineup back the day before the Titans opened the season against Naples with a 70-55 on Nov. 29.

Point guard Shamol Miller and forwards Keovis Brice and Frantz Dorvil wrapped up their football season in time to get in one practice before the basketball season began.

Three days later, the trio got regained their bearings on the hardwood to combine for 31 points in the Titans' 59-57 win over Palmetto Ridge.

"They still got a lot of football in them," Consolino said. "It will take a while to get that out. But they came in in very good condition and very strong. That's a credit to our football program."

The Titans (1-1) begin 5A-14 play tonight with a game at Immokalee (2-0). Thursday brings another district matchup — at home against East Lee County (1-4).

"The Immokalee game will be a toughie," Consolino said. "I'm sure (Indians coach) Brien (Crowder) will have the band playing and the stands full. It should make for an interesting environment."

— Scott Clair

GULF COAST

The Sharks boys team has had a solid beginning to its season, starting the year with a 3-1 record.

Gulf Coast has wins over Island Coast, Cypress Lake and South Fort Myers. The Sharks' only loss came on Nov. 29, a 57-55 defeat to Lely on a last-second basket by the Trojans.

"We played good team defense and we kept our composure on the road," Sharks coach Tom Zucchi said after his team's Dec. 2 win over SFM. "This was a good bounce-back after our loss to Lely and looking forward to our home game against Bishop Verot."

The Sharks host Verot tonight, then have a shot at revenge on Friday when they host Lely.

Junior wing Davidson Neptune leads Gulf Coast in scoring with a 17.8 average.

— Scott ClairIMMOKALEE

Indians coach Brien Crowder had high hopes for Effenberg Zeme this year, especially early in the season. With half the Indians' starters still with the football team to start the year, Crowder planned to lean heavily on the 6-foot shooting guard.

Zeme didn't disappoint. In the first game of the season the senior scored nearly half his team's points in a victory over Palmetto Ridge. Zeme had 34 points in the 70-55 win.

It was the first game back for Zeme after he had to leave the team in the middle of last season because of family issues. As a junior, Zeme averaged 15 points a game before leaving during the holiday break.

The Indians should have their full complement of players this week. The football team lost in the 5A regional championship Friday. Though the football players might be rusty, they'll help this week when Immokalee hosts Barron Collier in a rematch of last year's district championship game which the Cougars won.

— Adam Fisher

LELY

The basketball teams have impact games this week as they open district play. Both play Lehigh at 7 p.m. today, with the boys at home and the girls on the road.

The boys get to stay home again on Thursday, playing Estero, while the girls travel to the Wildcats with both games at 7 p.m.

"We were 1-1 last week with a thrilling victory over Gulf Coast at the buzzer then came out flat against Naples." boys coach Ryan Bowen said. The boys host Gulf Coast at 7 p.m. on Friday.

While the girls went 2-1 last week, with wins over Fort Myers and Naples, coach Kirsti Jones said,

"By far this week is our most important with two district games," Jones said. "Lehigh is a very athletic team. We need to limit turnovers and not hang our heads if things aren't going right at times."

Jones doesn't know much about Estero, but knows her team will have to play hard on the road to get two district wins.

— Roger LaLonde

NAPLES

After dropping the first two games of the season, the Golden Eagles boys basketball team is on a three-game winning streak.

Naples had back-to-back road trips to Charlotte County to start the year, losing to Port Charlotte and Charlotte on consecutive nights. The Eagles have since won three straight, including double-digit victories over Collier County rivals Golden Gate and Lely last week.

"These young men all worked hard all summer long," Naples coach Pierre Eaton said. "They play well as a group. They're a delight to coach because they do what you tell them to do."

Eaton said the team has gotten strong play from Mark Karr, Troy Thomas and senior leader Sean Wilson. He said Heber Clermont has stepped up and been a pleasant surprise as well.

— Adam Fisher

PALMETTO RIDGE

It's been a busy early season for the Bears boys team, which already has seven games under its belt. The schedule is probably by design for first-year coach Donald Wedewer, who has no returning players from last year's team.

"We're starting from scratch," said Wedewer, a colonel in the Army Reserves. "We'll be competitive in the district, but this first year is going to be a learning experience."

Going into Monday's game at Riverdale, the Bears were 2-5, having lost three straight.

The Bears will be on the road again on Thursday when they travel to Cape Coral. After that, Palmetto Ridge has one more game (home against Lely) before starting 6A-14 play when they host Gulf Coast on Dec. 20.

— Scott ClairST. JOHN NEUMANN

The Celtics boys varsity basketball team plays three games this week — all with different tip times. So take note:

Coach John Wholihan says Wednesday's game at Canterbury School in Fort Myers will begin at 3:30 p.m. That's really early, but there's a reason. Wholihan says the idea is to be able to get back to Collier County in time for the Rotary All-Star Football Classic that is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Palmetto Ridge High.

Thursday night, Neumann's boys go to First Baptist Academy in a game that will have a 7 o'clock start. Then on Saturday, the Celtics host Community School in an 8 p.m. start.

Neumann is 1-3 after beating Moore Haven 56-29 this past Friday. Junior George Obidiegwu scored 26 points and snared 14 rebounds. In addition to Obidiegwu, Wholihan says junior Ralph Coleman and senior Erik Gray are controlling the boards.

"We need to get our guards to step up as I know they can and take better care of the ball," Wholihan said Monday. "As a team, we are getting to know each other's tendencies on the court and beginning to believe we can play with anyone."

— Tom Rife

SEACREST

The boys basketball team is off to a 3-1 start on the young season for coach Bob Madden.

They have been led by standout, sophomore center Jeff Merton, who is averaging 27 points and 12 rebounds. Senior guard Berson Charles also is contributing 15 points per game.

Madden has been impressed by his defense in the early going.

"I have been pleased with how well we respond on the defensive end." he said. "Guys have been helping each other out in our man-to-man. We have played very consistent ball."

The Stingrays, who are heading into district play, have three games this week on the 3A-11 slate. They host Community on Tuesday, and then hit the road for two back-to-back games at Oasis (Cape Coral) Friday and Evangelical on Saturday.

"We should see where we are," Madden said. "It is going to be a battle [3A-11]. There are four contending teams fighting for two spots."

— Ron Lee

SOUTH FORT MYERS

When Mallory Motycka was injured with 21 seconds left in the third quarter of the Wolfpack's 46-26 win against Estero last week, the four-year South Fort Myers standout forward received plenty of support from both sides.

"It hurt us to watch that," Estero forward Felice Rismay — a travel ball teammate of Motycka — said about the injury, which occurred when Motycka landed after she grabbed a defensive rebound.

After the game, Motycka's teammates and the entire Estero team offered their support to the Palm Beach Atlantic-signee as she sat with her injured left leg propped up on a chair.

Unfortunately for the Wolfpack, Motycka won't be back on a basketball court anytime soon. She learned Friday that she has an ACL tear and will require surgery.

— Kevin Johnson