PrepZone: Monday basketball notebook

Notes on area basketball teams:

BARRON COLLIER

After winning seven of its first eight games, the Cougars girls basketball team faces its biggest games of the season to date this week. Barron Collier (7-1) picks up Class 6A-District 14 play when it travels to Gulf Coast tonight and hosts Naples on Friday.

The Cougars will be without point guard Elizah Pagkanlungan and her 10.3 points per game. The sophomore has missed the past few games with an injury, but coach Mike Hamburger said Christina Paxson and Kacie Frost have stepped up in Pagkanlungan's absence.

Balance has been key to the Cougars' offense this season. Four players are averaging between nine and 11 points a game, while four others average between four and six points.

"It's been a great team effort," Hamburger said. "We've shot the ball well from outside. Our guards have done a very good job hitting 3s. We're shooting around 39 percent from 3."

— Adam Fisher

COMMUNITY SCHOOL

The Seahawks girls are continuing to do well as the season nears the halfway point.

Coach Mitch Woods is happy with his girls and what they are doing so far, and expects them to continue and improve their game.

"I'm proud of the progress the girls have been showing," Woods said. "We need to keep plugging away and keeping things simple."

CSN (8-1) has been lead by a great all-around performance from Hunter Martin.

"Hunter is the most consistent player that we have and is really steady on both sides of the ball," Woods said.

Woods also likes what he's seen from Hannah Allen, who has shown great passion and hustle on defense, and Hailey Nadeau, who is doing a great job of rebounding.

The Seahawks have a week until their next game in Hollywood in a holiday shootout tournament Dec. 21. Woods has been keeping the team focused as they take a break from the action.

"We have been doing mini skill camps to keep everything fresh in our kids minds," Woods said.

Community School has finals coming up, so practice has been lighter than usual so the players have time to study.

"We need to stay focused on the little things," Woods said. "There are going to be some good teams at this tournament. We need to take care of the ball and do what we do and that's keeping things simple."

— Daryl Scopino

ESTERO

When the Estero girls basketball team hosts district foe Golden Gate tonight, the Wildcats won't be as thin as the first time the teams met.

Back on Nov. 25, three Estero starters — Chanell Campbell, Connie Dean and Amber Huther — did not play in the Wildcats' 53-41 loss to the Titans. That trio has returned. In fact, Huther and Dean each had team-high 17-point nights last week in separate wins as Estero halted a six-game losing skid.

Although injury-plagued at times this season, the Wildcats (4-7) have managed to employ balanced scoring. Led by guard Sidnie Sharp, four different players have registered game-highs in the points department. Sharp has led the team four times.

Sharp, Campbell (team-high 13 ppg), Dean and Huther are averaging more than seven points per game.

— Kevin Johnson

FIRST BAPTIST

The Lions needs to get back to closing games.

On. Dec. 5, FBA led Lely heading into the fourth quarter. First Baptist lost the game by four.

Three days later, the Lions (6-4) had Neumann on the ropes as the final quarter approached. First Baptist lost the game by one.

Lions coach Jen Lines has seen her team win its district back-to-back years so she knows her team can execute for four quarters.

"We have to finish games," Lines said. "Whether it's grabbing the big rebound, making free throws or making better decisions against pressure defense, we need to do better. All that stuff gets magnified against good teams. But we're improving."

Freshman forward Emily Lines leads First Baptist in scoring while junior forward Alli Emerson picked up her game last week.

Jen Lines says she expects contributions from her entire eight-player roster in a big week where the Lions play at 2A-10 Southwest Florida Christian on Thursday and at Evangelical Christian on Friday.

"We're definitely motivated after last week's close losses," Lines said. "I look forward to us doing better this week."

— Josh Siegel

GOLDEN GATE

"We have a promising program for the first time since I've been here," Titans girls coach Sue Canterbury said upon being hired in October.

Promising, indeed, are the Titans.

Golden Gate's 49-34 victory over East Lee County on Dec. 8 was the third straight for the Titans. It also marked the first time in school history the girls basketball team has won three games in a row.

The Titans, who finished 1-22 last year, are 4-6 this season and 2-0 in 5A-14, tying them for first with Estero.

"We've had three wins in the last three games, and the last two were district games," Canterbury said after the East Lee win. "We're such a young team, and this is a great way to start district play."

Chanicka Boileau has averaged 14 points during the win streak, leading the Titans each time.

— Scott Clair

GULF COAST

The Sharks girls team had a three-game win streak snapped by 6A-14 foe Naples on Friday.

Before that, Gulf Coast (6-3, 1-1 in 6A-14) handily defeated Lely twice and Palmetto Ridge.

The Sharks continue with district play tonight when they host 7-1 Barron Collier, a tough matchup, to say the least.

Before the winter break, the Sharks have three more games after Barron before competing in the Queen of Palms Classic at Dunbar High during the holidays.

Lone Sharks senior Erica Dominguez leads the team in scoring with an 11.3 average. She is followed by juniors Jessica Lietz (9.8) and McKenzie Reiselt (7.9).

— Scott Clair

IMMOKALEE

Just when the Indians got their whole team together, an injury prevented Immokalee from getting to full strength.

Immokalee got three starters back from last season's playoff team when the Indians' football season ended. D'Ernest Johnson, Tshumbi Johnson and Xavier Richardson joined the starting five, but forward Natrone Means went down with an ankle injury last week.Means, a 6-foot-4 junior, missed Friday's game against Barron Collier when the Indians (4-1) suffered their first loss of the season. Means is averaging 15 points and 11 rebounds a game this year, and coach Brien Crowder expects him back this week.

As the three new starters get back into basketball mode, Effenberg Zeme continues to lead the Indians. The senior guard, back after missing the second half of last season, is scoring 26 points a game.

— Adam Fisher

LELY

The boys and girls basketball teams play key Class 5A-District 14 games tonight against Immokalee.

The boys, 2-0 in district play, 3-2 overall, travel to Immokale, also 2-0 in district action, 4-1 overall.

The Lely girls, 1-1 in district, 4-3 overall, host Immokale, 0-2 in district and 1-5 on the season. Both games are at 7 p.m.

"Tuesday is a huge game for us, because it is our first district road game.," said Lely boys coach Ryyan Bowen. We will need to battle hard on the boards as they are a very athletic team. We will also need to get out and contest their shooters. They are a very good team and coach (Brien) Crowder does an excellent job. They will be ready to go and we need to match their intensity."

After downing Lehigh for their district win, the Lely girls got embarrassed by Estero, 50-20.

"The girls didn't show up to play," Lely coach Kirsti Jones said.

Immokalee's only win so far is over the new Marco Island Academy, in its first year of basketball.

— Roger LaLonde

NAPLES

The Golden Eagles girls basketball team hopes momentum from Friday's big win over Gulf Coast will carry over into this week's big district matchups.

Naples (2-3) opened play in Class 6A-District 14 by knocking off the Sharks 41-35. The Eagles play at Palmetto Ridge tonight then at Barron Collier on Friday, both district foes. Barron Collier beat Naples in the district championship game last season and again in the regional semifinals.

Coach Dave Walker said the brunt of Naples' scoring has been done by its two returning starters, seniors Sammie Hugan and Kendal Shumake. The remaining three starters, Courtney Kramer, Haley LaRocque and Sarah Nelson, have provided solid defense and rebounding, Walker said.

"We need to be more consistent offensively," the coach said. "We're playing strong defense."

— Adam Fisher

PALMETTO RIDGE

The Bears girls team has lost four-straight games, most recently on Dec. 9 to 6A-14 rival Barron Collier.

Part of the Cougars success that evening was holding Bears scoring machine Jessica Montalvo to just eight points. Before that loss, Montalvo had scored 26, 29, 24, and 15 points in the previous four games.

Montalvo is the only one of two seniors on a very young Palmetto Ridge team, which starts three freshman and a sophomore besides Montalvo.

The Bears (3-6, 0-2 in 6A-14) have a busy week, playing three games in four days. They traveled to Lehigh on Monday, host Naples in a district game tonight, then conclude the week with a game at Lely on Friday.

— Scott Clair

ST. JOHN NEUMANN

The Celtics girls basketball team is 6-5 heading into Thursday's 2:30 p.m. game at Oasis Charter School in Cape Coral. Coach Shannon McFee says he and the girls are enjoying the season and growing as a team each game.

"Thus far this season, I am very happy with the girls' desire to compete against a tougher schedule than what we had last year," McFee said Monday. "The team's unity and effort have been obvious in huge come-from-behind wins at Bishop Verot and First Baptist Academy."

Over Christmas, the Celtics will again step up to play against the bigger schools in Naples High School and Fort Myers High School in the First Baptist Academy Christmas Shootout.

"We have a team of players who have accepted their roles and are enjoying each other as teammates. We are having a lot of fun this season," McFee added.

The SJN boys, meanwhile, are 3-4 with a pair of road games this week (at Seacrest on Friday at 5 and at Oasis Charter on Saturday at 2:30).

— Tom Rife

SEACREST

The injury bug has spread throughout the Seacrest girls basketball team. Between twisted knees, broken wrists, and a concussion, the Stingrays are down to six players.

Coach Ryan Jobe will have to call up seventh grader Marissa Murray to fill out his roster.

"Injuries are part of the game," Jobe said. "We have to have the kids rally around each other and get through this."

Seacrest (2-8) is trying to get the offense going.

They have been led by senior center Sarah Hurtado and freshman point guard Cate Stiffler.

"When Sarah is on, there are hardly any players in the area that can keep up with her," Jobe said. "Cate is a student of the game. Right now we are just trying to get her more experience. It is not easy for a freshman to run the team. It is definitely going to come from staying positive. We are getting better every night."

— Ron Lee

SOUTH FORT MYERS

Mallory Motycka is trying to make the best out of a tough situation.

During a game on Nov. 29, Motycka suffered a torn ACL injury that prematurely ended the senior season for the South Fort Myers forward who is scheduled to begin her college career with Palm Beach Atlantic University next year. Since the injury, Motycka has been contributing from the sidelines as she watches her Wolfpack teammates.

"I've learned a lot being on the bench. I'm helping out when needed. I try to be positive to all of them. If I have any tips, I'll let them know," she said.

While her teammates practice, Motycka does leg exercises on the side of the court. She plans to have surgery after the holidays. If all goes well, she will be able to start running in June and then resume basketball in late summer or early fall.

South was 3-1 with Motycka in the lineup. The Wolfpack have gone 1-3 without her.

— Kevin Johnson