Hey there: quick note about Morning Meanderings for the unidoctrinated -- I occasionally put this together by drinking lots of coffee as I read over the morning boxscores on our website. I just do it because it keeps me in the know, to steal someone's advertising slogan, but also to get kids names out there and help me find good columns and stories to write. I mean, who doesn't like to score 28 points and pull down 11 rebounds and not have someone notice, amirite? Anyway, if boxscores aren't called in, I can't help, but that shouldn't stop you from filling me in via e-mail at johncotey@gmail.com, or get at me on Twitter, where I get lots of great info, by following @JohnnyHomeTeam. Let's roll.
We have roundups in Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties, so there's lot of good basketball goodies there. You hardly need me today. Here they are:
5 THINGS THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION
1. I'm going to go ahead and guess at Marcus Hill's next linescore: 23 points, 12 rebounds, 7.0 blocks. My guess, of course, is just based on the Armwood senior's remarkable consitency this season. In four games, all victories by the way, he has scored between 17-26 points, had 12, 13 or 14 rebounds, and blocked between five and eight shots. Tuesday night, he scored 22, including his first 3-pointer of the season, blocked seven and pulled down 12 boards.
2. LeAndre Thomas is 6-foot-8, and is going to be really good. The St. Petersburg freshman still needs to find a consistent touch from 10-12 feet away, but at times Tuesday night he just dominated Seminole inside. The Warhawks are small and had no one to match up with Thomas, so we'll see a a little more of the rookie's talents Friday when the Green Devils take on Boca Ciega.
3. Is Clearwater back? And is it fair to say the boys program ever left, despite a first-round playoff loss in 2011 and a district semifinal loss last year, both by a combined three points?
The Tornadoes head into Thursday's game against rival Largo with a 4-0 record after beating Pinellas Park 63-50 Tuesday, as sophomore Rasim Avment scored 24. The Tornadoes are playing good defense, and getting production from the likes of Jordan Leston (16 the other night against Elevation Academy), Armin Tabakovich (double digits the past two games) and point guard Cory Carden, who runs the offense and can hit the outside shot. Largo may be their toughest test yet.
4. Wiregrass Ranch's Rico Kerney might be looking forward to Thursday's game against Chamberlain just a little. These two teams split two tight regular-season games last year before the Chiefs dominated the district final behind a career-high 40 points by Reggie Hart. Meanwhile, Kerney, who averaged 25 during the season, had his worst game of the season by far, shooting just 3-for-14 from the field and scoring a season-low 10 points.
Hart scored 28 Tuesday night in a win over Gaither, while Kerney had 32 in a win over Steinbrenner. Suffice to say, bith guys are ready.
5. Hey, who's teaching free-throw shooting these days? Anyone? Hello? Bueller?
I hate to see the fine art of the free shot going the way of VHS tapes and MySpace, but I saw some girls boxscores that made this 89.4365243 percent shooter cringe.
Indian Rocks Christian made 10 of 30 Tuesday night, for 30 percent. Northside Christian made 7 of 16, Tampa Prep 7 of 23 (30.4), Bishop McLaughloin 11 of 33 (33.3), Plant 10 of 23 (43.5) and Blake 5 of 17 (29.4).
Heck, Admiral Farragut made just 2 of 7, but made six 3-pointers. Go figure.
Here's some other top performances that didn't make the roundups:
1. I am told via email that Amanda Melosky of Wiregrass Ranch did a nice job on Steinbrenner's Bailey Hooker on Tuesday night. The night after the Warrior star hit for 29 and reached 1,000 career points, Melosky's defense helped hold her to a season-low eight points and zero 3-pointers, only the second time that's happened this year.
Melosky, a sophomore, led all scorers as well, putting in 16 with seven rebounds. On the season, she's averaging 15.9 points and 12.3 rebounds.
2. Keshawn Ingram scored 25 for Steinbrenner in a loss, and the 6-foot guard is averaging 22.4 on the season
3. Jesuit's Travis Johnson scored 22 and pulled down eight boards in a win over Lennard.
4. Reggine Brown led Plant with 14, one of 10 Panthers to score Tuesday night.
5. Seffner Christian's Barrett Swartz continues to drop many points -- 28 this time, in a win over Brooks Debartolo. And teammate Kent Hegarty added 24, with both guys making four 3-pointers.
6. With Reilly Gibbons blocking (out), and Ryan Green running (the offense), Kevin O'Donnell and Michael Fridella combined for 29 points to lead St. Petersburg Catholic over rival Clearwater Central Catholic. Gibbons and Green, by the way, had 10 and 13 respectively as well.
7. Speaking of really good Pinellas County running backs Keith Harrington had 15 in a Northeast loss.
8. Michael Clark scored 25 points, and Dallas Moore added 17 as Bogie rolled over Dunedin. The Pirates are loaded. FYI.
9. Zack Peterson scored 27 points for Hudson, which topped nearby rival Fivay 65-52.
10. Tampa Prep's Sydney Morrow scored 20 points, including three 3-pointers, to lead the Terrapin girls.