Each week, our HomeTeam staffers will nominate male and female Hot Shot athletes from each of the counties we cover. These nominations span Saturday, Dec. 22 through Friday, Jan. 4. The winners get a free T-shirt and bragging rights over every other school in the area. Read up on what made our nominees stand out, then look for our writers’ picks for overall winners in Tuesday’s Times.
Female nominees
Tianah Alvarado, Lakewood basketball: In the Orlando Dr. Phillips tournament, the senior forward scored 33 points in a 69-46 loss to the host team. She added 24 points in a 50-47 win over Timber Creek the following day.
Caroline Andreassen, Calvary Christian basketball: Earlier in the season, the senior guard surpassed 1,000 points in her high school career. On Friday night, she helped the Warriors advance to the final of the Indian Rocks Holiday tournament by scoring 23 points. Andreassen hit four 3-pointers and made 3-of-5 free throws.
Alicia Artley, Fivay basketball: Junior had 31 points and 16 rebounds in Friday’s consolation win over Springstead in the Hernando Holiday Classic. She averaged 19.6 points and 14.3 boards for the three-day tournament.
Lauren Boerger, Newsome basketball: In three games at the Rock Holiday tournament last week in Orlando, the junior guard averaged 27 points, nine rebounds and five steals. Her best game came in a 65-58 loss to Longwood Lyman, in which she had 31 points, 10 rebounds, four steals, two blocks and an assist.
Timecia Cohen, Academy at the Lakes basketball: The point guard led a strong effort for a depleted AATL team. She earned MVP honors at the Jaguar Holiday Classic with 10 points in the semifinals and nine in the finals in a win over Plant — one of the biggest victories in school history.
Taylor Emery, Freedom basketball: The sophomore guard made the all-tournament team at the prestigious Queen of Palms tourney in Fort Myers, averaging 23 points in three games. She scored a team-high 27 in a two-point loss to Bartow in the Emerald Division final.
Male nominees
J.T. Aguilar, Tarpon Springs: Senior guard was named MVP of the Keswick Christian Invitational after scoring a combined 73 points in three games and setting a school record with 15 assists in a game against Calvary Christian.
Chivarsky Corbett, Tampa Catholic basketball: Junior was stellar in holiday tourneys, scoring 83 points with 37 rebounds in the first two games of the Father Lopez Classic. Then at the City of Tampa Championships, he scored a school-record 50 points vs. Cardinal Mooney, also reaching the 1,000-point mark in that game.
Ra’shaad Hart, Hernando basketball: Junior forward had 12 points and 13 rebounds in a rivalry win over Springstead, and scored 20 points — including the winning put-back — in this week’s 70-69 win over Citrus.
Josh Heath, Tampa Prep basketball: Senior guard was named the Northeast Christmas Invitational MVP after scoring 15 points in a semifinal win over Wharton and 17 in the championship game vs. Boca Ciega. He also was MVP of the City of Tampa Championships, scoring 18 in the final vs. TC.
Jared Kruse, Gulf wrestling: In the 182-pound class, he finished 7-0 during a strong performance at his team’s holiday duals last month. Kruse’s perfect weekend included a pin of Fivay’s previously unbeaten Colin Hahn in just over a minute.
Dallas Moore, Boca Ciega basketball: Senior guard put on a quite in two holiday tournaments, averaging 29 points in a combined six games at the Brighthouse and Northeast tournament. And Moore nearly helped the Pirates pull off upsets against Berkeley Prep and Tampa Prep before faltering at the end.
Give us a shout at hometeam@tampabay.com if you have a Hot Shot we should consider next week.