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Panthers Tops In Cadet League

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By DAREK SHARP

dsharp@tampatrib.com

Published: March 4, 2009

PLANT CITY - In one of the lowest-scoring championship games in program history, the Panthers defeated the Pistons 11-9 for the Cadet League title in Plant City Recreation and Parks Department/Optimist Youth Basketball.

All of the league's champs were crowned as the season came to an end last week.

The Pistons and Panthers were fitting finalists in the Cadet League, for 8- and 9-year-old boys and girls. The Pistons went through the regular season as the lone unbeaten team at 7-0, and the Panthers only loss was to the Pistons by a single point, 13-12. In the finals Austin Eldridge scored seven for the Panthers and Travaris Gayner led the Pistons with six.

The game was played Feb. 23 at the Plant City Family YMCA. Both teams averaged more than 25 points per game during the season but their meetings turned into low-scoring affairs.

In the semifinals the Bears, who were 6-1 during the season, fell to the Pistons 26-21. Gayner scored 14 points. The Panthers got by the Grizzlies 16-14 with Chase Lawson scoring four points. Matthew Mashburn had nine for the Grizzlies.

While the Cadet League finalists were according to form, that was not the case in the Junior Boys League for 10- and 11-year-olds, where the Hornets won the Feb. 23 championship over the Bucks 33-2 at the YMCA. The Hornets finished the regular season tied for third with a 5-2 record while the Bucks were in the middle of the pack at 4-3.

But in the first round the 7-0 Celtics were upset by the Pacers 21-15. The Hornets, who opened with a 50-23 win over the Lakers, then took out the Pacers 30-27 in the semifinal. Zachary Smith and Henry Yoho scored 12 points each for the Hornets in the first-round victory. In the semis the Hornets were able to overcome 16 points from Jordin Robinson of the Pacers.

The Bucks defeated the Spurs 30-28 in the semifinals, eliminating the team that went 6-1 during the season and was second place in the league. Kensey Davis scored 12 for the Bucks and Caleb Gregory added eight, while Josh Gude scored 14 for the Spurs.

In the finals Yoho had 15 points and Devon Rhoades had eight to lead the Hornets to victory.

A perfect 11-0 record was posted by the Magic, champion of the Senior Boys League for 12- and 13-year-olds. In the Feb. 24 finals the Magic beat the Hawks 37-32 with Dustin McGrath scoring 18 points and Jacari Stevenson adding 17. James Orso scored eight points and Cody McDaniel and Christopher Shaw scored six each for the Hawks, who ended up 9-3 as the age group's second-best team.

The clear top two teams in the Premier League for 14- to 16-year-olds met up in the finals, with the Nuggets cruising to a 46-28 win over the Jayhawks. Brian Collins scored 12 points, Harley Jenkins had seven and Aric Aumond and Ricky Herring tossed in six apiece. The Jayhawks got 22 from Preston Wilkerson. Both clubs finished with 11-1 records.

In the semis Collins went for 22 points to guide the Nuggets by the Sonics 64-52, and the Jayhawks edged the Trailblazers 49-47 with Zack Batley pouring in 29 points.

Girls championships were captured by the Nets and Stars. The Nets, 8-1, had no trouble taking the Junior Girls (10- and 11-year-olds) crown, winning the semifinal 35-24, and in the final 33-10. Two Nets players, Arlancia Hargrove and Taylor Edgemon, outscored the Liberty all by themselves in the Feb. 23 contest.

The Senior Girls (12- to 14-year-olds) final was decidedly in favor of the Stars, who beat the Suns 38-18. Erin Gregory scored 13 and Aliyah Gregory added 11 for the Stars, who had tied for the regular-season title with the Comets at 5-2. The Comets lost to the Suns in the first round.

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