3rd Annual Brooks DeBartolo Thanksgiving Shootout Recap
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3rd Annual Brooks DeBartolo Thanksgiving Shootout November 23-24, 2020 Recap By Michael Wholey 12/5/20 12:00 PM EST We are 3 weeks into the High School season. Many teams kicked off their season playing in tournaments around the Thanksgiving Holidays. Here…
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Continue Reading3rd Annual Brooks DeBartolo Thanksgiving Shootout November 23-24, 2020 Recap
By Michael Wholey 12/5/20 12:00 PM EST
We are 3 weeks into the High School season. Many teams kicked off their season playing in tournaments around the Thanksgiving Holidays. Here is a look at the 3rd Annual Brooks DeBartolo Thanksgiving Shootout that was held November 23-24, 2020.
3rd Annual Brooks DeBartolo Thanksgiving Shootout November 23-24, 2020
Day 1 Results (November 23)
Seffner Christian (55) HB Plant (76)
Brooks DeBartolo (55) Clearwater HS (50)
Day 2 Results (November 24)
Clearwater HS (64) Seffner Christian (55)
HB Plant (72) Braden River (35)
Unfortunately, the main story for this event was the super talented Tampa Bay Tech squad not being able to participate in the event due to several positive COVID-19 tests in the program. Missing from the event was the talented 2022 front court of Janiah Barker Janiah Barker 6'2" | SF Montverde Academy | 2022 State #3 Nation FL and Amiya Evans Amiya Evans 6'2" | PF DME Academy | 2022 State FL . This will be a common theme this 2020-21 season and many teams, schools, administrators and event directors will have to adjust and role with the punches while keeping the main priority the health and safety of all those participating in youth sports.
In addition to Tampa Bay Tech headliners, Braden River’s star player O’Mariah Gordon O’Mariah Gordon 5'6" | PG Braden River | 2021 State #27 Nation FL also did not play. The uber athletic, dynamic scorer who is largely considered the top player in the state of Florida sat out with an ankle injury.
Seffner Christian went 0-2 on the weekend and looked like a team looking to find a rhythm. Head Coach Joe Cooper has always emphasized a team offense typically seeing 3-5 players in double digits often with a different high scorer nightly. Kailyn Gilbert Kailyn Gilbert 5'8" | CG IMG Academy | 2022 State FL is a superb offensive talent who averaged over 30 points per game for Tampa Prep last season and it is obvious that both Gilbert and Coach Cooper are trying to find the balance of implementing her into Seffner Christian style of play. The Seffner Christian team is solid and well rounded. It may take some time to merge Gilbert’s scoring ability and talent into a team-oriented offense. It is now about how you are playing now in November and December but how you are playing as a team come playoff time in January and February.
Clearwater is not shying away from scheduling tough and took on two tough opponents in Braden River and Seffner Christian. The Tornadoes went 1-1 loosing to BDCHS by 5 and then taking down Seffner Christian. Freshman Beckham Hockley Beckham Hockley 5'7" | PG Sickles | 2024 State FL went for 19 in the loss to BDCHS and Sophomore Ace Sturdivant Ace Sturdivant 5'10" | CG Clearwater | 2023 State FL was the star in the victory vs Seffner going 7/13 from the field for 25 points.
Plant was impressive picking up two victories. Plant’s two D1 signees led the way with Vanderbilt signee Kendal Cheesman Kendal Cheesman 6'2" | PF HB Plant | 2021 State FL dropping 17 points and 22 points in both games while Georgia State signee Nyla Jean Nyla Jean 5'7" | PG HB Plant | 2021 State FL also went for double digits in both games including 18 points vs Braden River. 2022 Hayden Stern and 2023 Tanner Strickland Tanner Strickland 5'5" | PG HB Plant | 2023 State FL were also impressive on the offensive end both hitting the double-digit scoring mark in the Seffner win.
Host Brooks DeBartolo picked up one-win vs Clearwater showcasing a well balanced offense that emphasizes team ball, extra passes, ball movement, movement and cutting without the ball and spacing the floor. The Lady Phoenix scored 55 points with five players getting into the scoring column with Senior Ayonna Simmons leading the way with 17 points on 8/14 shooting.