5 Takeaways: Somerset Academy Pines at Cardinal Gibbons
Somerset Academy Pines went on the road to face Class 5A-District 13 foe Cardinal Gibbons on Tuesday night. Here are 5 Takeaways from Fort Lauderdale: Gibbons rallies Cardinal Gibbons trailed by double-digits, 26-15, in the second quarter before finishing the…
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Continue ReadingSomerset Academy Pines went on the road to face Class 5A-District 13 foe Cardinal Gibbons on Tuesday night.
Here are 5 Takeaways from Fort Lauderdale:
Gibbons rallies
Cardinal Gibbons trailed by double-digits, 26-15, in the second quarter before finishing the game on a 51-33 run to defeat an undermanned Somerset Pines squad, 66-59.
“I think we have a lot to improve upon,” Gibbons coach Devin Barta said. “I’m really not happy with the way we’re playing right now. … We’re still figuring it out and that’s a scary statement to be making late in the year.”
Gibbons ran its overall record to 14-7, while picking up its first district win in five tries in the challenging 5A-13. The last two 5A state champions — Calvary Christian and University School — have come out of this district. Somerset fell to 3-14, 0-5.
No quit in Somerset
You have to credit Somerset Pines.
In a season that he seen 6-foot-5 junior forward Tyson Civil and 6-1 junior guard Brandon Garcia go down with knee injuries — and now 2020 Dudley Blackwell transfer to Huntington Prep in West Virginia — the Panthers have not quit on coach Andrew Scott.
Somerset dressed just seven players to Gibbons’ 12 on Tuesday. Yet, the Panthers led 15-10 after one quarter and 26-15 in the second quarter before running out of gas in the second half.
“No quit in us,” Scott said. “It’s been a rough year. It’s been injuries. It’s been everything. You can name it. But the boys fight. We’re going to keep fighting.
“Tyson is going through his rehab process. So is Brandon. They’ll both be back by June.”
2020 Nathan Montaque led the Panthers with 20 points and 2019 Cohnan Lightbourne added 18.
New interest in Garcia
Garcia had his left knee operated on. He says he will be back at Somerset next year.
FIU and North Florida have offered Garcia. He said Murray State, USF and South Alabama are all now showing interest.
‘G’ leads way
6-7 senior Gertautas Urbonavicius led four Gibbons players in double figures with 20 points. 2020 Alex Vertus added 16 points, sophomore Troy Boynton 11 and junior Michal Antoine 10.
Urbonavicius has scholarship offers from North Dakota and Barry. Dartmouth, Columbia, Princeton, Wofford, Rollins and Sam Houston State are among the other schools in the mix.
“My goal is to go Ivy League,” he said.
Antoine big boost off football
The 5-10 Antoine scored all 10 of his points in the first half. He could give Gibbons a nice boost after helping the football team to a state championship.
“He actually was on Somerset North Lauderdale’s basketball team last year that went to the state final four,” Barta said. “So he is a terrific athlete and he’s great on the football field. He just got his first football offer from Boston College. We think the floodgates are going to open. He made a ton of big plays this year on the way to the state championship.”
If you have high school basketball news, you can reach Pat Lammer via e-mail at PatALammer@Gmail.com or via text at 954-661-9671.