10 Best: Gainesville v. Kathleen
STORY The Gainesville Hurricanes moved to 20-2 after a tough 64-54 overtime win against the Kathleen Red Devils in the Bobcat Shootout, hosted by Buchholz High School. ‘Canes junior Christian Miller-Cardwell led all with 18 points, while Ja’Shaun Dias was…
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The Gainesville Hurricanes moved to 20-2 after a tough 64-54 overtime win against the Kathleen Red Devils in the Bobcat Shootout, hosted by Buchholz High School. ‘Canes junior Christian Miller-Cardwell led all with 18 points, while Ja’Shaun Dias was the front-man for Kathleen with 14 points.
MVP: Christian Miller-Cardwell (Gainesville)
Four players hit double-figures in scoring in this game, but none were more clutch than C.M.C. down the stretch. When his ‘Canes were down one with a few dozen seconds left in the game, Miller-Cardwell bullied through the lane for an and-one play which gave them a two-point lead. Eventually, Kathleen forced overtime. But C.M.C.’s 12 points in the fourth quarter and OT are the reason Gainesville took this game. Didn’t do much in the first half on offense, more a defensive presence. He flipped that in the second half.
Best Offense: Rod Boggan Jr. (Kathleen)
He wasn’t the leading scorer for Kathleen in this game with 12 points, but he had the most patient, keep-your-eyes-open style of offense out of anyone on the court. 10 of his 12 came in the second half, but the way he attempted to get his teammates involved was great. Always dishing the ball, looking for the crease in the D to slide a pass to a post player. His jumper was silky in the second half, as well.
Best Defense: Isaiah Wilson (Gainesville)
Just a guy who’s never going to take plays off when it comes to defending the glass & the drive. The senior notched a team-high seven rebounds. Not to mention five steals and a block. Wilson deserves some attention, even if it was solely because of defense.
Best Reserve: Micaiah Lacroix (Gainesville)
This senior doesn’t care how or when he gets in the game, as long as he’s able to produce. Lacroix notched 11 points, six rebounds and two assists in the win. Lacroix is just coming back from injury, so it’s great to see him steadily get better and better as time progresses.
Best Rebounder: Chris Williams (Kathleen)
The senior used his 6’6” frame to make the biggest impact for Kathleen on the glass. With six rebounds to lead his team, Williams showed himself as the largest threat on defense for the ‘Canes. Very active, the hustle was there the entire game.
Best Radar Guy: Dallas Tealer (Gainesville)
The junior is bound to have an awesome senior season the way he’s ending the current. Tealer notched 11 points, including three treys in the second half. He also threw in five rebounds and two assists for good measure. Not a rah-rah guy on-court, but he’s going to give you exactly what you want as a coach: dedication.
Best Aspect of the Game: “The Leen” Uniforms
Happened to be sitting next to a guy that grew up in Lakeland, and I laughed a bit when I read Kathleen’s uniforms saying “The Leen” on the front. We got into a pretty deep conversation on it, and it’s actually a moniker that has been a staple to, not only the school, but the city. It’s something they’re really proud of.
Best Shoes: Ja’Shaun Dias (Kathleen)
The senior donned the Air Jordan Retro “Bred 11” while dropping a team-high 14 points. Personally, that’s a heavy shoe to try and be effective in, but he made it work. They didn’t hold him back from notching five rebounds along with it. He must have felt Jordan’s presence in the shoe, as he flew through the lane for two dunks on the night.
Best Energy Man: Micaiah Lacroix (Gainesville)
Despite having this heavy knee brace on for the game, Lacroix showed that it wouldn’t hold him back from putting his heart in the game. He played controlled, but visibly put a lot of effort into each play on-court. It was noticeable through out the entire game. Best example came with six minutes to go in the second quarter.
Best Story To Watch Going Forward: Gainesville’s Playoff Run
The Hurricanes recently clinched home-court for the district tourney and with a 20-2 record, they’re poised to make a deeper run past districts. Talking to head coach Kelly Beckham over the last few weeks, his message consistently involves “defense”. He feels that’s the key to their entire program. The way they defended in overtime, only allowing two points all-period, makes me believe so.