| |||||
|
|
|
| ||
| |||||
| |||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2009-10 Bartow High School Boy's Varisty Basketball Roster # Player Name Position Height Grade 0 Deandre Joe Guard 5'10" 11 3 Rodney Smith Guard 5'7" 11 12 Jeremiah Samarrippas Guard 5'10" 12 14 Roy'Quies Graham Guard 5'8" 9 20 Richard Murvin Wing 6'1" 12 21 Vincent Reid Forward 6'3" 12 22 Tevin Grant Wing 6'4" 12 23 Jordan White Guard 5'7" 9 24 Weedlens Beauvil Wing 5'11" 12 32 Rodrick Robinson Forward 6'4" 11 33 Reginald Polite Forward 6'2" 12 34 Deone'Ta Levy Forward 6'2" 11 42 Adrian Brackins Forward 6'2" 12 44 Akeem Severin Forward 6'2" 10 Head Coach: Terrence A. McGriff JV Head Coach: Ledarion Jones Assistant Coaches: Larry Tucker, Marlon Austin, Robert Webb, Howe Wallace Manager: Shawn Russell Statistician: Laura Webb Athletic Director: Glenn Rutenbar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||
Jackets Win State Basketball TitleBy NEAL DUNCAN, Sports CorrespondentBartow High School boys basketball team looked to finish something many of the seven seniors dreamed of when they were just 9 years old. That something was winning a state championship. This group began playing together when they were 9 and ever since then, have had the goal of winning a state title. They got close last year by making it to the state semifinals before falling to eventual state champion, Cocoa High School. It is very hard for a team to make it to the state finals at the Lakeland Center twice, let alone two consecutive years. The Jackets got there again this year and took down a high-powered Palm Beach Dwyer in the state semifinal game on Wednesday. The win punched their ticket for a chance at their dream, a state championship. That set up the title game against a terrific Sickles High School (29-2) out of Tampa. The game started with the Jackets jumping out to a quick 6-2 lead on three-pointers from Weedlens Beauvil and Richard Murvin. These two shots were actually the only two field goals the Jackets would make in the opening quarter as they went cold from the field. Sickles used a two-three zone defense and was successful in making Bartow shoot a number of three-pointers. The Jackets used good ball movement to get open shots; they just couldn’t get them to fall. Sickles was unable to take advantage of the cold shooting from Bartow. The Jackets used stifling defense to keep the score close — 8-6 in favor of Sickles after one quarter of play. The second quarter started with colder shooting from Bartow as Sickles raised its lead to 13-6 with 7:04 left in the first half. At that point, Jacket Head Coach Terrence McGriff called a timeout. Out of the break, Bartow got a bucket and free throw from Reggie Polite. That was quickly followed with a steal from Jeremiah Samarrippas, who dished to Murvin. Murvin dropped it in for two, making the score 13-11 Sickles. The Jackets forced another Sickles turnover and Beauvil tied the game up at 13-13 on a driving layup with 5:53 left in the half. Sickles regained the lead and pushed it to 18-15 before Samarrippas drilled a Jacket three with 2:20 left in the second quarter. Sickles came right back and took the lead, 20-18. Feeling it, Samarrippas threw another long distance dedication and nailed another Bartow three with 1:28 left in the opening half. The shot gave the Jackets a 21-20 lead. After a Sickles miss, Samarrippas tried unsuccessfully to hit another three-pointer. Sickles came back and scored again, giving them a 22-21 lead with 51.7 left in the first half. 
Not to be outdone, Beauvil hit a three-pointer for the Jackets with 30.2 left. His three gave the Jackets a 24-22 lead at the half. Almost as if he had a Superman cape on, Samarrippas turned the game on a dime and the rest of the Jackets caught fire to start the third quarter. Sickles got the ball to start the half but Samarrippas stole it away and scored on a layup for the Jackets. In fact he scored six straight points, causing Sickles to burn a timeout with 5:43 left in the third as they trailed 30-22. On the defensive end, Bartow was getting after it. Sickles’ next offensive possession resulted in Reggie Polite and Rodrick Robinson making to clean blocks and gaining control of the ball for the Jackets. Murvin hit a jumper on the other end and the Jacket lead was quickly 33-22 with 5:24 left in the third. Bartow increased the lead to 15 points with 2:12 left in the third quarter on a Vince Reid bucket. From there the Jacket Nation counted away the minutes, as Sickles never got any closer than seven points. Bartow used aggressive defense and clutch free throw shooting to secure the school’s fourth state championship in boy’s basketball with the 53-41 win. This is Bartow’s first title since 1988, as the Jackets lost in their last state championship game appearance in 1989. Bartow also won state titles in 1958 and 1975 and 1988. Bartow finishes the season with a 25-5 record. This magical season is a far cry from McGriff’s arrival in Bartow eight years ago. That year the Jackets finished the season 6-21. Much credit goes to a coaching staff that has stuck together and brought the Jackets back to greatness — McGriff, Marlon Austin, Larry Tucker, LeDarion Jones, Robert Webb, and Tripp Wallace. More importantly, the best friends and Jacket seniors Jeremiah Samarrippas, Weedlens Beauvil, Richard Murvin, Vince Reid, Reggie Polite, Tevin Grant, and Adrian Brackins finished what they started and accomplished their goal of winning a state championship. What many people don’t know is that this group has prided themselves on being student-athletes. Many of them have higher than 3.0 grade point averages in the classroom. They have stayed out of trouble and have been excellent role models in our community, this reporter believes. While some schools let their players slide and cover up cheating, this group did it the right way and will forever be known as state champs. Go Jackets! | |||
| |||
Jackets Win Semifinal 54-48After beating Newsome High School last Saturday to win Bartow’s ninth regional championship, the Jackets took on Palm Beach Dwyer Wednesday night at the Lakeland Center.Win the game and Bartow would be playing for its fourth basketball state championship. Bartow jumped out to an early 4-0 lead before Dwyer evened the game with four straight of their own. Back came Bartow with an 11-2 run, giving the Jackets a 15-6 lead with 1:35 left in the first quarter. With the Jackets looking to get a firm grip on the game, Dwyer finished the quarter with 5-0 run to cut the Bartow lead to four points, 15-11 after one quarter of play. The Dwyer run extended itself in the second quarter to 18-6 as Dwyer took the lead at the half over the Jackets, 24-21. After halftime, Bartow found themselves down 28-23 with 5:11 left in the third. Jackets Head Coach Terrence McGriff called a timeout. After that, Bartow turned up the defensive pressure, forcing a Dwyer turnover. Then the Jackets got a Richard Murvin layup that cut the deficit to three points, 28-25. On Dwyer’s next offensive possession, the Bartow defense caused another turnover as Dwyer was called for traveling. This put the ball in Jeremiah Samarrippas’ hands. He knew just what to do with it as he took it to the hole, made the shot and got fouled. After making the free throw, the Jackets had knotted the game at 28-all with 3:51 left in the quarter. Bartow retook the lead with 1:34 left in the quarter on a Reggie Polite bucket inside, 32-31. That score remained as the game went to the fourth and final period. Dwyer regained the lead at 35-34 with 6:39 remaining when Samarrippas put the Jackets on his back and led a 11-0 run over the next 3:36 seconds to give the Jackets a 45-35 lead. Dwyer tried to come back, but the Jackets’ defense and clutch free throw shooting sealed the game for Bartow, 54-48. Samarrippas led Bartow with 24 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. | |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!