By STEVE JACKSON
The high school basketball season is still early, but so far East Bay High has the dominant won-loss record among the South Shore Five. The Indians, of head coach Yusef Hemmings, in his second season at EB, are 7-1. Sumner High has the next best mark in the South Shore, having one four and lost one in the early going. Spoto High, coached by Waylon Reed, is at 3-4 going into hard-court action versus Lennard High at Spoto, Dec. 10, and versus Tampa Bay Tech at Spoto, Dec. 11. The Spartans then hit the road, facing East Bay, Dec. 13. All games are at 6:30 p.m. before the Christmas break. After the holidays, Spoto hosts Durant High, Jan. 7, at 8 p.m. Spoto’s scoring and rebounding leaders are senior Donovan McSwain and junior Jesse Harden.
The Riverview High Sharks, of head coach Anthony Copernicus, are 2-4. The Sharks split a pair of games last week. After pasting winless Middleton High, 79-67, to snap an eight-game road losing streak, the Sharks were walloped 69-31 by the Plant City Raiders last Friday. This week the Sharks have three games starting at 6:30 p.m. The unbeaten Newsome Wolves brought their 5-0 mark to Riverview, Dec. 10. Road trips for Riverview follow that later this week. First up is a match with Armwood High, Dec. 11. On Friday evening at 6:30 p.m., the Sharks visit Ruskin to clash with Lennard High. Riverview then takes a Christmas-New Year holiday break before returning to basketball play at Riverview. On Jan. 7 East Bay comes visiting the Sharks, and on Jan. 8 King High will visit. Both games start at 8 p.m.
Up to this week, the East Bay High basketball squad had a very good opening of its hardwood season. The lone Indians’ loss has been to Winthrop College Prep Academy, which easily disposed of East Bay in Riverview, 64-40, and now boasts a 5-3 record. The Indians’ meager scoring was led by junior Lennox Duggan with 8 points, and senior Kyree Williams put in 14 points. Now, all of a sudden, EB’s schedule becomes a little more challenging. The Indians of East Bay visit Wharton High for a 7 p.m. game, Dec. 11. Then, on Dec. 13 neighborhood rival Spoto High comes to Big Bend Road to challenge the Indians at 6:30 p.m. East Bay hosts Upperman High School of Baxter, TN, Dec. 20. After some tourney play, Dec. 21 and 22, the Indians take a holiday pause before playing at Riverview at 8 p.m., Jan. 7, and hosting Jefferson High at 8 on Jan. 8.
The Indians are being led by 5-10 senior Kyree Williams with 13.5 points per game. Rebounds are being topped for the Indians by 6-4 senior Nicholas Ghent, who has grabbed 7.5 rebounds per game. Senior Lamardea Anderson is utilizing his 6-4”frame to make .7 blocks per game. Mohshin Hemmings, a 6-3 junior, has distributed three assists per game. East Bay has a tough week
The Lennard High Longhorns are looking to get back on the winning track this week after losing two games last week. The Horns fell in a close match with Strawberry Crest High, 67-61, last Thursday. The next night Lennard was humbled 67-37 by Bloomingdale, which went to a 5-2 mark with the big victory at Ruskin. Earlier last week Lennard dumped Brandon High 74-54.
This week Lennard had a tough duel with Spoto High on Tuesday. The Horns follow that road game with another away match at Chamberlain High on Dec. 11. Lennard closes out the 2024 part of the hoop season with a home game versus Riverview High, Friday, Dec. 13. All games tipoff at 6:30 p.m. Boys Games start at 8 p.m., beginning in the new year. First up in 2025 is a trip to tough Plant City, Jan.7. Then the Horns play a pair of home games: Middleton on Jan. 8 and Newsome on Jan. 10.
Lennard is averaging 55.7 points per game. The scoring leaders are 6-2 senior captain Richard Sykes at 10.5 points per game and junior Devin Freeman, hitting at 10 points per game. Both had stellar games in the big win over Brandon with 17 points apiece. Senior Makai Hills and junior Noah Jorden tallied 14 and 10 points in the Brandon massacre, while sophomore sharpshooter Moises Abreu hit 3 of 5 threes. Senior Nate Montalvo is making strong contributions in points and rebounds for the Horns. Sophomore Edgar Devalle and junior Nathan Jorden topped the scoring in the loss to Bloomingdale with 12 points and 9 points each.
See article and photos about Sumner High boys basketball by Francis Fedor in this week’s The Observer News print issue and in the digital version at ObserverNews.net/.
