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Last Local Unbeaten Falls Thanks to Christian's Clutch Effort
By: Aaron Seybert
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
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VENICE -- There were two long winning streaks on the line in the Venice High School gymnasium in Tuesday night's district 5A-10 matchup between the #1 Charlotte Tarpons and Venice Indians. Charlotte entered the game with a 12 game win streak and was the last remaining unbeaten team in all of Southwest Florida. Venice came in with a 14 game home winning streak, stretching all the way back to the 2007-08 season. Well, as with all sports that do not allow ties to be game results, there had to be a winner and on the other end someone's streak would be coming to an end.
Through two quarters of play, it was almost dead even, with Venice holding the halftime lead at 24-22. Most would have thought heading into the game that with Venice losing senior guard Justin Grant just a couple weeks ago, not having senior Trey Burton (who graduated early to start his football career at the University of Florida), and then with sophomore big man Omari Phillips having to sit out due to a "sprained foot," that the Indians would not have much of a chance against the Tarpons who had been on a roll.
Well, in the third quarter Charlotte flexed their muscle and used a 26-8 scoring advantage in the period to grab a commanding 48-32 lead heading into the final stanza. The sudden scoring outburst was led by the visitor's three headed scoring monster of seniors Nick Goshay, Jonathan Ocasio, and Dee Shine. Goshay had just three points through the first 16 minutes, but turned it up in the third, scoring 9 of his 17 total points in the period. Shine and Ocasio each chipped in with 2 three-pointers a piece as well, while Ocasio also added two free throws to give him 8 for the quarter. As a team, Charlotte hit 6 long range bombs in the period, and hit 11 for the game.
So entering the final period, Charlotte was in a comfortable position to remain unbeaten, and notch another win in this heated rivalry.
However, the Indians were not ready to give up just yet. They opened the fourth with an 11-0 run in the first 3 1/2 minutes before another Ocasio trey would end the run, setting the score at 51-43 with just over half the period left.
The run was keyed by senior guard Zach Christian, who up until the fourth had only scored 4 points. Christian though would proceed to outscore the Tarpons in the fourth, 11-7, with most of his buckets coming on driving contested layups or capitalizing on the Tarpons not getting back in time on defense in transition.
With 32.3 left, Charlotte was up 53-51 and had a chance to seal the game as Shine headed to the foul line for a pair of free throws. He proceeded to miss both. On the second miss, Venice junior Clay Burton grabbed the rebound and kicked the outlet pass to Christian, and he took the ball all the way into the teeth of the Tarpons defense and hit a contested scooping layup to knot it up at 53 a piece.
After Charlotte was unable to score on their next possession, Venice would have the ball with 4.5 seconds left and a chance to win. However, Goshay came up big, drawing a charging foul on the baseline by Christian with 2.4 seconds still on the clock, much to the dismay of the home crowd.
Charlotte would not be able to get another shot off on their subsequent possession, sending the game into overtime.
In overtime, Indians drew first blood scoring on a Burton fast break layup, thanks to a steal on the other end by junior Michael Smither. After a couple more sloppy possessions for each team, Christian would go to the line after being fouled inside. He missed both.
Charlotte answer back, this time on a trey by Goshay, putting the Tarpons up 56-55.
Two free throws by Venice junior Joey Boyle, who finished with 11 points for the game, gave his team the lead back 57-56. Christian, who finished with a game-high 21 points, followed with a pair of free throws as well, which made it 59-56.
Then down 61-58 with 11 seconds left, Charlotte tied it up on Shine's fourth trey of the game.
Venice would not hesitate or call a timeout this time though, as they quickly inbounded the ball and pushed it up the floor. Boyle was able to find Christian down low, where he was able to draw the foul call with 2.2 seconds.
He proceeded to knock both down, and give the Indians the lead 63-61. Charlotte's Joey DeGaeta heaved a three quarter court attempt at the buzzer but it was well off the mark.
Final score: Venice 63, Charlotte 61
In all, Christian made 7 of 9 free throws in the game, but none were more crucial than going 6 for 6 to end the game, after missing his first two of the extra period. He also added a game-high 12 rebounds. Burton and Smither both added 13 a piece for the winners. Venice improves to 6-4 on the season, and 3-0 in 5A-10 district play, putting them in the lead in the district standings thus far.
For Charlotte, Shine and Ocasio had a 18 each, while Goshay had his 17, and DeGaeta chipped in with 8. The Tarpons fall to 12-1 overall, and 3-1 in the district.
