"Harpoon" event returns to Manatee County with cherished memories

BRADENTON- The Youth Foundation Basketball Showcase has had several names and now has a new venue, but the memories it created will live forever.

It was the event where host Southeast in 2004 ended Jacksonville Ribault’s 120 game win streak against Florida schools before what is believed to be the biggest crowd ever to watch a high school basketball game in Manatee County for either boys or girls.

And then there was 2002 when little Casey Baker stole the ball with a few seconds left and lofted a shot that enabled Southeast to knock off undefeated Clearwater the state’s top ranked team and national power.

It was the shot heard round the world for girls’ basketball in these parts and to top it off Baker went on to set a school record for steals at Marshall University.

It’s now called the Manasota High School Basketball Showcase and will be held at Bayshore on Saturday. It’s still under the direction of Howard "Harpoon" Karasick, who is putting on his 24^th edition of this event, which was held in Manatee County on two previous occasions.

Regardless of the name and site, this could be another day of big upsets, particularly in the two last games, where the Southeast girls take on two time defending Tampa Catholic and in the nightcap when Braden River faces Sarasota Riverview in a matchup of the area’s two best teams.

For Southeast (13-3) it will mean taking on defending state champions on two straight nights. The Seminoles play host to defending Class 4A State champion St. Petersburg Lakewood on Friday in a district game and then face Tampa Catholic, the two time 3A defending state champs.

Southeast lost to Tampa Catholic in the region final the last two years. The Noles are now in 5A with St. Pete Lakewood, but would like nothing better than to extract some revenge over a team that broke their hearts twice in a row.

But this event seems to bring out the best in the Southeast girls and turn their head coach John Harder into a miracle worker.

“This is the first time we are playing state champs on back to back nights and I never heard of anyone doing that in less than 24 hours,” Harder said. “I am not some genius who wants to upset the world, but they said it would be better for the community if we did it so we are going to do it. It will certainly get us ready for the post season.

“We were up by two points at the end last year and lost to Tampa Catholic and our kids haven’t forgotten that. I want our girls to feel like they are preparing for the end of the season run and this will do it.”

Braden River (10-1) is unbeaten against area teams from Manatee down through Charlotte County. Its only loss is to Miami Carol City, a team host Riverview (11-2) beat in the same Christmas Tournament.

“We thought we could get to play them in their tournament but lost. Now we get that chance and are looking forward to it,” Braden River head coach Matt Nesser said. “We want to play the best and consider them maybe the best in the area. They are athletic and have good size and don’t make a lot of mistakes.”

To get his team ready for the post season, Nesser put together a road heavy schedule and has played only three home games so far this season. In their last game, the Pirates earned a come from 42-41 victory on the road at Punta Gorda Charlotte, which is a tough place to play.

“We haven’t played our best basketball yet. In order to be a championship team you need to play hard for an entire 32 minutes and we did that maybe in one or two games,” Nesser said.

The coach says his three starters from the football team still haven’t gotten their basketball legs yet and it has affected the shooting of point guard Steven Ross.

The Pirates are led by shooting guard Tre’ Bryant, who is averaging 17 points per game. Travon Young, the 6-5 junior, continues to be the Pirates big presence inside averaging 16 points and 11 rebounds. Tommy Bernhardt, a senior guard, is averaging a shade over 10 points per outing.

Riverview is led by 6-3 versatile guard Eric Traver, who is averaging 16.6 points per game and is surrounded by a lot of talent.

What: Manasota High School Basketball Showcase:

Where: Bayshore High

When: Saturday

Admission: $3.00 gets you in for all the games. Kids under 10 are free.

Schedule:

10:30 am (girls) Bayshore vs Clearwater

12 Noon (girls) Lakewood Ranch vs North Port

1:30 pm (boys) Palmetto vs Bayshore

3 pm (girls) Riverview vs St. Petersburg

4:30 pm (boys) Southeast vs Lakewood Ranch

6 pm (girls) Southeast vs Tampa Catholic

7:30 pm (boys) Braden River vs Riverview

Can Bayshore end streak against county foes

A big question looming this week is whether Bayshore head football coach J.P. Gordon can put an end to his losing streak.

Under his watch, Bayshore has lost 14 straight games to Manatee County teams and has not recorded a victory over a county school since 2007 when the Bruins defeated Braden River 28-14.

This is the first of four opportunities Bayshore has to end the streak this season. After Lakewood Ranch, it has games at Palmetto and Braden River and is home against Southeast.

During the 14 game streak, Bayshore has lost four times to Southeast, three times to Braden River and Palmetto and twice to Manatee and Lakewood Ranch.

Bayshore looking to fill two head varsity positions

Bayshore High is still looking for two head coaches, according to school athletic director Chris Brady.

Bruins head wrestling coach Trevor Johnson_and as reported earlier_boys basketball coach Warren Bell have resigned.

Johnson, a former state wrestling champion at Bayshore, will continue to teach and coach girls golf at the school. Bell teaches physical education at an elementary school.

Brady said the school was in a holding pattern right now because it was waiting to see what teaching positions might come open at Bayshore.

Jamaal Sanders, the Bayshore girls head basketball coach, has been working with the boys team and helping some of its players with AAU ball.

"Jamaal has kind of stepped it up, does have an interest in the boys head coach and is a staff member here," Brady said. "He is our girls coach and if he does move over than we will have an opening for the girls job as well. Hopefully in the next two or three weeks we can fill that position."

Bell steps down as Bayshore boys basketball coach

Warren Bell has resigned as the Bayshore High boys basketball coach after serving three years in the position.

Bell cited personal reasons for his resignation. A physical education at Palma Sola Elementary School, he said it was difficult to work in two different places.

Bell also said he was having surgery to remove several cysts on his vocal chords and doctors recommended he not use his voice as much, which would've made coaching difficult.

This past season Bell coached Bayshore to an 11-13 record, which was his best year. He played for Manatee High and Manatee Community College in the mid seventies.

''I love the kids there and I think we were making good progress. My fondest memory came last season when we beat Southeast on our senior night," Bell said.

Smalls and King lead Manatee County in PAL Showcase Game

Reggie Smalls and Jeremi King combined for 43 points to lead Manatee County to a 111-87 victory over Sarasota County in the PAL Senior Showcase, Saturday night at Lakewood Ranch.

Smalls, the Southeast High standout, was named the MVP in turning in a strong all around game with 21 points, six rebounds, five steals and three assists.

King from Bayshore, took team scoring honors with 22 points and was named his team's Offensive Player of the game.

Read the full story in Sunday's Bradenton Herald.

Jan Brady receives honor at Bayshore

The Bayshore High School gymnasium was officially named the Jan C. Brady Gymnasium Monday night in tribute to a man who served as a teacher and basketball coach at the school for more than three decades.

Brady was an original member of the Bayshore High School staff transferring from Manatee High School in 1974 and worked in the county as a teacher for nearly forty years.

Coach Brady's focus was never about wins and losses - he valued student effort and sportsmanship. He stressed family values and academics over athletics. When a student played for coach Brady, he became a part of the Brady family.

His son Chris served as head basketball coach at Bayshore and is now the school’s athletic director. His other son Brac was the head basketball coach at the old Manatee Community College and has been head coach at the University of Maine at Machias for the past six years.

Washington could play in Thursday's ESPN game

Local fans hoping to get a glimpse of hometown hero Fabian Washington in the Baltimore Ravens pre-season opener this Thursday night on ESPN may have to wait until kickoff to see if he is going to play.

The former Bayshore High standout is coming off ACL knee surgery and Ravens head coach Jim Harbaugh doesn’t want to risk anything with his starting cornerback though he has looked impressive during camp and has made what appears to be a speedy recovery.

Washington started 10 games last season before being shelved with his injury. He wasn’t expected to play again until close to the regular season opener. But he has been practicing well and showing the speed and agility that made him first round pick out of Nebraska in 2005.

Harbaugh said the 27 year-old Washington could play, but he is not sure whether he wants to risk injury in the game against the Carolina Panthers. Kickoff is for 8 p.m.

“He’s ready to go. It’s just a matter of whether we want him to go. I think we’ll take him out during pregame and see how much work we get done, and we’ll just decide. But, we’re not going to push it, I can tell you that,” Harbaugh said in his Tuesday press conference.

Naturally Washington said he wants to play, but will go along with whatever Harbaugh decides. He has been practicing with the first team defense the last three days. The Ravens have really been banged up in the secondary.