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Hernando Today

Eagles Take The Bite Out of the Cobras, 66-56

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By RICK FULLER

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: January 23, 2008

SPRING HILL – Springstead High's boys' basketball team overcame a slow start Thursday evening at home against Hudson before pulling ahead in the third quarter for good, winning 66-56.
Springstead was led by Dante Valentine with 18 points, four rebounds and six steals, followed closely behind by teammate Dominic Roberson with 16 points, four rebounds and three steals.

Hudson: ahead quickly

Hudson (10-9) started off quick, grabbing the opening tip was Stephen Brom and he found Tyler Hooten wide open for one of his three treys on the night.
With 6:01 left in the first quarter, Springstead guard Nick Steadman swiped the ball and scored the first points of the night for the Eagles, 6-2.
With 2:53 remaining in the first, Valentine cleared the boards and drove the length of the floor for two, cutting the lead to 6-4.
Hudson began to pull away when Hooten hit another three-pointer from behind the arc, giving Hudson an 11-4 advantage.
Springstead had difficulty converting lay-ups early on. Still, Springstead's Nehemiah Mason converted a three-point field goal early in the second quarter that thus began the Eagles' tedious climb back into the game.
With 3:23 left in the first half, Roberson grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back up for two and a foul. He managed to convert the three-point play bringing the Eagles to within five, at 25-20.
With four seconds showing, Andrew Echanique hit a three-pointer to give momentum to the Eagles, who trailed by one at the intermission.
With 5:15 remaining in the third quarter, Roberson grabbed another rebound and put it in for two and added another three-point play, converting 8-of-10 on the night from the free throw line.

SHS: defense picks up

Springstead increased its defensive intensity in the second half, forcing a total of 25 turnovers, 15 of them steals that enabled the Eagles to fast break and get to the line.
With less than a minute left in the third quarter the Eagles' Valentine grabbed a rebound and started a perfect Roberson-to-Steadman fast break that resulted in another easy lay-up and a 52-41 advantage, allowing Springstead to put the Cobras away for good.
"Their defense definitely won this game and turned the tide," commented Hudson Head Coach Jason Vetter.
Springstead's first-year mentor, Pat Kelly, spoke after the game, "All our kids stepped up. We always say just stay focused. You never know whose turn it's going to be to make a difference. Our kids are pretty unselfish. They tried to copycat Nature Coast a little bit. We were just trying to take what was there, what they gave us."

SPRINGSTEAD 66, HUDSON 56
Qtr scoring 1 2 3 4
Hudson 16 12 13 15 -- 56
Springstead 7 20 25 14 -- 66
HUDSON (56) - Solis 2 1-2 6, Cartgena 0, Law 2 0-0 6, Rice 4 1-5 9, Farchsone 0, Hooten 3 0-0 9, Branco 5 11-17 21, Gibbons 1 0-0 2, Engelhardt 0 0-2 0, Brom 1 1-2 3, 18 14-28 56.
SPRINGSTEAD (66) - Mason 1 3-4 6, Valentine 7 3-10 18, O'Neal 0, Roberson 4 8-10 16, Brennan 0, Inniss 0, Flugel 0, Steadman 3 4-4 10, Sabusky 1 0-0 2, Noury 3 0-0 8, Jablon 0, Echanique 2 0-0 6,21 18-28 66 .
3-point field goals - HUD 6 (Solis 1, Law 2, Hooten 3), SPR 7 (Mason 1, Valentine 1, Noury 2, Echanque 2).
Total fouls - HUD 20; SPG 22.
Fouled out - SPG 2 (Roberson, Noury)
Technicals - none
Records - Hudson (10-9), Springstead (17-2).

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