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Hernando Today

Bulls are Dunked!

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By JIM REDMILE

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: January 29, 2008

WESLEY CHAPEL – Preparation; role playing; adjustments.
These terms can be so cliche in sports and yet winners will tell you that it's the basics that got them where they are. So it went for the Nature Coast boys' basketball team Tuesday night when they ventured to Wiregrass Ranch and beat the Bulls, 67-55.
"He wrote the game plan and gave it to our coaches," said Shark Joey Silvestri, who lit up the scoreboard with 29 points, including three three-pointers, and was 8-of-11 from the free throw line. "He told me I have to be aggressive on offense. What he says I take to heart. So I have to go out and do my job to help my team win."

Adjusting on defense

Part of the preparation was how to play 6-foot-6 Wiregrass center Eric Williams.
"We know he's a shot blocker. We went over in practice that he's gonna block shots," Silvestri explained. "We have to get him involved, get to his body, and try to get fouled. It worked pretty well tonight."
Another part of the preparation was handled by P.J. Orgass, whose job was to defend junior guard Sean Cooper, who had 19 points and was 7-for-7 from the line. "I just come out and do my role. My role is basically play defense and hit shots," said Orgass. "Cooper is a great player. I tried to come out and shut him down; he's quick, he can shoot, he's got a good three with a quick release. I just tried to force him left and contest him with my hands up."
Orgass (10 points, 3-for-4 from the line) also had the play of the night with a dunk on a fast break with 1:33 left in the second quarter.
"I had it, it was a close game, and I always say I'm gonna do it but, I had it, I thought about it going up, I was up there, I might as well do it, and I just threw it down," said Orgass with a big grin. "I always think about it but I finally did it; it was my first of the year."
Shark junior varsity coach Edrease Stephenson talked about the game plan and the adjustments that were made as the game progressed.
"We started out man-to-man to see if they can hit some outside shots on us; man-to-man then go to zone and see how the game would develop," said Stephenson. "They hit some outside shots when we tried to trap the ball. I figured our best bet was to stay in man-to-man.
"(Wiregrass') Cooper and Thomas, they hit some open shots," he continued. "The big fella, he's only a sophomore; he's gonna get his. Lucky for us he missed a few easy buckets and we had some good help-side on him, but he's gonna be a good player."
Stephenson and Silvestri also addressed how the team looks on their way to districts. "We definitely have some things we have to work on," said Stephenson. "Take care of the ball a little more; game management, especially late in the game. I think we're close to where we want to be."
"Confident," said Silvestri. "We're playing well. I think we won 8 of our last 10. Our offense is coming together, and the defense is playing well. We rebounded well tonight even though they have a big boy."

Nature Coast 67, Wiregrass Ranch 55
Qtr. Scoring 1 2 3 4
NCT 13 12 18 24 — 67

WGR
6
15
16
18
—
55

NCT (67): Pent 1 1-2 4, Terry 6 1-3 13, Silvestri 9 9-11 29, Orgass 3 3-4 10, Drake 2 0-0 4, Adams 2 2-2 7, Meier, 0, Peleaz 0. Totals 23 15-20 67.
WGR (55): Burns 1 0-0 2, Lewis 1 0-0 2, Cooper 5 7-7 19, Thomas 3 2-2 9, Williams 5 4-4 14, Carey 4 1-2 9, Tringali 0, James Montojo 0, Jon Montojo 0, Maniory 0. Totals 19 14-15 55.
3-point field goals: NCT Silvestri 3, Orgass 1, Adams 1; WGR Cooper 2, Thomas 1.
Total fouls: NCT 12; WGR 18.
Fouled out: none.
Technicals: none.
Records: Nature Coast Technical (15-7), Wiregrass Ranch (6-15).

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