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Balanced Effort Paces NCT

Staff photo by BOB EAST III

Nature Coast's Shareka Maner eyes the basket as she prepares to make a lay-up while teammate Alyssa Joens (32) watches.

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: November 19, 2008

Updated:

BROOKSVILLE - Coming off a rare district loss, Nature Coast Technical still managed to maintain its county dominance Wednesday night.

The Lady Sharks, having lost 62-57 to Class 4A, District 8 foe Wiregrass Ranch the previous day, improved their all-time county record to 28-0 with a home victory over Central, 73-56.

The loss to Wiregrass Ranch ended a 33-game district win streak in regular-season play, dating back to the 2005-06 season. Nature Coast has won the past two 4A-8 championships.

"A lot better than last night," said junior guard Jen Marshall. "We all came out a lot stronger. We were all hanging our heads last night. We were ready to play. We came out strong in the beginning."

Marshall scored 12 points in the opening quarter to lead Nature Coast to a double-digit advantage, 20-10.

In the second quarter, senior Shareka Maner paved the way with 10 points as the Lady Sharks maintained their 10-point edge at the intermission, 38-28.

Amanda Morris recorded five points and two steals to begin the third quarter, cutting the Lady Bear deficit in half.

Nature Coast called a time-out, freshman Mariah Byrd answered with her second three-pointer of the night, and Central could get no closer.

The Lady Sharks had a balanced performance, receiving contributions throughout the eight-person roster. Marshall led all scorers with 18 points to go along with six rebounds and four steals.

Maner added 16 points and six boards, while Byrd had 14 points and five rebounds.

Alyssa Joens scored 10 points with three steals; Crystal Anthony posted nine points and four assists. Alexis Helfand contributed a game-high 13 rebounds.

"I thought we picked it up a bit defensively," Nature Coast Head Coach Travis Lamle said. "We started out in fullcourt man. I think we play a lot better on both ends of the floor when we're getting out that way.

"...We're young. I think defensively we're nowhere near where we should be. Offensively we force way too much. We turn the ball over way too many times."

For Central, sophomore point guard McKenzie Burns played well with 14 points, three assists and eight steals.

Amanda Morris had 12 points and nine rebounds, twin sister Blair Morris had 11 points and both had three steals apiece. Tikiera Relaford chipped in seven points and nine boards.

"The intensity I thought was good. The effort I thought was good," Central Head Coach Penny Gressick said. "We had some trouble controlling the ball against pressure. And we got in foul trouble; that got us in trouble. And defensively we did not play well.

"But overall, it's our first game of the season, we scored 56 points. Now we've got to get back to work. Overall I'm pretty satisfied."

NATURE COAST 73, CENTRAL 56
Qtr. Scoring 1 2 3 4
Central 10 18 16 12 — 56
Nature Coast 20 18 15 20 — 73
Central (56): Lynch 0, Sims 1 0-0 2, Relaford 3 1-1 7, Burns 6 0-0 14, Mejia 1 0-0 3, A. Morris 5 2-6 12, B. Morris 4 2-2 11, Velez 3 0-2 7. Totals 23 5-11 56.
Nature Coast (73): Johnson 0, Helfand 1 4-9 6, Joens 5 0-2 10, Anthony 4 0-0 9, Marshall 7 3-3 18, Maner 7 2-2 16, Byrd 6 0-1 14, Hattaway 0. Totals 30 9-17 73.
Three-point field goals: CEN 5 (Burns 2, Mejia, B. Morris, Velez); NCT 2 (Byrd 2, Marshall, Anthony).
Total fouls: CEN 16; NCT 15.
Technical fouls: none.
Fouled out: none.
Records: Central (0-1), Nature Coast (2-1).

Sports writer Chris Bernhardt Jr. can be reached at (352) 544-5288 or cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com.

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