Pride win Bulls Summer Jam

Published June 26th, 2008

By Mario Sarmento
SPORTS EDITOR

Following a near-championship season last year, Grandview Prep started the summer with a flourish by winning the Bulls Summer Jam Sunday.

The Pride prevailed over St. Thomas Aquinas, which had won the Lynn hoops camp two weeks earlier, 37-34.
Adam Topel and Altavious Carter were the stars of the second half. Carter capped what Coach Joe Dawson said was an “unbelievable weekend” for him with 10 second-half points to lead the Pride back from a one-point halftime deficit. After missing two of his first four free throws of the half, Carter finished with six straight makes, including a pair that provided the Pride with their final points at the 19-second mark.

Topel started a 15-2 spurt to open the half with a three-pointer, steal and layup. He also preserved the victory when he rebounded his own missed free throw with two seconds left.

“He really came through; he’s a returning player who’s been in two Final Fours – you kind of expect that out of these guys,” Dawson said.

Grandview missed the finals at Lynn when they were defeated by American Heritage-Plantation, while St. Thomas topped Sagemont for the title.

“It’s always nice, because when you win it cures a lot of things,” Dawson said. “It just gets the kids really focused and wants them to keep getting better. They know it’s a long summer, but it’s always great when you win.”

Area teams had a good showing at the tournament. Grandview defeated Saint Andrew’s in the quarterfinals and Atlantic in the semifinals, and West Boca fell in the quarterfinals to Wellington. Boca Raton and American Heritage-Delray lost in the first round. The Raiders advanced to the final by defeating Wellington. Jupiter won the consolation final over Palm Beach Central.
“I felt we played good, we didn’t play great,” Bulls coach and tournament organizer Joe Nappi said. “I felt we played better at Lynn ... I think we got tired, playing six guys.”

New era for Bobcats
The camp also marked the dawn of a new era at Boca Raton High, as Rob Long coached his first unofficial game for the Bobcats, a Friday loss to Glades Day.

Long coached at Eastern Kentucky before coming to Boca Raton.
“I thought it had the most in totality,” he said. “I think it had the academics, I really liked the young team.”
The Bobcats lost three Division I players from last year’s team, Mike Technow, Jon Peterson and Colby Wohlleb, and the team struggled to get its bearings during the weekend.

“The best thing that happened was that we saw that we have to do everything by committee,” Long said. “We don’t have that kid out there who’s going to bail us out.”

Boca Raton played without its best big man, Willy Bachara, who was in Israel, and Anthony Anderson, who is still deciding whether or not he will return to the school.

“He’s kind of thinking that through right now,” Long said. “We’re going to talk sometime next week again. I think things’ll work out for both of us.”

Long is also hoping football players Andrew Scott and Anthony Darishaw will join the team to add more athleticism and size.