By DAN HOEHNE
daniel.hoehne@newssun.com
SEBRING - The 2012 edition of the annual Taveniere Tournament has seen some great, down-to-the-last-second action along with the Blue Streaks winning in seemingly different ways over the first two nights.
Thursday saw Miami-area Homestead break a tie and avoid overtime on a driving lay-up at the buzzer for a win over Lake Region.
But the Broncos couldn't avoid going into overtime Friday, twice actually, as they and DeSoto battled through two extra frames.
With the up-and-down, fast-paced game stretching so long, everyone was gasping for air by the end.
"I know you're tired of playing," Bulldog head coach Rick Mason said during a time-out late in the second overtime. "Because I'm tired of coaching."
But play and coach they would, with the effort paying off when another last-second shot delivered a DeSoto win.
Sebring, meanwhile, rode a pressing and opportunistic defense to break out to a big lead and then hold it throughout in Thursday's win over Avon Park.
Friday's win over Frostproof looked different in how it played out, but it was that core of intense, active and aggressive defense that wound up paving the way to a 62-41 win.
"We got out to the big lead and got the win over Avon Park," head coach Princeton Harris said of the Thursday contest. "I would have liked us to finish better though."
Which is what they did Friday night as it was a second-half surge that broke open a narrow, three-point lead at the half..
Both defenses were in overdrive early on, forcing turnovers left and right, with baskets few and far between.
Richard Cobb got Frostproof's first score on the inside with Sebring's Luke Ancrum answering with a bucket down low as well.
Gary DeMarest added a putback and Conner Cook split a pair at the line for a three-point Blue Streak lead that was cut back to one on a Cecil Cherry drive.
Quantrae Rouse then upped it to three on a baseline drive and Josh Austin scored on an offensive rebound to push it to five.
But Josh Howard hit a three and Daniel Knighten sank a jumper from the baseline to even things up at 9-9.
After a missed chances for both sides, Rouse closed the first period with a triple at the buzzer for a 12-9 lead.
The scoring picked up quite a bit in the second, with DeMarest hitting two free throws to get it rolling.
Major Plain nabbed a steal and took it to the rim for a score but Decaris Jones answered with a jumper from the left end of the foul line.
The Bulldogs got consecutive drives for scores from Kijana Gaines and Kaleel Gaines, but Austin hit a free throw, Jones hit three after being fouled on a trey attempt from the corner, and Austin made a power move inside to make it a 22-15 Sebring advantage.
The physicality of the contest, however, was beginning to take its' toll as the teams were soon in the bonus and it became a parade to the foul line over the last three minutes of the first half.
Each team made six free throws over that stretch, with the Streaks going 6-of-10 and Frostproof 6-of-9, but the Bulldogs got two additional buckets from Knighten to keep the margin at three, 28-25, at the half.
Sebring then began the second half much like they started Thursday's game from the start, cranking up the press and converting from the turnovers it created.
"We really just put that in about a week ago," Harris said. "They are doing well with it and it also gets them energized and into the game that much quicker."
The Streaks also saw DeMarest take over on the inside as during their 9-3 run to open the third, he had eight of those points on power moves in the paint.
After a Plain drive cut it back to 37-30, Sebring scored the next nine points to push it to 46-30 before a Howard three ended the frame for Frostproof.
The 13-point lead was nudged to 16 at 53-37 on an Ancrum follow.
From there, Duran Randolph scored five points, including a tip-in, and Dylon Nielander added four to help provide for the final margin.
"It was a good win, the kids are making progress which is what you're looking for," Harris said.
With the back-to-back wins, Sebring advanced to Saturday evening's championship final against that other Bulldog squad, DeSoto.
Go to www.newssun.com for a recap of the contest.
Sunday, December 30, 2012 - www.newssun.com/SUN-12-30-12-SebBB