Lake and Sumter schools focus on girls state basketball tournaments

SOPHOMORE SENSATION ASHLEY PERRY LEAD ALL LADY JACKETS SCORERS AVERAGING 13.7 A GAME

Liberty Christian already is there, Leesburg and South Sumter can earn state berths Saturday

By Joe Williams, Orlando Sentinel

February 17, 2011

Leesburg and Bushnell South Sumter each are one win away from making return trips to next week's FHSAA Girls Basketball State Tournament at the Lakeland Civic Center.

Class 4A Leesburg (22-6) will be looking to return to state for the first time since 2008 and 3A South Sumter (27-1) is looking to head back for the first time since 2001.

Both teams will have to win on the road.

Leesburg, No. 10 in the Sentinel's Super 16, will have to beat Land O' Lakes (23-2) and South Sumter, No. 15 in the Super 16, will have to get past Port Orange Atlantic (20-7), No. 11 in the Super 16. Both region final games begin at 7 p.m.

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"I think we are finally playing within ourselves," Leesburg coach Mark Oates said. "We are doing a better job of doing the things that we have to do to win. I thought last night [a 52-36 victory over Gainesville Eastside in the region semifinal] may have been our best defensive effort of the season and we did a much better job of rebounding "

Meanwhile, Tavares Liberty Christian already advanced to the Florida Christian School Conference state tournament in Clearwater with a 38-32 victory Tuesday night over Land O' Lakes Christian.

The Eagles (19-3), making their second FCSC state appearance in the past three years, met Sarasota Christian (21-0) in Thursday night's semifinal game. They went into the game knowing that a victory would put them in the state championship game for the first time . The state final will be played at 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon in Clearwater.

"This group was all eighth- and ninth-graders when I took over the team five years ago," Liberty coach Dave Norris said. "We only have four seniors on this team and the bench consists of sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders. But this is the most coachable group of players I have ever had."

Norris, who is retiring after this season, has watched the program rebound. A year before he became the head coach, the team was 0-20. His first year it went 4-18. But in the past four years it has compiled a 82-16 record.

Three seniors have formed the nucleus of the team over Norris' years.

The Eagles are led by 5-7 senior center Kimberly Vilchez, averaging 22 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists a game. She also is connecting on 59 percent of her shots from beyond the 3-point arc. Senior point guard Krista Cunningham, averages 8 points and 9 assists a game and senior power forward Keri-Anne Bowden averages 12 rebounds a game.

South Sumter rode the steady play of Latasha Kennerson and Katura Harrison to a 60-46 victory over Newberry in its region semifinal Tuesday. Kennerson had 31 points, 12 rebounds, 5 steals and 4 assists in the victory. Harrison added a double-double herself with 10 points, 14 rebounds and 4 blocked shots.

Leesburg players Ashley Perry and Jaleesa Blue also put up big numbers for the Yellow Jackets in their region semifinal. Perry had 18 points, 7 rebounds and Blue, who has signed with FAMU, had 12 points and 17 rebounds.

"I think the difference is that Jaleesa has really stepped up the second half of the season," Oates said. "She has been a demon on the glass. I still don't think we have seen her best offensive effort, yet. Ashley Lanier [16 rebounds] also has been doing a good job rebounding for us.

"You want to be playing your best basketball at this time of the season and I think we are."

jrwilliams@tribune.com or 352-742-5921. Read Joe Williams' blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/varsityblog. Sign up for the Varsity sports newsletter at OrlandoSentinel.com/joinus.

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