TAMPA — It was a Hillsborough County sweep Friday, with the girls winning 71-64 before the boys prevailed 126-112 in the Hillsborough-Pinellas All-Star Game at Hillsborough Community College.
While the boys game had loads of points, the drama was reserved for the opener. Trinity Baptiste of Hillsborough High scored 27 points, including the tie-breaking free throws with 1:03 left as Hillsborough's All-Stars scored the game's final seven points.
After Baptiste's free throws, Brooks DeBartolo's Don'Niya Brooks picked the pocket of Calvary Christian standout Carley Plentovich and scored with 25 seconds left. Baptiste added a free throw and an offensive putback to close it out.
Plentovich had 27 points, including 16 in the first half, to earn Pinellas MVP honors.
"She's a really good ball handler, so I didn't expect to get it from her. I kind of backtapped it to Deja (Turner) and was able to score," said Brooks, whose Phoenix recently completed a remarkable run to the Class 4A state final.
Turner, of Plant, scored 12. Plentovich's twin, Savannah Plentovich, had 13 for Pinellas. Both are headed to Gardner-Webb.
Pinellas led 16-4 but Hillsborough answered with a 12-0 run sparked by a pair of blocks by Crisheena Rolack (Robinson). Carley Plentovich scored three quick baskets for a 27-18 lead, only to have Hillsborough go up 33-29 at half.
Pinellas led 47-46 after a slow third quarter. Back-to-back successful 3-pointers by Rolack, then one by Wharton's Shantell Wells, had Hillsborough up 61-56 with 4 minutes to play.
Neither player had scored, and Hillsborough only had made two 3-pointers all game before the 90-second outburst.
"I knew I had to score some for my team. We gelled as a team, which is easy to do when you have players who love the game," Rolack said.
Kyra Champagne from Indian Rocks Christian won the 3-point contest held at halftime.
The boys game featured a combined 28 successful 3-pointers.
It was 68-53 early in the second half before Pinellas ran off the next 10 points, only to have the hosts pull back up by 15.
Dunedin's Chedonio Martin then hit a pair of 3-pointers followed by a long-range basket by Gibbs' DJ Johnson and it was 90-83 with 10 minutes remaining.
But then Hillsborough All-Star coach Eric Hayes of Jefferson put on a half-court trap, resulting in two turnovers and David Jones (Leto) layups for a 98-83 Hillsborough lead.
After that Hillsborough reached the 100-point mark with 6:55 remaining.
Freedom's Nasire Core led Hillsborough scorers with 19 and was named MVP.
Jones scored 16 with Thomas Dzaigwa (Tampa Catholic) and Chamberlain's Naija Chandler adding 12, Alonso's Terance Brown 11.
Boca Ciega's Jermaine Ledbetter continually put back layups in the second half, getting all but two of his team-high 19 points. Marquez Walls of Gibbs scored 18 and St. Petersburg High's Travis Bianco had 15.
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Explore all your optionsJohnson only scored six points but was named Pinellas MVP for his entertaining play.
Bianco finished runner-up to Walls in the dunk contest. Dziagwa won the 3-point shooting contest by hitting 16 in only 45 seconds.