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Basketball: Wesley Chapel boys lose Rotary Ram Classic final

 
Published Dec. 24, 2015

NEW PORT RICHEY — The final of the Port Richey Rotary Ram Classic unfolded Wednesday night as Wesley Chapel was throttled by Orlando's Timber Creek 81-48. It was the first Ram Classic after a five-year hiatus and Ridgewood coach Derek Delgardo hopes to resume and expand it next year.

Timber Creek blasted through the tournament.

The blood was in the water early as the Wolves setup their full court press and the Wildcats could not find a way through it. Wesley Chapel forwards Reggie Jennings and Theo Williams did their best on offense, battling for rebounds and second-chance points as they kept the Wildcats in the game despite seven first-quarter turnovers.

"Our two big guys played well tonight, they held their own down there but there were too many mistakes on defense, too many turnovers," Wildcats coach Doug Greseth said.

The Wildcats trailed just 27-20 after the first but fell behind 49-31 by halftime. When the press was on, the Wildcats struggled. When the press was off, they found ways to score.

The Wolves came out strong to start the third quarter and led by 24 as the fourth began. The Wolves, already using most of their bench, cleared it in the fourth. Timber Creek guard Jackson St. John turned his ankle in the opening minutes and did not return but otherwise every member of the Wolves played and logged a basket.

"We didn't execute well and we came out with low energy," Greseth said. "They got an insurmountable lead and they know how to hold on to it."

Jennings had 18 first-half points en route to a game-high 22 and Williams scored 20. Wildcat guard Sam Schneidmiller was named to the all-tournament team and Timber Creek's Hunter Martineau was named MVP.

In the fifth-place game, host Ridgewood fell behind early in a 61-39 loss to Tarpon Springs. Ty Quiroz scored a team-high 11, including three triples and the Rams got as close as seven in the fourth quarter before the Spongers pulled away.