Pinellas Park High School - Occurrences Yearbook (Largo, FL)

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liscipline leads to victory. )is(:i|)lin(! iillovvcd tlx; wirsity s ' hiiskclball team to work iKistly toward turning out a suc- slul s(!ason this year. Coach Bill kins ex|)hiin(!(l that the team I a great deal of raw tal(;nt that 1 to he traiuful for smooth play the court. With returning yers seniors Keith Stephens, jert Brown, and Steve Bradham ividing examples, the team rked together to become a func- ling unit on the court. Although I team was set back because of players arriving late (lu( ' to tin- o ' (!rlap of football s !ason. the team soon pulhul together. Once the team had collected all th(! |)layers, it b(!gan to tak(! form. Perkins explained, B ' lanuary the guys had played about ten games together and you could b(;gin to see them gel. Senior Perry Rohland acknowledged that time was definitely a factor in the team ' s im- provement. It ' s a good thing that basketball season is long because it allowed time for us to put our game together on the court and then grow together as a team as the season progressed. Perkins noted how the team had to concentrate hardest on playing with intensity in every quarter. Emerging in the second half was a pattern with us. We lacked ag- gressiveness in the first half and usually sustained as a ' comeback team ' , Perkins stated. He con- tinued, It ' s all mental. When the guys were to realize their potential, our team was to be unbeatable. They had to gain an assertive at- titude first. Biggest rivals anticipated by the Patriots were St. Pete, Clearwater, Boca Ciega, and Largo. By midseason the players grew tired of moral victories. They no longer found rationalizing the pro- gram a consolation. So they began to take on a win attitude with more surgf! of renewed confidence. Much of this turnabout might essentially l)(; attributfjcl to the discipline Perkins instated on the team. This included strict enforce- ment of attendance at practice and also endeavoring in academics. Senior Robert Brown exiolained, Coach Perkins asked of us to play basketball, win, and keep up our grades. Senior Edgar Wilcox ad d- ed, He wanted to see everybody be somebody. This was Perkin ' s first year coaching at Pinellas Park. The team, as well as Perkins agreed that the transition was very smooth. The team affirmed that they held deep respect for Perkins in word and action as they displayed in their playing and in conducting themselves in a man- ner Perkins was proud of. VARSITY BOYS ' BASKETBALL — ROW 1: Ran- dall Thomas, Johnny Murray, John Wiser (JV); ROW 2: Steve Bradham, Robert Brown, Keith Stephens, John Ridge, Edgar Wilcox; ROW 3: Tony Seay, Gary Hughes and Bill Dabney (didn ' t play); NOT PICTURED: Sean Minton, Perry Rohland A. VARSITY BOYS ' BASKETBALL 207

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Junior Tony Seay looks on as freshman Sean Minton takes a foul shot in the game versus Seminole. Junior Edgar Wilcox, guard, shoots over his Osceola opponent in an out- side jumper. Senior Steve Bradham, forvi ard, goes up for a lay-up after a fast hreak off of an Osceola turnover. Senior Keith Stephens and junior Tony Seay, center assist. VARSITY BOYS ' BASKETBALL 11 20-21 Dixie Hollins Tip-off Tourn. 11 27 Lakewood 11 28 Dixie Hollins 11 30 Northeast 12 4 Seminole 12 7 Boca Ciega 12 11 St. Pete 12 14 Countryside 12 21 Osceola 12 26-29 Eckerd Col. 4th Annual Holiday Tourn. 1 8 1 9 Tarpon Springs Gibbs 1 11 Seminole 1 14 Boca Ciega 1 18 Clearwater 1 25 Dunedin 1 29 Largo 2 1 Dixie Hollins 2 5 St. Pete 2 6 Countryside 2 12 Clearwater 2 13 Osceola 2 15 Gibbs 2 19 Lakewood m: ! l M Rebounding the ball, junior Tony Seay attempts to get the advantage over an Osceola offensive player. 2()fi VARSITY BOYS ' BASKETBALL

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Sophomore Derrick Crompton out- jumps his Clearwater opponent to tip the ball into the hands of his teammate. Keeping control of the ball, sophomore D. J. Hill leaps to get a direct pass into his forward. Progress yields confidence Striving to overcome mental pressures, the junior varsity boys ' basketball team worked to gain the experience to have a successful season this year. Coach Oscar Robinson acknowledged, A very impor- tant factor in the team ' s progess was maintaining a positive at- titude in the beginning of the season. The guys had to realize that their inexperience could on- ly fade with more playing. Der- rick Crompton, freshman, added, The main objective of the junior varsity program is to gain the ex- perience to move up to the varsity level. We worked hard at being a competitive team. As the season progressed, the team gained the experience it needed to stand as a formidable opponent. They balanced prac- tices with drills to give them familiarity in handling the ball, and scrimmaging so that they could practice under game-like conditions and adapt more easily. Therefore, they gradually organized their game. Sophomore D. J. Hill commented, Our problem at the beginning of the season was concentration. After we mastered that and prepared adequately, we then had the ability to improve our game as could be seen significantly in the second half of the season. The real turnabout for the Patriots occurred in the game against Northeast as Robinson explained. We reduced our number of turnovers. As the guys gained experience, they gained confidence and their pla became more consistent, state Robinson. The team ' s true ability Wc displayed when they wer under, noted Robinson. Esser tially the team could always ris up when they were dowi However, when the game Wc close, the guys tended to get nei vous about making mistakes. The new team members woul often look toward the experienc of players like sophomore Joh Wiser for leadership. Together the team rose abov the knocks that went with begir ning a junior varsity progran Robinson ' s primary concern wt for the guys to have a positiv feeling at the end of the seaso and he was satisfied. 208 IV BOYS ' BASKETBALL