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Clearwater Gets Revenge Over Ridgewood

Clearwater 64, Ridgewood 56

By Eric Horchy | The Suncoast News

Published: December 22, 2007

CLEARWATER - CLEARWATER - Pasco County's best traveled to Clearwater High School Friday night for a televised rematch with the state's No. 5 ranked team.

Part of the eight-team Brighthouse Shootout, Ridgewood High walked into Jack Wilson Gym an undefeated 7-0, and looked for a duplication of their preseason victory over the Tornadoes a month prior.

A perfect 10-0 themselves, Clearwater – led by star guard Luke Loucks – had other ideas.

After letting Ridgewood get out to a sloppily played 7-2 lead and eventual 10-8 first quarter advantage, Loucks began to take the bull – um, Ram - by the horns, so to speak.

Not scoring his first basket until a minute into the second quarter, the soon-to-be Florida State Seminole took over.

Loucks played the key role in sparking a 13-1 Tornado run in the second quarter that took them into halftime on top 25-20.

The halftime lead would have been greater if not for a Ridgewood buzzer-beating half court shot.

"Coach (Coit) just told us to get out there on defense," Loucks said afterwards about the slow start. "We let them get some easy buckets and we weren't getting back on the fast breaks when they were running."

He ended up leading all players with 19 points and 12 assists.

Also a key to the victory was Clearwater taking full advantage of their overall edge in height, frustrating the Rams' inside game throughout.

Forwards Adam Pegg, Julien Sargent and Okaro White combined for 8 blocks and the Tornadoes beat Ridgewood on the glass for most the night.

"They did some things on defense that we've never seen before," Ridgewood head coach Gary Anders said.

He added that his players need to do a better job of letting mistakes go immediately after they happen.

Too many times, an error would be made on offense and it would carry over to their defensive performance at the other end, he said.

Four Tornadoes finished scoring in double-figures. Along with Loucks, Pegg and Regan O'Rourke each dropped in 13 points and Sean O'Brien added 14.

Ridgewood guards Mike Lawrence and Alvin Satram led the Rams with 17 and 13 points, respectively.

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