When you talk about girls high school basketball in the state of Florida, the conversation highlights some of the programs who have carried the sport through the growing times.
Over the past decade, there are very few who have elevated the sport like South Broward has. Look back to the late 90s, and you’ll find a program, first by Julia Myers, and then Abby Ward, that took this once cellar dwelling team and brought it national attention.
While many know how impressive some of the newer players have been, a lot of the thanks for the success of this program can be traced back to Telisha Warner, Misty Rolle, Tynesha Gregory and Amanda Whitney for helping to lay down such a talented foundation.
Last Saturday night, the program that has brought so many state titles and national attention to the BCAA, brought home its fifth title in the 14 years the Big 8 girls’ basketball championships have been held.
The Bulldogs used the play of reserve 6-0 forward Priscilla Fenty, who scored all nine of her points in the fourth quarter to help the Bulldogs (21-3) earn a hard-fought 49-42 victory against Nova.
The win represented yet another positive in a run that has been impressive - under head coach Sharylene Ferguson and Richard Walker, who has always been credited for building, maintaining and elevating this program.
Walker has had the off season program in Hollywood for over two decades. The players he has coached - not only South Broward greats - but others as well, have left a lasting legacy.
While South Broward remains talented at the varsity level every year, being rated among the best in the state, Walker and the Bulldogs are indeed building for the future as well. The commitment to being the best around in the off season is why South Broward continues to roll along.
“I remember when we went into Hallandale and they would beat us by 60 or 70 points,” Walker recalled. “That’s when everyone said that if we were ever going to be at that level, work needed to be done.”
Fenty and tournament MVP Kiara Shoats, who scored seven of her 10 points in the fourth quarter, spoiled Nova’s bid to end what became five consecutive years of coming up short in the Big 8 final.
Shoats and Fenty were joined on the all-tournament team by Nova’s Clarissa Coddington, Cardinal Gibbons’ Kiara Robinson and Dillard’s Lauren McGraw and T’Keyah Williams.
Bulldogs guard Cedricka Sweeting and Shoats out the game away with a 7-2 run with a 20-foot shot on the right baseline to put the Bulldogs up 44-39.
SOUTH BROWARD (21-3)
Shoats 10, Fenty 9, D. Robinson 9, Sweeting 6, Walker 9, Willis 1, K. Robinson 2, Magnum 2.
NOVA (19-4)
Coddington 6, K. Young 5, Bailey 3, Kelly 8, Devaney 12, A. Carson 8. Halftime: Tie 19. Rebounds: Walker 11. Assists: Sweeting 7.
You can reach Larry Blustein via e-mail at Floridakids1@hotmail.com. Blustein is the co-host of the High School Gridiron Show each Wednesday night from 9-10 on WQAM (560 AM) or www.wqam.com.
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