Boca Ciega High School Basketball

Success in Basketball Means Time Away From the Court, Boca Ciega Coach Says

First year Boca Ciega coach Michael Hall believes time off makes his players better.

Boca Ciega High School girls basketball coach Michael Hall knows that to win, it takes work. So Hall wants his players to stop working. Basketball is pretty much a 12-month a year job. There really is no offseason. But Hall is of the mind that players really need time off and that time off will actually benefit the Pirates. "I really do believe in time off," Hall said. "These girls have been in AAU and summer leagues, they've been going just about since the [2010-11] season ended." The Pirates summer league at Keswick High School -- which Boca Ciega finished undefeated -- ended late last month. So Hall has basically told his girls no basketball for another month, until likely Sept. 12. "I believe a variety is good for them and time away …

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Boca Ciega High School Basketball

Will White Steps Down as Boca Ciega's Girls Basketball Coach

In seven seasons as the Pirates girls coach, Will White guided his teams to no less than 20 wins a year. He cited family responsibilities for resigning.

In a surprising move, Boca Ciega High School girls basketball coach Will White resigned earlier this week as the Pirates coach.  White, a decorated social studies teacher at the school, flatly denied his resignation had any connection to his team's upset loss to Clearwater earlier this week which dashed the Pirates' hopes of making the state tournament for a record fourth consecutive season. Rather, White said, this was a calculated decision between he and his wife for personal reasons. In short, White wanted to spend more time with his young family. "I have a six-year old and a four-year old and they are getting into soccer and Little League and things like that," White said. "Even the past couple of years it was pretty tough." White said…

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Boca Ciega High School Basketball

Clearwater Rallies Late to Upset Boca Ciega

Boca Ciega girls basketball squad was upset by Clearwater at home in the Class 5A region semifinal, ending the Pirates season.

When the Pirates took a 43-39 lead with 1:58 left on a bucket from Jakera Allen after a nice inside pass from Olivia Hester, it appeared the Boca Ciega High School girls basketball squad was one win away from its goal of a fourth straight state tournament berth. But it wasn't to be. Clearwater poured on a furious rally in the final minutes to score seven unanswered points in the last 1:40 of the game to upset the Pirates 46-43 to win a Class 5A region semifinal, ending Boca Ciega's season. "We got out to such a great start that they had to work so hard to climb out of that hill I think that took something out of them," Clearwater coach Tom Shaneyfelt said of Boca Ciega not finishing the game. It was an emotional game in more ways than one…

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Boca Ciega High School Basketball

Qytiesha Middlebrooks Makes up For Lack of Height With Superior Talent

The Boca Ciega guard is only 4-10. But she plays much taller than that.

When the Boca Ciega High School girls basketball team faces Clearwater High School Tuesday night in a Class 5A region semifinal, Clearwater won't overlook Pirates point guard Qytiesha Middlebrooks. Many teams will. That's because it's easy to do. Middlebrooks is all of four-feet, 10-inches tall, a mere shrimp amid the trees of basketball players. Therein lies the trap. For a team to overlook Middlebrooks is to set themselves up for a loss. While the NBA may be a game played above the rim, Middlebrooks often plays above the shoulders of her opponents. "She probably has the best vertical jump on the team," Pirates coach Will White said. "That's not saying she jumps the highest because she's starting out so low." But Middlebrooks is proof …

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Qyteisha middlebrooks

1:55 am on Saturday, February 19, 2011

HAHAH, THANKS LOVE YA! TO BIG SIS (SAYIN WITH A NORBIT LOOK ON MY FACE LOL)   more ›

Boca Ciega High School Basketball

Boca Ciega Girls Use Strong Second Half to Knock Out East Lake, Advance

The Pirates girls basketball team is two wins away from a fourth consecutive state tournament berth.

It was almost cruel the way Boca Ciega High School's girls basketball squad toyed with East Lake Thursday night in the Pirates 63-40 Class 5A region quarterfinal win at Gulfport. Pirates coach Will White decided to tinker with some defensive sets early that his team doesn't usually run and the rust showed with Boca Ciega leading only by five at halftime.  That quickly changed. Boca Ciega used a stifling defense, forcing turnovers and converting those turnovers into baskets, holding East Lake to a mere four points in the third quarter to take a 45-27. Ballgame. The win puts the Pirates just one step closer to a school record fourth consecutive state title appearance. The road gets no easier as the Pirates will host Pinellas County arch …

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Congratulations to Our Patch Athlete of The Week

Kenya Joseph of the Boca Ciega High School girls basketball team is our Patch Athlete of the Week.

Favorite sport outside of basketball: Football. Favorite pro team: Los Angeles Lakers. Favorite college team: Syracuse. What's on your bookmarks: Facebook, MySpace. What's on your iPod: Gospel music. Blackberry, Droid or iPhone: Droid. Macs or PCs: Macs. Favorite hobbies: I like to hang out with my friends. Last cool movie you saw: Transformers II. Favorite TV show: Tru/Jack TV. Name five people you would like to hang at the beach with: Karen Heart, Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Derrick Rose.

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Boca Ciega High School Basketball

Switching Positions on The Floor Has Paid Off For Destiny Brown

Boca Ciega sophomore Destiny Brown has always been a forward. This season she moved to guard and she has exploded into a basketball star.

Over the years Boca Ciega High School has produced some very good girls basketball players. The next one very well may be Destiny Brown. A sophomore, Brown is already the Pirates second-leading three-point shooter despite learning a brand new position for the first time since she began playing organized basketball. Initially a forward, she was moved to guard and has done nothing but light up the scoreboard and frustrate opponets. "She will be special," Boca Ciega coach Will White said. "She can shoot, she can defend and she may be our best [man-to-man] defender." Part of the reason Brown is so good is her desire to be good, or better. "You want to pick up your teammates," Brown said. "If you can pick something up that they may not be doing…

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Congratulations to our Patch Athlete of the Week: Jakera Allen

Boca Ciega High School basketball player Jakera Allen scored 18 points in a 78-13 win over Pinellas Park this week.

Favorite sport outside of basketball:  Softball. Favorite pro team: The L.A. Sparks of the WBNA. Favorite college team: UCONN! What's on your bookmarks:  I don't like being on a computer that much but if I am, I'm on Facebook. What's on your iPod: I don't have an iPod, I use my phone. But the music I listen to is slow music. Blackberry, Droid or iPhone:  Droid. Macs or PCs:  PCs. Favorite hobbies: I like to go to the movies. Favorite TV show: "The Game." Name five people you would like to hang at the beach with: Tamara Taylor, Candace Parker, Maya Moore, Destiny Brown and Kyra Edwards.

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Boca Ciega High School Basketball

Holiday Tournaments Help Pirates Prepare

Holiday basketball tournaments are a key element in preparing Boca Ciega High School's hoops teams for a run to the state tournament.

When the high school basketball season ends in March, it could be a memorable year for the Boca Ciega High School Pirates. That's saying quite a lot. The school has a rich basketball history, replete with state titles for both the boys and the girls. If the stars align properly, it could be the best year.  Will White and his girls basketball squad are looking at a fourth consecutive trip to the state semifinals, which would be a record for a Pinellas County public school. Of course, a championship is the ultimate goal.  Speaking with some local coaches, they point to the Pirates boys basketball team as the best team this season in Pinellas County. Given the area's history of some of the best basketball in the state, that's a high …

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