By: J. Daniel Pearson
A new high school basketball season has started and several Osceola County teams have long term goals of making some noise come state playoff time in March.
On the boys’ side, both Osceola and St. Cloud have stacked rosters; while Poinciana and Harmony should not be counted out. In girls’ basketball, Gateway’s confidence is high, as they sail into the 2024-25 campaign with perhaps their most athletic team ever. Five-time defending Orange Belt Conference girls champion St. Cloud should not be counted out, however.
Back in 2022-23, Osceola coach Steve Mason was starting a “bunch of freshman and sophomores” but told anyone who would listen that this group had a chance to be special and to watch them “in a couple of years.”
That time has arrived and Mason’s club appears to have matured.
He returns a veteran team that includes Player of the Year candidate Luke McCrimon (18 ppg), as well as Jordan Mundle (13.6 ppg), Jordan Mason (9.9 ppg, 3.3 apg), and Helio Quinan (4.2 ppg). Osceola also received some good news when Jordan Isaac (19.1 ppg) decided to transfer in from Poinciana for his senior year.
With three state championships and almost yearly runs into the regionals, Osceola has a strong basketball history. With this group – which started the season 2-0—they certainly appear capable of adding to that legacy.
Perhaps the best story in county high school sports came last year at St. Cloud, where its boys basketball team ended two decades of losing seasons. First-year coach Tommy Billiteri, who was a part of that losing streak as a player, took over and not only ended that streak with a 19-7 record but guided the Bulldogs to their first-ever OBC Championship and nearly beat state finalist Edgewater in the regional quarterfinals, 72-67.
With re-classification the Bulldogs move up to 7A this season, but should have plenty of firepower to compete. Billiteri returns most of his scoring punch, including Player of the Year candidate Alex Springs (17.4 ppg), Josiah Cotto (8.0 ppg), Maliki Baker (6.0 ppg), Diomar Ortiz (6.5 ppg) and Ryan Rodfriguez (5.3 ppg). Lenuel Narvaez is a 6-8 sophomore who moves up from junior varsity last year ; while 6’4″ sophomore Julian Fox is another young player who should receive significant playing time.
“Although historically we have not had a ton of success, we did last year and there is always that worry about becoming complacent. I’ve told them that our opponents are going to look at us differently this year and we are the ones with the target on our backs. We have some pretty good senior leadership and I think our players understand that. We’ve had a great off-season and look to build on what we accomplished last year.”
Poinciana Coach Craig Walls, the OBC Coach of the Year, stepped down last year to pursue other opportunities; resulting in assistant Remesses Khalfani taking over. With eight seniors departing via graduation and a top junior transfering, 2024-25 looked like a rebuilding job for Khalani. But the Eagles have never lacked talent on the hardwood and Poinciana has looked good in winning both pre-season games and starting the regular season 2-0. Khalfani has a tall, athletic team with eight players listed at 6′-3″ or talle. Seniors Xavier McCray, Elijah Burton, and Antuan Gallaway are expected to lead the way this year; while Savion Viser, Javonte Simpson-Lee and football standout Ernest Nunn will be key contributors.
Harmony and Gateway should never be counted out in boys’ basketball. Harmony’s Duke Leonardo is considered one of the top basketball coaches in the area and always seems to have the Longhorns ready to play. Harmony has a trio of solid players back this year, including Jeremy Penner (9.5 ppg), Sylus Cory (12.3 ppg) and three-sport standout Ivan Ramos. The losses from graduation will be somewhat offset by the addition of transfers Mason Fontaine (Osceola) and Manny Zamora (Lake Nona). Taking over a struggling program four seasons ago, Leonardo had built the Longhorns into a solid program that has posted back-to-back 20-win seasons.
Gateway has been one of Osceola County’s more consistent programs over the years. Veteran coach Travis James returns four starters from last year’s team, including Yangel Malpica, Gabe Haynes, Ashaun Julian and Isaiah McGill. Malpica (8.3 ppg) was first team All-OBC (coaches team) last year; while Haynes (8.1 ppg) was honorable mention. In addition, to those four returning starters, James has high hopes for twin brothers Jeremiah and Jonas Guadalupe, who move up from the junior varsity.
Individually, other top county players include Ricardo Boro and Branden Plaisted (Celebration); Lamar Lee, Ixion Toro and Tarsir Best (Liberty), and Jesiah Merced and Derrick Lewis (Tohopekaliga),
On the girls’ side, Gateway looks to unseat St. Cloud as top team in the county.
Coach Justin Moreno returns star players in guard Alyssa Marino (2023-24 Averages: 14.3 ppg, 6.3 apg) and forward Evana Rivera (7.4 ppg, 11.1 rpg). But what really has Marino encouraged is the addition of five talented freshman, including Ashlynn Day, who has averaged 24 points and 10 rebounds in her first three games as the Panthers have gotten off to a 2-1 start.
Last week, Gateway used a pressing defense to build a huge lead against Harmony in the first half — triggering a running clock in a 69-26 win in their season opener. The other victory was a 67-4 win over Rockledge; while the loss was a five-point setback to undefeated 6-A Lake Howell.
“We’re a young team, and we may lack some height, but I am convinced this is the fastest, most athletic team I’ve had since I’ve been here,” Marino said. “Obviously it is early in the season we have a long way to go.” The coach added that the height differential with some teams is not a major concern. “We played some taller, more physical teams this summer that tried to pound the ball inside on us. We were able to make adjustments and deal with that.”
Winners of the last five OBC Championships (Covid interrupted the 2020-21 season), St. Cloud graduated seven seniors, including Emily Lockey, Haley Collins, and Danigzy Mantilla, who formed the core of a team that went 63-18 over the last three years.
Still, head coach Chad Ansbaugh will not call this season a rebuilding year. “First of all, I hate that term because it’s like you are trying to give yourself an excuse for failure. Traditionally we have built our teams through our junior varsity program. We have solid coaches and good players at that level and we expect them to move up and fill the roles of the graduated players.”
He added that he has three seniors in Vanessa Vohs, Ariana Viera and Savannah Kroener that will provide that leadership this season. “Savanah was a starter last year, but all of them came up through our junior varsity program and have patiently waited their turn to start. We may not quite have as much talent as we did last year, but we have some good young players and it is my job to develop them.”
Tohopekaliga and Harmony will look to build successful seasons. The Tigers struggled to build any type of momentum in their first five seasons – going 21-75 — but broke through with a 16-4 record last year. Coach Jen Farrell has several key players back, including junior Sanaa Charles (10.9 ppg. 9.2 rpg) and senior Sofia Delgado (6.3 ppg). Tohopekaliga opened the season last week with two wins.
Harmony coach Paul Strauch returns several veterans including Emerson Alsan but is believes his team will be much stronger when Ellah Husbands — a second team All-Osceola News Gazette selection–returns from a torn ACL suffered last year.
Other top players to watch in the county this year include: Evelyn Juden, Alma Santana, and Ella Kolarik from Celebration; 6-5 sophomore Brooklyn Sippio (Osceola); Jade Morris and Christina Morris (Liberty); and Poinciana’s Natalie Calderon.
Photo Source: Dave Sklarek
