Sports Editor

Poinciana showed tenacity and an explosive offense while winning the Pink Halo Classic basketball tournament championship last week at Liberty High.

The Eagles beat the host Chargers, 61-46, in the title game as guard Stefan Moody scored 23, Paris Greene added 12 and Lex Curry hit for 11 points.

The Eagles overcame

a 14-point third-quarter deficit to beat Freedom in the semifinal round, 72-67, in overtime as Moody scored 30 and Osante Marc added 16. Greene scored 12. Greene was clutch down the stretch, scoring six of Poinciana’s last seven points.

Moody (18) was the high-scorer in the opening round win over Gateway, as well.

Coach Jay Lunce said it was a good effort from his team and should set the tone for a successful season.

“We want to run and play aggressive, and that worked pretty well for us in this tournament,” Lunce said.

Poinciana lost guard Sherwood Vinson, projected as one of the team’s top scorers, against Freedom when he was ejected for fighting.

The penalty could last anywhere from two games to six weeks, Lunce said.

“It hopefully will be a minor one because there were no punches thrown, just some pushing,” Lunce said.

But, the loss of Vinson brought to light the team’s depth.

“We aren’t tall, but we have a lot of guys who can score. Of course, now we have one less,” Lunce said.

The Eagles improved to 4-0 Tuesday by downing New Dimensions, 63-51, as Marc scored 19.

Gateway, after the first-round loss to Poinciana, came back to beat Brandon and Celebration. The Panthers are 3-1 after beating Harmony, 70-42, Tuesday at the Panthers gym. David Jerome scored 18 and Erick Marino added 17. Daniel East had 16 for Harmony.

Celebration won once at the Halo tournament, against New Dimensions, after losing a 10-point lead against Ocala Trinity Catholic.

The Storm, 2-2, knocked off East River, 58-51, Tuesday as Mark Pearson had 21 and Rob Machecek added 19.

New Dimensions Coach Dustin Gassert, in his first season, saw his team come within three of beating Brandon after losses to Liberty and Celebration at the Halo tournament, before slipping to 0-4 at Gateway Tuesday. Marc Serat had 16 for the Tigers.

St. Cloud, 2-1, stopped Bishop Moore, 75-55 Tuesday as Zach Hull scored 25.

Osceola, 1-0, beat Ridge Davenport, 73-62, in its opener Tuesday. J.J. Jackson had 21. The Kowboys played Class A champion Orlando Christian Prep Wednesday at the Winter Park Rotary Tipoff tournament.

Heritage Christian is 7-0  in the Florida Christian Conference. The Eagles beat Haven Christian Monday, 101-35, as Josh Newman scored 37 and Maynard Rowe added 22.