Florida Today from Cocoa, Florida • Page 34

4D SUNDAY, APRIL 9, 2006 FLORIDA TODAY ALL-SPACE COAST BASKETBALL TEAMS A dutch performer Astronaut's Curry was brilliant during postseason run 4 IIIMMIII II Ill 4 HL i Kathleen Hinkel, FLORIDA TODAY Future point guard? Cocoa's Alvin Smith admits he needs to work on his ball control, but the shooting guard could move to the point in college. JUVUdMJJLiLl i BY MIKE CHERRY FLORIDA TODAY In just three little February weeks, LaQuita Curry raised her statewide profile from the size of New Jersey to the size of Texas. "I guess there was a little more focus," Curry said of her regional and state tournament runs this winter at Astronaut High. "I put more effort into it." A 5-foot-l 1 junior forward with a quick first step, Curry took over the Class 4A portion of the girls basketball state playoffs. Also a volleyball star at Astronaut, she displayed in five postseason games the assertiveness and consistency her coach, Gregg Hostetler, had been waiting for from the sometimes-timid, sometimes-shy Curry.

"I thought she felt a lot more comfortable playing the game itself," Hostetler said of Curry's performance. "She was more confident with the ball and read the game better this year." That, of course, means high expectations for Curry in her upcoming senior season. For the time being, she can enjoy the fruits of her improvement, capped by Astronaut's 4A state title. In addition, she was selected as FLORIDA TODAY'S Girls Basketball Player of the Year in voting submitted by the area's head coaches. Curry teamed with senior center Stephanie Sarosi to form one of the top inside duos in the Sunshine State.

They were particularly adept at hitting each other with passes, once defenses collapsed on the one with the ball near the basket. Sarosi, the 2004-05 FLORIDA TODAY player of the year, will continue her career next season at the University of South Florida. "I think she became more confident with herself," Sarosi said of Curry's late-season run. "She was starting to use her spin move more." All this has brought increased attention upon Curry, who averaged 14.9 points and led the team with a 9.5 rebounding average. The versatile player, who expects to play more on the perimeter in college, also led the team in steals (122) and assists (85), plus was second in blocks (25) to the 6-5 Sarosi.

The outburst also helped Curry steer her college path. At midseason, Curry said she had not yet decided whether to play volleyball or basketball in college. Now she's committed to basketball. She also said earlier that she probably would first attend junior college. Now, Curry will work on her academics and hope to be able to immediately play for a four-year school.

More than 100 colleges have sent her correspondence, she said. "I'm playing AAU ball now. the way Smith thrives in leadership role 3 Working on her game. Astronaut's LaQuita Curry is working on her repeat as All-Space Coast Player of the Year. Kathleen Hinkel, FLORIDA TODAY outside game, which could spark a 7 bounds as Astronaut handled Bishop Moore, 54-38.

In two state tournament games, Curry scored a combined 41 points with 20 rebounds. That is serious effort, not indifferent. Next season, she will not have Sarosi, but should play with talented 6-2 incoming freshman Deaundra Young. "I hope (Curry) handles the attention as well as Stephanie did," Hostetler said. "I hope she'll take more of a leadership role.

It's not necessarily in her nature." Sarosi had none of a coach's typical concerns, talking about her Astronaut teammate. "She'll still be awesome," Sa-. rosisaid.a Contact Cherry at 242-3684 ormcherryflatoday.net and I hardly play in the post," she said. "I have to work on my outside shooting." Before looking toward her senior year, a quick recap of her February is in order: In a one-point regional quarterfinal win over Suncoast, Curry, off a pass from Sarosi, hit the game-winning basket with a second left. In the regional final against second-rated Jensen Beach Astronaut was No.

1 Curry scored 2 1 points in the second half as the War Eagles rallied from a 10-point third-quarter deficit to win, 65-54. Curry finished with a career-high 29 points and 12rebounds. In the state final at Lakeland, Curry scored a game-high 26 points and grabbed 10 re COLLEGE BASKETBALL: WOODEN AWARD BY MIKE CHERRY FLORIDA TODAY Alvin Smith's game did not change much in his senior year playing for Cocoa High. His personality, well, that is a different story. "His personality really came out this year," Cocoa coach James Rowe said.

"He used to be withdrawn and didn't say much. I think he really enjoyed this year." What was not to like about the 5-foot-l 1 guard except perhaps the team's final game. That was a 65-61 loss at Monsignor Pace in a Class 4A regional final. That cost the Tigers a berth in the state tournament and was their only defeat in 29 games this winter. "The best was making it to the regional final game, knowing we were almost there," Smith said.

"The worst thing was losing." Despite the defeat, Cocoa was often brilliant this season and was by far the dominant public school in Brevard County. In fact, the Tigers won their 18 regular-season games against Brevard peers by an average of 25.8 points. Smith, of course, was the leader of the deep, often-pressing Tigers. The muscular athlete averaged 21.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.7 steals. He hit 50 percent from the field, including 42 percent (79 of 186) on 3-pointers.

No wonder Smith was selected as FLORIDA TODAYS Boys Basketball Player of the Year in voting by the area's head coaches. "Coming into this year, I knew I had to step up and be a leader on the team," Smith said. "Be the coordinator of the team. Everyone was expecting me to lead them to the state final." He came up two steps shy of that destination, but Smith proved to be the area's top player. Late in the regular season, in a rare game with a local opponent that pushed the Tigers, Smith held off a strong Melbourne High challenge by scoring a career-best 41 points.

"He's real quick and can shoot," said Eau Gallie sophomore Steven Coleman, a fellow all-Space Coast selection. "He's always moving." As for his future, Smith is undecided beyond the fact that he definitely will play in college. Miami (Fla.) is giving Smith a late look. Others interested include in-state mid-majors Stetson and Jacksonville. Smith said another option is to refine his point-guard play he was more of a shooting guard earlier in his scholastic career.

That might mean starting at a junior college. Redick, Augustus receive top honors "l.U6.w Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY Taking his shot. Cocoa High's Alvin Smith shoots a 3-pointer during a game in January at Rockledge High. Smith admits he still needs work on ball control with his left hand. "It's a pain, really," Smith said of recruiting.

"I mean, you can really get stressed out over the stuff." Rowe said the school that lands Smith gets a steal. "He makes everyone around him much better," Rowe said. "By him not playing much point guard, many want to see him as a point guard in junior college." A quick glance at Smith and his strong shoulders, and one could imagine him being one of those multi-sport athletes who reside on Cocoa's campus. Those include performers such as Wayne Younger, David Rowe and Tyler Cox. Yet Smith is a basketball specialist.

His shoulders and chest are partially a result of weightlifting. In fact, Smith said he often lifts before games, although Rowe initially tried to halt that habit in fear of Smith losing his shooting touch on those nights. "In ninth grade, I played football," Smith said. "I just didn't like football anymore. Basketball was the sport I was best at.

I've been playing since I was a toddler. "I can watch basketball, but I won't watch football. It's boring to me." Smith's passion is basketball, enough so for him to alter his personality. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY Eyes on the hoop. Astronaut's LaQuita Curry goes up for two of her 15 points during their Class 4A state semifinal game.

ITf Close call. Duke's J.J. Redick edged Gonzaga's Adam Morrison in the third-closest balloting in the history of the award. time frame," Few said. "He loves basketball, he loves his teammates.

I have to do the best job I can of giving him proper facts about it." Morrison, who averaged 28 points for Gonzaga (29-4) figures to be one of the first players picked if he opts to go pro. Augustus was unable to attend the ceremony because she was traveling to Australia, where she's trying out for the U.S. senior Olympic team. u.i,.. amw in, i span before retiring in 1975.

UCLA's Marques Johnson was the first to win the award two years after Wooden stepped down. Redick is the sixth Duke player to win the award, joining Christian Laettner, Elton Brand, Shane Battier, Jason Williams and Alana Beard, who won two years ago to become the first woman so honored. "He's had a great career," Morrison said of his friend, adding he wasn't disappointed about finishing second. "That's the way it goes. I know what I did on the court," he said.

Redick shot 47 percent from the field, 42 percent from 3-point range and 85 percent from the free throw line in leading Duke to a 32-4 record. He finished his career with 2,769 points and the record 457 3-pointers. Redick and Morrison kept in touch during the season. "We're both very competitive," Redick said. "The main thing about it was to help our teams win ballgames, and I think we did that." Morrison, a junior, hasn't decided whether he'll pass up his final year of eligibility to make himself available for the NBA draft.

"It's his decisioi and it's his ASSOCIATED PRESS LOS ANGELES J.J. Redick took a West Coast vacation this week, spending some time with Adam Morrison and beating out his buddy for the John R. Wooden Award as college basketball's male player of the year. Redick, a 6-foot-4 senior at Duke, edged the Gonzaga star by 74 points in the third-closest balloting in the history of the award. Mark Few, who coaches Morrison, believes both players were deserving.

"Society always wants to pick a winner. I don't know how you can choose between the two of them," Few said following Saturday's presentation ceremony. "They've been great for college basketball, they've raised the attention up a notch this year. "We were rooting for J.J., I feel like Duke was rooting for us." Redick, completing a sweep of the men's player of the year awards this spring, collected 4,646 points to 4,574 for Morrison. Duke's Shelden Williams finished third with 2,142 points, followed by Villanova's Randy Foye with 2,050 and Washington's Brandon Roy with 1,885.

"I'm extremely honored to received this award," Redick said. LSU's Seimone Augustus won the Wooden Award on Saturday. She joins Ralph Sampson as the only player to win the award twice. "All the candidates were very deserving. I never set out to win individual awards.

To win is just a huge honor." Redick finished second last year behind Utah's Andrew Bo-gut. Seimone Augustus capped her exceptional career at LSU by winning the women's Wooden Award, getting 298 points in the balloting of over 200 voters to finish 83 points ahead of North Carolina's Ivory Latta. Augustus, a 6-foot-1 senior, has won the women's award each of the past two years to join Virginia's Ralph Sampson (1982-83) as the only two-time winner. Cappie Pondexter of Rutgers finished third in the women's division with 135 points, followed by Oklahoma's Courtney Paris with 106 and Duke's Monique Curriewith96. The awards are named for the former UCLA coach who guided the Bruins to 10 NCAA championships in a 12-year.