- December 15, 2024
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Nate Perry (2) looks for an opening against two St. Augustine players. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Curtis Giles (4) drives against St. Augustine's Dorian Grimes. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas junior Nate Perry (right) scored nine points and dished out eight assists against St. Augustine. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas freshman Jamel Guerrero had a breakout game in a 57-47 home loss to St. Augustine on Dec. 3. The next night, five Pirates scored seven points or more in a 61-59 loss to KIPP Bold City in Jacksonville.
Such is the life of a young boys basketball team. The Pirates are loaded with freshmen and a couple of juniors who are taking on leadership roles for the first time.
Guerrero hit 6 of 10 shots from the 3-point arc to score a team-high 20 points against St. Augustine. Junior La’Darian Baker added 10 points and 12 rebounds; and junior Nate Perry, who played for Pedro Menendez last year, had nine points and eight assists.
“The team has full confidence in Jamel shooting the ball,” said Matanzas head coach Eric Guerrero, Jamel’s dad. “Nate Perry has been a big influence on him and all of the young kids. He’s in a new role as a leader. He settles the team down. I'm really proud how Nate and La’Darian have accepted the challenge.”
The Pirates snapped a four-game losing streak with a 60-36 home victory against Palatka on Monday, Dec. 9. Matanzas outscored Palatka 34-12 in the second half to impove to 2-5.
The Pirates led St. Augustine 23-22 at the half, but the Yellow Jackets played with a double post in the second half forcing the 6-foot-5 Baker — the Pirates' tallest player in the game — to choose which big man to guard inside.
Baker, who is in his first year playing varsity basketball scored 18 points and pulled down 15 rebounds in the two-point loss to KIPP Bold City. Freshmen Jezrahiah McCoy, Curtis Giles and Guerrero scored 12, 11 and 7 points respectively. Perry added nine points.
The Pirates host county rival Flagler Palm Coast on Friday, Dec. 13.
