- May 2, 2024
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Sharks guard Shania Pope shoots a 3-pointer over a Sandcrabs defender. Photo by Ray Boone
Sharks point guard Shakawanza Brown dribbles up the court against Seabreeze. Photo by Ray Boone
Atlantic's Da'Jhai White shoots a three against Seabreeze. Photo by Ray Boone
The Sharks' Dee Small steals the ball from the Sandcrabs' point guard. Photo by Ray Boone
Sharks point guard Shakawanza Brown shoots a floater over the top of a Seabreeze defender. Photo by Ray Boone
Atlantic's Shania Pope shoots a 3-pointer from the corner against Seabreeze. Photo by Ray Boone
A pair of Sharks try to steal the ball from a Seabreeze player. Photo by Ray Boone
Atlantic forward Jon'keria Patterson banks in a layup. Photo by Ray Boone
Atlantic's Shania Pope banks in a layup following a fastbreak against Seabreeze. Photo by Ray Boone
A pair of Atlantic defenders try to steal the ball from a Seabreeze player. Photo by Ray Boone
Atlantic's Symara Moore shoots a floater against Seabreeze. Photo by Ray Boone
As soon as the ball left her hand, Sharks guard Shania Pope knew she made the shot.
Leading by 23 points in the second quarter against Seabreeze, the 5-foot-8 senior launched a quick 3-pointer from the right corner with a Sandcrabs defender barreling toward her.
When the ball ripped through the net, Pope stared at her defender as she trotted back down the court.
“My coach always tells me to keep shooting it,” said Pope, who nailed a game-high three 3-pointers against the Sandcrabs. “When I hit one, my confidence goes up. I just got it going.”
Atlantic’s game against Seabreeze was never really a contest. The Sharks (2-1) breezed by the Sandcrabs 75-35 on the afternoon of Tuesday, Dec. 5, at Atlantic High School. After outscoring the Sandcrabs by 27 points in the first half, the referees agreed to a running clock.
However, Seabreeze, which averaged only 28 points per game prior to Tuesday, scored 22 points in the game’s first 16 minutes.
Sharks coach George Butts said the slow start was due to a little rust. Atlantic hadn’t played since its win over Deltona on Nov. 21.
“We wanted to get our rhythm back because we’re going into the thick part of the schedule,” Butts said. “And when we can play quick and tough, we’re going to be very hard to beat.”
The ingredients to the Sharks’ tough, gritty play? Their starting senior guards: Pope and Shakawanza Brown.
Pope led all scorers with 17 points, six assists and zero turnovers, and Brown was all over the court, posting eight points, four assists and nine steals.
“They’re it. They’re the ones we count on,” Butts said. “I expect them to play hard every night. They’re both capable of scoring 15-to-20 points a night if they want to play. If they don’t want to play, we’re going to have a long night.”
Butts said he compares Brown, who transferred from New Smyrna Beach following three years on the Barracudas’ varsity squad, to Houston Rockets All-Star point guard Chris Paul.
“So goes Shakawanza, so goes Atlantic High School,” he said. “She plays hard. She plays tough. She’s fearless. She’s a true point guard. I’ve got everything else around her, so we had to have a point guard. We’ve had good guards before but never a true point guard: one that can distribute and score.”
Up next, Atlantic faces a three-game road trip with matchups against Pine Ridge (Dec. 7), New Smyrna Beach (Dec. 8) and Deltona (Dec. 12).
“If [Pope and Brown] are playing well, we’ll be a tough team to beat,” Butts said.
