Here's when Brightline trains are expected to restart service
Easy money? Not for python hunters who grapple with Everglades giants for $8.10 an hour
Deerfield, Douglas to tangle again in Bucks' tourney final
By Brandon Howard
Cooper City junior Kass Espinosa passes against Deerfield Beach defender Kayla Burrows (No. 5) as the Bucks' smothering defense wreaked havoc on the Cowboys in transition and limited them to just 14 points on Weds., Dec. 28, 2016, at Deerfield's annual Holiday Blitz tournament. (Kevin Berg / Special to the Sun Sentinel)
DEERFIELD BEACH — Douglas has one mar on its otherwise pristine record this season. Deerfield Beach, the Eagles' rival in District 11-9A, was the author of that 65-57 defeat on Dec. 16.
It's a loss the Bucks hope to repeat Friday, when they host Douglas in the title game of their annual holiday tournament.
Deerfield Beach (14-2) cruised past Cooper City 77-14 in Wednesday's late semifinal, with lightning-quick point guard Kayla Burrows scoring a game-high 18 points.
Shooting guard DenAsia Mitchell had 16 points and center Chakoi Mitchell added 15 in the win.
Burrows, a 5-foot-4 sophomore, scored a team-high 15 points Monday in Deerfield's 53-42 victory against Piper in the tourney's quarterfinals.
[Popular in Sports] Kelly: Trading Deshaun Watson for Tua Tagovailoa? Texans can do better — even on Dolphins team | Commentary »
Douglas (17-1, 2-1) eliminated Hallandale 65-47 in the early semifinal, as the Eagles led from tip-off to the final horn. Douglas topped Flanagan 49-45 in Monday's quarters.
While Deerfield led Cooper City for the entire game, Bucks coach Portia Williams was not overly impressed with her team's performance and feels as though they must play better than if they are going to emerge victorious against Douglas.
"We need to stay focused," Williams said. "I'd also like to see us get more ball pressure, box out and get to the rim more on the offensive end."
Though defeated by the Bucks less than two weeks ago, Douglas coach Marilyn Rule is looking forward to facing them again.
Latest Girls Basketball
American Heritage girls cruise to win over Archbishop McCarthy
Freshman leads Blanche Ely girls to a victory over rival Dillard
Blanche Ely rolls in the fourth quarter to beat St. Thomas Aquinas
"Any time you can get to a championship game and recreate that environment, it's a good thing for your program and it's a good experience for the kids," Rule said. "It seems like we're just getting better as the season goes on, which is what we want."
Deerfield and Douglas tip off at 6:30 p.m. in Friday's final.
Hallandale, which also suffered its first loss this season to Deerfield Beach (60-20 on Nov. 15) falls to 10-4. The Chargers, who beat McArthur on Monday, will take on Cooper City (4-5) at 2 p.m. in Friday's consolation rounds.
Flanagan and Piper will square off in the 12:30 p.m. game, while McArthur takes on Monarch on Thursday at 12:30.
Most Read • Girls Basketball