Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Entering tourney with a full head of steam
Pembroke Pines Charter in midst of 17-game win streak
Pembroke Pines Charter coach Dave Roca is not used to coaching sub-.500 teams.
From the 2010-11 season through 2016-17, Pines Charter finished above .500. Under Roca, the team has won six district titles and put up a .720 overall winning percentage.
But in 2017-18, the Jaguars went 12-15. They struggled again last year, finishing 11-15.
“Within those records, we had … if not the most competitive, as competitive as anybody else’s schedule in the county within [the Broward County Athletic Asso- ciation], playing Ely, playing Dillard, McArthur, Boyd Anderson,” Roca said. “We had everybody on the schedule.”
Pines Charter is back to its winning ways this year. Going into this week’s BCAA Big 8 tournament, the Jaguars are 18-1 and ranked ninth in the state by MaxPreps. They’ve won 17 straight, with their only loss coming to Northeast on Nov. 26.
“The biggest difference this year is I think the team that we have, they really play for one another,” Roca said. “They really look to move the ball. They’re not concerned with shot attempts and who’s getting how many shots.”
The Jaguars have benefited from two big transfers. The first was a player who made a local move. Senior guard Dallas Graziani, a two-time Fab Five pick, came to Pines Charter from Cooper City, where he was a first-team all-county selection.
“He’s just Mr. Clutch,” Roca said. “The kid just won’t back down from anything or anyone. He wants the ball in his hands in big moments, wants to take the big-time shots, and he just has ice in his veins.”
The second transfer came from farther away. Senior guard Osei Price transferred from national powerhouse Montverde Academy to Pines Charter.
“He’s always making sure to get everyone involved and running (the) offense, facilitating the offense,” Roca said. “He rebounds the ball for us. He’s a big guy that does a lot of big things for us.”
Roca also credited junior Javen FlowersSmith and sophomore Geoffrey Sprouse for playing big roles on this year’s team.
The Jaguars face Boyd Anderson in the Big 8 quarterfinals Thursday, and after the Big 8, they will look to go on a deep playoff run in Class 5A.
“We’re looking at some having some really good, competitive games to get us going for the playoffs,” Roca said. “The Big 8 is always good for that, for good, competitive games.”