Two basketball standouts, whose friendship and court running date back to middle school, won’t forget the Jan. 27 senior night matchup against rival Marathon.
For one senior point guard, a scoring milestone was reached as family and friends watched. Meanwhile, a senior power forward’s dream to shoot a 3-pointer came true — and it ended in epic fashion.
Before that memorable game, the Canes traveled to Miami the night before to square off against a tough opponent in Terra Environmental Research Institute. Point guard Lucia Rodriguez, who’s averaged 16 points a game this season, was on the cusp of the 1,000-point mark in her career.
Rodriguez finished the night with 19 points — just one score away from the milestone. And even with senior power forward Riley Dobson in foul trouble, the Canes pulled out a 58-44 win over Terra. Dobson secured a double-double in the victory, with 10 points and 15 rebounds.
The girls basketball team returned to the court the next day to face Marathon in what was an emotional senior night, with coach Pat Meyers not in attendance due to personal reasons and having learned that the Canes secured the No. 1 seed in districts. Not only did Rodriguez register her 1,000th point in her career in a 55-35 win, but Dobson rose to interim coach Jarrod Mandozzi’s challenge of registering three steals in the second half in order to get her shot at the 3-point line.
“It’s hard to even quantify what those two mean to the Coral Shores basketball program over the years,” said Mandozzi, who serves as the boy’s basketball coach. “Them, along with coach Meyers, played a huge part in turning the program to where it is today.”
Captains for the Canes, Rodriguez and Dobson look back to their early years when they became friends to the time they took to the courts together.
“It goes back to sixth grade when we started playing basketball,” Rodriguez said. “We’ve been friends for longer than that though.”
“We’ve known each other since fourth grade,” Dobson said. “Some of the people that are here on the team, we’ve played with them in Key Largo in sixth to eighth grades.”
Through their time on the courts, the two have developed quite the chemistry — as witnessed during games.
“I can read her mind,” Dobson said. “She looks at me and she wants a pick, and I’m like ‘all right.’ Or, she drives in and I try to get open.”
“Most of my assists are to her,” Rodriguez said.
Finishing senior night with 22 points, Rodriguez said it’s the fondest memory she’ll have looking back on her career. Following the game, she received a basketball to mark her 1,000th point. Mandozzi said it was special to see her reach the mark with her family in attendance.
Dobson finished the night with 15 points and a 3-pointer banked in off the glass.
“In sixth grade, I said I will make a three when it’s my senior night,” Dobson said. “I’ve always wanted to shoot a three, but I never had the ability to do that.”
With four steals, Mandozzi drew up a play for Dobson to get her chance at a three-point shot.
“We set a cross-screen play for Riley. She caught it and knocked it in. The gym went nuts,” Mnadozzi said. “It’s so cool because she’s obviously done all the dirty work the last four years around the basket.”
Dobson has committed to Louisburg College in North Carolina to play Division 1 volleyball, while Rodriguez is currently uncommitted as she mulls her options.
The Canes’ season ended on Feb. 3 following a 45-42 loss to St. Brendan.
