CLEARWATER — St. Petersburg High basketball has its stars. But the Green Devils’ supporting cast will determine how far this season goes.

Coming off a run to the Class 5A state semifinals, St. Pete returns its top two scorers: sophomore swingman Nijuan Harris and senior guard Emir Gainer. The rest of the rotation remains unsettled.

“On the outside, it’s always going to be Nijuan and Emir, hopefully, then everybody else is going to help in that support role,” veteran coach Chris Blackwell said during the Buckshot O’Brien Classic in mid-November.

Harris averaged nearly 28 points per game as a freshman during an 18-12 campaign. His scoring has dipped slightly this season, but his all-around game has improved with increased rebounding, assists and steals.

Gainer has elevated his scoring from 14 points per game to almost 19 while averaging close to six assists.

“I think you have to have an identity and that’s our identity,” Blackwell said of his one-two punch. “Can you really lead us in scoring? My thing is, can we get Nijuan’s back every night? And Emir, once we get him in that concept of the point guard itself — we used to be on his back, now he’s more of a supporter but he can score.”

Beyond the star duo, the rotation is fluid. Senior guards Kevin Murphy and Jaycen White and junior wing Bryan Hollenberg have emerged as early candidates. Junior guard Kayden Calhoun scored 10 points in the Green Devils’ victory over Riverview Winthrop College Prep Academy at the National Hoop Feast in Wesley Chapel.

“We’re trying to figure out what some can do and what they can’t do,” Blackwell said. “What you can do, you try to do at 110 percent, and what you can’t do, you try to get better at it every day.”

Senior guard Nick Wilson, sidelined with a knee injury, should bolster the offense when he returns around Christmas.

“He’s one of our better shooters,” Blackwell said. “He’s practicing, he’s getting bigger, getting stronger. Once he gets his conditioning, he’ll be able to help us out.”

St. Pete split its games at the Buckshot O’Brien Classic and National Hoop Fest. The schedule ahead includes a Christmas tournament in Kansas City and matchups against opponents from Orlando, Miami and Wilmington, N.C.

“Preseason’s been good for us,” Blackwell said. “The thing is we have a lot of new faces. It’s going to take a while. When you play a team that is skilled, you’ve got to go back to the drawing board.

“We talk about how your finished product is going to be better toward the tail end of the season, so don’t try to carry the team if you’re not a carrier. You’ve got to be a supporter and try to get better.”

Quick hits

31st Pinellas All-Star Football Classic set for Dec. 12

The 31st Sam Roper Pinellas All-Star Football Classic will showcase the county’s top high school senior football players at Clearwater High on Dec. 12. The volunteer-run event has provided scholarships to graduating seniors for more than three decades through its 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Teams feature players from public and private schools selected by coaches, continuing a tradition that celebrates Pinellas County’s finest prep football talent while supporting their academic futures.

Champions League soccer finals set for Dec. 13 at Al Lang

The Loci Capital Champions League soccer tournament features 12 boys teams divided into two groups of six and 10 girls teams in groups of five, with group play determining advancement to championship matches Dec. 13 at Al Lang Stadium.

Boys group winners advance to quarterfinals Dec. 11, with the championship match set for 8 p.m. The girls final is at 5:30 p.m. The Tampa Bay Rowdies serve as host and co-sponsor, offering free admission and parking for championship day.

Select Sport America, the tournament’s ball sponsor, created the Virtuoso Award for top players. Rowdies Head Coach Dominic Casciato and Perry Van Der Beck will present the awards.

The Peek Family established an annual $2,500 scholarship for one boy and one girl based on character, selected by a panel of retired coaches and players.

Loci Capital founders Mike Phillips and Dave Workman, who played for Clearwater Central Catholic’s 1996-97 state championship teams, sponsor the tournament. The boys winner may face Polk County’s champion Jan. 10 in the inaugural I-4 SuperCup.

Memorial toy drive honors former Northeast coach’s father

A memorial toy drive honoring a Northeast High School basketball family will be held during games on Dec. 12.

Tyler Baynard, the former boys basketball coach at Northeast, will host the third annual Rick Baynard Memorial Toy Drive Shootout in memory of his father, who died unexpectedly the morning after the 2023 event.

Baynard started the toy drive during his tenure as head coach at Northeast. Though he’s no longer coaching there, the school has allowed him to continue the event in his father’s memory.

The event will feature two varsity basketball games: Dunedin vs. Farragut at 6:30 p.m. and Bayshore Christian vs. Northeast at 8 p.m.

Instead of paying admission, fans can donate a new toy, gift card or cash. Donations will be sent to elementary schools in Pinellas County and the “I Love St. Pete” Facebook group’s toy drive.

Last year, the event collected more than 150 toys and $2,000 in cash.

The event will include entertainment, food for purchase and a raffle for a Chick-fil-A basket. Local businesses and Chick-fil-A on Fourth Street North are sponsoring the event.