RURAL

Not a bad record with our picks, coming in at 6-2.  The surprises were in Region One where both Graceville and Chipley went on the road and defeated higher-seeded teams.  The big surprise there is that both Graceville and Bethlehem came out of District 2 where Bethlehem was the winner while Graceville lost in the semis.  This matches up a pair of District 7 teams to win a regional title when neither won its own district.  The most exciting games may have been in Region Three.  Pre-season favorite Hilliard prevailed by just three points at home over Trenton while Fort White was just a single two-point bucket better than visiting Madison County.  On the flip side, both Hawthorne and Williston had easy double-digit wins.  Overall, it was good to see that only two of the eight games were decided by double-digits.  This suggests that all four regional semifinals could be close contests.

Best Matchup: It is a #1 vs. #2 matchup as Hawthorne hosts Williston on Monday night.  This will be a repeat of the District 7 final which Williston won.  Williston has played a tough schedule all year to prepare for the playoffs.

Best Chance for an Upset: It is our firm belief that no matter who wins the four games Monday night, it will not be an upset.  Our hope is that the games continue to be close contests with exciting finishes.

Our Picks

Chipley over Graceville

Crossroad Academy over Munroe

Hilliard over Fort White

Williston over Hawthorne

CLASS 1A

Sixteen games and only five decided by single-digits.  Our record of 11-5 featured some good (Atlantic Christian over Lake Worth Christian by 3), some bad (Kissimmee of Life Academy on the road over Tampa Gulf Coast HEAT by 16) and downright ugly (Jacksonville Impact Christian over Ocala Meadowbrook Academy by 57).  Our suggestion that Orlando Christian Prep could pull the upset over Central Florida Christian Academy was off base as CFCA won handily.  Dade Christian’s win over Grandview Prep wasn’t as close as we expected but Legacy Charter out of Ocoee proved us right in going to Mount Dora Christian and not only being competitive but winning.  The closest contest was Eagle’s View of Jacksonville going on the road to Tallahassee and defeating North Florida Christian by two points. One result of Thursday night is that there will be several district rematches.  In Region One, Impact Christian vs North Florida Educational is a District Two rematch.  Both games in Region Three, Lakeland Victory Christian/Kissimmee City of Life Christian and Naples Seacrest Country Day/Ava Maria Donahue Catholic are District 9 and 12 rematches respectively.

Best Matchup: On paper and on the court, #5 Central Florida Christian Academy and #7 Zephyrhills Christian Academy should be a compelling game.  Each team has a similar amount of size, athleticism, and skill.  CFCA has the advantage of not only being at home but also has played a much more challenging schedule this season.

Best Chance for an Upset: Atlantic Christian is ranked higher and has a much better record, but Miami Westwood Christian has a much better strength of schedule and is playing with a lot of confidence right now.

Our Picks

Jacksonville Impact Christian over Jacksonville North Florida Educational

Jacksonville Eagle’s View over Tallahassee St. John Paul II

North Tampa Christian over Ocoee Legacy Charter

Orlando Central Florida Christian over Zephyrhills Christian

Lakeland Victory Christian over Kissimmee City of Life Christian

Naples Seacrest Country Day over Ava Marie Donahue Catholic

Weston Sagemont over Miami Dade Christian

Miami Westwood Christian over West Palm Beach Atlantic Christian

 

CLASS 2A

We did okay going 13-3 with our picks.  Region Two proved to be “Road Warrior Central” as three of the four road teams picked up victories.  Arguably the biggest surprise of that group was Orlando Cornerstone Charter’s win over Winter Garden Foundation Academy.  Foundation defeated Cornerstone less than a week ago in the district semis and had homecourt advantage.  There were a couple of surprisingly close games as well.  Miami Country Day, the classification’s #2 ranked team, only won by five over Doral Divine Savior while Riverview Bell Creek Academy was only three points better than a Clearwater Central Catholic team that had to win its district tournament to reach the playoffs.

Best Matchup: The Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy/Miami Riviera Prep rivalry has been one-sided the last two years with the RP Bulldogs getting past the Lions and going on to win state titles.  Despite the loss of 7’0 senior Gustavo Guimareas, Riviera Prep is very experienced when it comes to the pressure cooker that is the playoffs.  If 6’8 junior Alex Constanza is back for Westminster, it gives them a potent offensive force as well as help on the boards.  Not to be overlooked, #2 Miami Country Day hosting #3 Chaminade-Madonna should have plenty of offensive fireworks.

Best Chance for an Upset: Tampa SLAM has to go on the road to face Tampa Prep but SLAM does have an edge when it comes to a stronger strength of schedule as well as recent playoff success.  Outside of that contest, things are expected to go according to schedule.

Our Picks

Jacksonville University Christian over Jacksonville Providence

Oviedo The Master’s Academy over Orlando The First Academy

Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic over Palm Beach Gardens Benjamin

Fort Pierce John Carroll Catholic over Orlando Cornerstone Charter

Tampa Prep over Tampa SLAM

Naples First Baptist Academy over Riverview Bell Creek Academy

Miami Riviera Prep over Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy

Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna over Miami Country Day

 

CLASS 3A

While we could be excited about going 14-2 in our picks, we are concerned by how uncompetitive the games were on Wednesday night.  All but four games were decided by double-digits.  Our misses were by big numbers.  Lake Alfred Discovery walked into Clearwater Calvary Christian and won by 24 while North Broward Prep went across the state to Fort Myers Bishop Verot and walked out with a 21 point win.  The competitive games were Newberry winning by just five at home over Jacksonville Bolles.  We thought that would be a challenge for an undefeated Newberry team whose strength of schedule isn’t very strong. Also as projected, Tampa Catholic had a challenge on its hands in Windermere Prep, winning by just five points.  St. Andrew’s of Boca Raton took a short trip north and defeated The King’s Academy by seven while in the closest game of the night, Miami SLAM defeated Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest by a single point.

Best Matchup: An undefeated Newberry team hosts a Florida High team with talent and size.  Newberry had a rough time at home against seven seed Jacksonville Bolles while Florida High dispatched six seed Episcopal School at home by thirty-three.  Still, it will be a challenge for the Seminoles to play in that kind of chaotic environment.  Both Games in Region Two, Discovery at The Villages and Tampa Catholic at Lake Highland Prep, should also be highly competitive contests.  Finally, it will be interesting to see how St. Andrew’s of Boca Raton handles a Gateway Charter team with more size.

Best Chance for an Upset: If winning on the road can be considered an upset, there are a couple of tempting choices.  Florida High going into Newberry is one.  Tampa Catholic going up I-4 to Lake Highland Prep in Orlando is another possibility.  Depending on which Gateway Charter travels across the state to play St. Andrew’s could make for a competitive contest.  Finally, down south in Plantation, Gulliver Prep calling on Nova Southeastern (U-School) isn’t a lay-up for the home team.

Our Picks

Jacksonville Andrew Jackson over Marianna

Tallahassee Florida High over Newberry

The Villages Charter over Lake Alfred Discovery

Orlando Lake Highland Prep over Tampa Catholic

Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian over Coconut Creek North Broward Prep

Boca Raton St. Andrew’s over Fort Myers Gateway Charter

Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons over Miami SLAM

Plantation NSU University School over Miami Gulliver Prep