Rematches include new backboard
The shattered backboard is replaced, Ernest Udeh Jr. is OK’d to play, and the stage is set for Round 3 of this season’s stirring Dr. Phillips vs. Olympia boys basketball rivalry.
DP (20-3) hosts backyard rival Olympia (21-6) in a Tuesday night Class 7A region semifinal game that surely would have packed the house had not COVID-19 guidelines restricted capacity. Only 250 tickets ($7) were available through the GoFan. co website and those sold out in about 45 minutes with no social media push.
DP is No. 3 and Olympia No. 5 in the updated MaxPreps 7A rankings. And they already have played two memorable overtime games at Olympia. DP won both times, prevailing 51-43 in OT on Jan. 29 and 51-50 in extra time in a district final two weeks ago.
“We know how good Olympia is, but we’re not looking at it as playing a team a third time,” Dr. Phillips coach Ben Witherspoon said Monday. “We just have to beat them once to advance. That’s our approach. These 32 minutes are separate from the other two games.”
Udeh, a 6-foot-10 center, suffered cuts and required stitches after he broke a homecourt backboard when he attempted to turn an offensive rebound into a putback dunk in the second quarter of a quarterfinal victory against Oviedo last Thursday. The teams went to Olympia, 3.9 miles down the road, to complete that playoff game.
Witherspoon said Udeh has had enough time to heal and is “good to go.”
Five of Tuesday’s eight region semifinals involving Orlando area schools are rematches of district tournament finals that were played 10 days earlier.
That includes Eustis at Lake Highland Prep, Trinity Prep at The First Academy, Mount Dora Christian at Central Florida Christian Academy and a home game for undefeated Sentinel Super 16 No. 1 Orlando Christian Prep against City of Life Christian of Kissimmee.
OCP is 23-0 and is shooting for its 44th consecutive victory over two seasons. That would tie the Orlando area boys basketball winning streak record set by Montverde Academy.
Class 7A No. 1 Oak Ridge plays at No. 3 Windermere in a rematch of a 2020 region final. Seminole also plays at home in 7A.
Tuesday’s winners advance to region championship games on Friday night.
Dr. Phillips has won nine consecutive games against Olympia since the Titans scored an 81-69 victory at DP on Jan. 19, 2016. But six of those games have been decided by eight points or less.
“It should be a great ballgame,” said Olympia coach Rob Gordon. “Our kids are excited to get another opportunity. These guys have been battle-tested. I just think they are ready.”
Olympia played its first 10 games on the road while work was being done on its gym. It is 12-2 since Jan. 13, losing only to Dr. Phillips.
Here are Tuesday’s semifinal matchups in regions involving area teams:
Class 7A Region 1
Bartram Trail (14-13) at Seminole (15-7) Buzz: Tenacious Seminole defense averaging 11.9 steals per game.
Olympia (21-6) at Dr. Phillips (20-3) Buzz: Two top-five teams with state-title aspirations. Only one advances.
Class 7A Region 2
Oak Ridge (21-2) at Windermere (17-5) Buzz: 7A No. 1 Oak Ridge beat the thirdranked Wolverines 70-56 on Dec. 5.
Tampa Alonso (23-5) at Sarasota Riverview (21-6)
Class 5A Region 2
Leesburg (14-4) at Hudson Fivay (23-2) Buzz: Fivay hasn’t lost a home game but Leesburg is the power ratings favorite.
Auburndale (17-3) at Rockledge (23-4)
Class 4A Region 2
Gainesville Eastside (20-2) at Alachua Santa Fe (17-5)
Eustis (10-11) at Lake Highland Prep (12-7)
Buzz: The Highlanders pulled out a 55-52 home win in District 7 final.
Class 3A Region 1
Jacksonville Jackson (17-6) at Jacksonville Bishop Snyder (20-8)
Trinity Prep (8-8) at The First Academy (15-8)
Buzz: Fourth time around: TFA is 2-1 against Trinity Prep this season.
Class 2A Region 3
Mount Dora Christian (21-6) at Central Florida Christian Academy (20-7)
Buzz: CFCA won 59-48 on the Bulldogs’ homecourt in District 10 final.
City of Life Christian (25-3) at Orlando Christian Prep (23-0)
Buzz: Also a district final rematch, OCP won 55-31 two weeks ago.