Region quarterfinals tip off Thursday
Defending state champions Dr. Phillips and Lake Highland Prep are the teams to beat in the Florida High School Athletic Association girls basketball playoffs.
DP is No. 1 among all classifications in FHSAA power rankings. Lake Highland, with the state’s toughest strength of schedule (17.71), is No. 2 overall.
The Panthers won last year’s Class 7A state title and defeated Lake Highland 80-64 on Jan. 18. The Highlanders have reached the state finals each of the past five seasons and won three consecutive 4A crowns.
Regional tournaments tip off Thursday with quarterfinal games scheduled for 7 p.m., according to MaxPreps. Tickets are available online through the GoFan app.
Edgewater (Class 6A), Kissimmee Gateway (5A) and Central Florida Christian Academy (2A) join DP and LHP as No. 1 seeds in their respective regions.
CFCA maintained its No. 1 ranking in all of 2A despite losing 66-59 vs. Faith Christian in the District 7 championship game on Friday. The Eagles open on the road at No. 8 Legacy Charter, which earned its first district title in any sport since the school started athletics in 2010.
Higher-seeded teams host in the opening round unless an at-large team is paired against a lower-seeded district champion.
Hagerty’s strength of schedule (6.31) hurt the district-champion Huskies entering 7A Region 1 play.
Despite defeating Colonial 51-50 in overtime on Friday and extending its win streak to 22 games, Hagerty is the No. 3 seed behind the Grenadiers and No. 1 Port Orange Spruce Creek, which dealt the Huskies their only loss.
Colonial, with a 13.79 strength of schedule, edged Hagerty by a 19.60 to 19.48 power rating to claim the No. 2 spot. That means the Grenadiers would host the rematch next week should both teams advance past the quarterfinals.
Region semifinal games are scheduled for Feb. 14. Region finals will be played Feb. 17. State semifinal and state championship games take place Feb. 22-25 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
REGION QUARTERFINAL PAIRINGS
Class 7A Region 1
No. 8Jacksonville Mandarin (14-9) at No. 1Port Orange Spruce Creek (21-5)
No. 5Lake Mary (21-6) at No. 4Timber Creek (15-10)
No. 7Ocala West Point (19-6) at No. 2Colonial (18-8)
No. 6Ocoee (16-9) at No. 3Hagerty (26-1)
Class 7A Region 2
No. 8Harmony (16-4) at No. 1Dr. Phillips (25-1) No. 5Vero Beach (12-12) at No. 4Port St. Lucie Centennial (15-7)
No. 2Oak Ridge (18-8) at No. 7Wellington Palm Beach Central (17-8)
No. 6West Orange (13-13) at No. 3Palm Beach Gardens (15-8)
Class 6A Region 2
No. 8Stuart Martin County (15-6) at No. 1Edgewater (21-4)
No. 5Lake Minneola (19-5) at No. 4Winter Springs (21-5)
No. 7Horizon (16-11) at No. 2Viera (21-4) No. 3St. Cloud (21-6) at No. 6Lakeland Lake Gibson (13-10)
Class 5A Region 2
No. 8Ocala Vanguard (8-14) at No. 1Gateway (21-6)
No. 5Eagle Lake Lake Region (15-9) at No. 4Lake Wales (9-12)
No. 7Riverview Spoto (13-12) at No. 2New Port Richey River Ridge (19-8)
No. 6Wesley Chapel (14-13) at No. 3Jones (12-14) Class 4A Region 2
No. 8Citra North Marion (11-11) at No. 1Lake Highland Prep (20-6)
No. 5Cocoa (15-11) at No. 4Eustis (15-9)
No. 7Ocala Lake Weir (14-6) at No. 2Melbourne Palm Bay (19-8)
No. 6Lake Alfred Discovery (17-4) at No. 3Bishop Moore (20-7)
Class 3A Region 1
No. 7Jacksonville Trinity Christian (18-8) at No. 2 Gainesville P.K. Yonge (14-3)
No. 6Jacksonville Episcopal School (13-13) at No. 3The Master’s Academy (19-6)
Class 3A Region 2
No. 8The First Academy (17-8) at No. 1Seffner Christian (23-4)
No. 4Palm Beach Gardens Benjamin (13-8) at
No. 5West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman (17-10)
No. 7Merritt Island Edgewood (17-2) at No. 2 West Palm Beach King’s Academy (20-4)
No. 6Windermere Prep (17-8) at No. 3Melbourne Holy Trinity Episcopal (20-4)
Class 2A Region 2
No. 1Central Florida Christian (18-7) at No. 8 Legacy Charter (8-10)
No. 5Lecanto Seven Rivers Christian (19-3) at No. 4Orlando Christian Prep (9-11)
No. 7Deltona Trinity Christian (14-5) at No. 2 Faith Christian (11-11)
No. 6Academy at the Lakes (18-4) at No. 3Mount Dora Christian (20-6)