Olympia, OCP among the top seeds with eyes on the FHSAA regionals
Olympia’s boys basketball team is No. 1 for Orlando area teams and No. 1 in Class 7A Region 2 in the FHSAA power rankings.
But sixth-year Titans coach Rob Gordon said his team won’t feel any more pressure than any other team in a powerhouse region bracket that boasts three of the top five and six of the top-10 teams in 7A.
“I think we’re still the hunter, not the hunted. We still have a lot to prove,” Gordon said before his team claimed its district tournament last week with a hardfought 71-66 win against Oak Ridge.
Olympia (25-2), led by Mr. Basketball candidate E.J. “Jizzle” James and a strong supporting cast, hosts Lake Nona (20-7) in one of 23 FHSAA region quarterfinals involving area teams on Thursday night.
The Titans’ only boys basketball region title came in 2009 when Olympia went 28-5 under current Windermere coach Mark Griseck, losing a state championship game to Coral Reef of Miami.
Olympia is ranked No. 3 in 7A behind reigning state champ and Region 4 top seed Miami Columbus (21-4), which lost its district final, and Region 3 favorite Winter Haven (23-4).
Orlando Christian Prep (21-3), seeking its 11th state title and fourth in a row, is top-ranked in 2A after trading that spot several times with Sagemont (24-4) of Broward County during the regular season. But the Warriors will also be challenged. They needed two free throws by Isaiah Brown in the final second to beat 2A No. 7 Central Florida Christian Academy in a district final last week.
Olympia, OCP and fellow region top seeds Wekiva and Windermere Prep are guaranteed to host all three rounds of regional play if they advance. Wekiva has that status despite losing to Edgewater in its 6A district final.
Region semifinals are next Tuesday, followed by finals on Friday, Feb. 24. The FHSAA state tournament is March 1-4 in Lakeland for the final four teams in each classification.
Colonial and Jones maintained top-seed status in their regions despite district final losses. But both will travel on Thursday as at-large teams paired against district winners. They would host semifinal and final games as the strongest seed.
Oak Ridge hosts Wellington, the team the Pioneers defeated to win their 2018 state championship.
Conference rivals Sanford Seminole and Lake Brantley split regular-season games and will meet again.
Here are Thursday quarterfinal matchups. All games involving Orlando area teams start at 7 p.m. Admission is $7 for region games.
Class 7A Region 1
No. 1 Colonial (21-6) at No. 8 Creekside (12-15) #
No. 5 Seminole (19-8) at No. 4 Lake Brantley (19-8) No. 7 Lake Mary (16-11) at No. 2 Evans (15-10)
No. 6 Ocoee (15-11) at No. 3 Hagerty (22-5)
Class 7A Region 2
No. 8 Lake Nona (20-7) at No. 1 Olympia (25-2)
No. 4 Windermere (19-7) at No. 5 Centennial (22-5) # No. 7 Harmony (22-5) at No. 2 Lake Worth (21-1)
No. 6 Wellington (20-5) at No. 3 Oak Ridge (16-9)
Class 6A Region 2
No. 8 Heritage (21-6) at No. 1 Wekiva (23-4)
No. 5 Viera (16-9) at No. 4 Martin County (17-8)
No. 7 Oviedo (16-11) at No. 2 Lakeland (22-4)
No. 6 Lake Minneola (16-10) at No. 3 Edgewater (16-10) Class 5A Region 2
No. 1 Jones (13-11) at No. 8 Wesley Chapel (18-9) # No. 5 Leesburg (12-12) at No. 4 Tampa Blake (22-6) No. 7 Lecanto (22-4) at No. 2 Auburndale (20-8)
No. 6 Tampa King (18-9) at No. 3 Tampa Jesuit (21-6) Class 4A Region 2
No. 1 Alachua Santa Fe (20-6) at No. 8 Palm Bay (17-7) #
No. 5 Cocoa (15-8) at No. 4
Lake Highland Prep (16-11) No. 7 Bishop Moore (14-12) at No. 2 Villages Charter (19-8) No. 6 Umatilla (21-5) at No. 3 North Marion (20-6), 7
Class 3A Region 1
No. 8 Interlachen (19-8) at No. 1 Providence (25-2) No. 4 Episcopal (21-6) at No. 5 Master’s Academy (21-6), 7#
No. 2 FSU High School (25-2) at No. 7 P.K. Yonge (14-10) # No. 6 Marianna (21-6) at No. 3 Maclay (23-3)
Class 3A Region 2
No. 8 Seffner Christian (18-8) at No. 1 Windermere Prep (20-7)
No. 5 Benjamin (15-10) at No. 4 Holy Trinity (20-7)
No. 7 Foundation Academy (19-8) at No. 2 Bell Creek Academy (23-4)
No. 6 Santa Fe Catholic (17-11) at No. 3 King’s Academy (25-1)
Class 2A Region 2
No. 8 Zephyrhills Christian (10-7) at No. 1 Orlando Christian Prep (21-3)
No. 5 Faith Christian (17-9) at No. 4 Mount Dora Christian (21-6)
No. 7 City of Life (12-9) at No. 2 Victory Christian (23-5) No. 6 Legacy Charter (15-7) at No. 3 Central Florida Christian Academy (17-10) (# higher seed that is an at-large team playing at a district champion)