Lake Highland tops rankings; Olympia climbs up to No. 2
Hoopfest and Hoops with a Heart events on Saturday to showcase ranked teams
Saturday’s Orlando Health Hoopfest at Windermere Prep will showcase the new No. 1 in the Sentinel Super 16 boys basketball rankings — plus four more of the area’s top-rated teams.
Lake Highland Prep, off to a 5-0 start, moves to the top of the list. The Highlanders replace Orlando Christian Prep, which saw its area-record 48-game winning streak end with a 50-48 loss to upstart Olympia in a quarterfinal game at last week’s Rotary Tip-Off Classic.
Lake Highland has the area’s most dominant force in Ohio State signee Brice Sensabaugh (6-5, Sr.), who is averaging 26.8 points per game and has made 24 of 39 3-point shots — a blistering 61.5%. He had 39 points when the Highlanders opened with a 61-60 win against preseason state No. 1 Dr. Phillips.
Olympia won the Rotary tournament in its first appearance and improved to 5-0 with a 71-44 dismantling of ranked Hagerty (4-1) on Wednesday. The Titans vault to No. 2 heading into a Friday night game against also unbeaten Apopka (6-0).
Saturday’s Hoopfest lineup includes No. 1 LHP, No. 6 Central Florida Christian, No. 7 Windermere High, and a marquee nightcap pitting No. 3 Dr. Phillips against No. 8 Windermere Prep.
The matchups: Ocoee vs. Santa Fe Catholic, noon; Villages Charter vs. Tallahassee Chiles, 1:30; Windermere High vs. Lakewood Ranch, 3; CFCA vs. Jacksonville Bishop Snyder, 4:30; Lake Highland Prep vs. Tallahassee Lincoln, 6; and Dr. Phillips vs. Windermere Prep, 7:30. Admission: $10 via Gofan.co online.
The Hoops with a Heart event, also Saturday, has three ranked teams and all proceeds benefit former Bishop Moore player and coach Rob Graham. That seven-game lineup includes No. 4 Oak Ridge, No. 14 Trinity Prep and No. 15 Hagerty.
The matchups: Bishop Moore vs. Orlando University, 10 a.m.; Lake Brantley vs. Gateway, 11:30;
Master’s Academy vs. Boone, 1; Holy Trinity vs. Hagerty, 2:30; Trinity Prep vs. Evans, 4; Vero Beach vs. Oak Ridge, 5:30; and Oviedo vs. West Orange, 7. Admission: $10.
The Super 16 includes only teams that participate in the FHSAA playoff system. Last week’s ranking, if different, is in parenthesis:
1. (2) Lake Highland Prep (5-0)
Buzz: Highlanders earn No. 23 national ranking from MaxPreps off quality wins vs. Dr. Phillips and Windermere. 2. (4) Olympia (5-0)
Buzz: Guards E.J. “Jizzle” James and Josh Meo lead a squad that is deep in playmakers riding high on momentum.
3. Dr. Phillips (3-1)
Buzz: Windermere Prep on Saturday is DP’s third highly ranked opponent after loss to Lake Highland and Riviera Prep win.
4. (1) Orlando Christian Prep (3-1)
Buzz: Warriors play South Carolina’s 5A preseason No. 1 Ridge View and New Jersey power The Patrick School on Saturday at The Bash in Columbia, S.C.
5. Oak Ridge (6-0)
Buzz: Pioneers host preseason 3A No. 2 Tampa Catholic (1-3) Friday before participating in Hoops with a Heart.
6. Central Florida Christian Academy (4-1*)
Buzz: HoopFest matchup pits 2A No. 2 Eagles vs. Bishop Snyder (3-3), SourceHoops preseason 3A No. 6 team.
7. Windermere (4-1)
Buzz: Wolverines suffered first loss to Lake Highland, 67-60, last Saturday. Hosting Evans (2-3) on Friday.
8. Windermere Prep (7-0)
Buzz: Dartmouth signee Jayden Williams joined 1,000-point club in Tuesday
76-41 win over Bishop Moore.
9. (10) Apopka (6-0)
Buzz: Blue Darters get by far their toughest test of the season with road game at Olympia on Friday night.
10. (12) Kissimmee Osceola (3-0)
Buzz: After two rivalry games next week, Kowboys have an upcoming date with Olympia at home on Friday, Dec. 17.
11. (14) Trinity Prep (5-1)
Buzz: Saints hold serve and move up as others tumble. Game at The First Academy on Friday night.
12. (16) Hagerty (4-1)
Buzz: Unsigned senior guard Jah Nze scored 44 in 76-72 win at Evans. He’s averaging 34.4 points per game.
13. (11) Evans (2-3)
Buzz: Trojans have losses to teams with combined 17-1 record (Oak Ridge, Windermere Prep, Hagerty).
14. (NR) DeLand (3-2*)
Buzz: Bulldogs thumped Oviedo 67-51. Losses are overtime to Rockledge (4-0) and by 6 vs. Grace Baptist of Mississippi.
15. (NR) Jones (5-3) Buzz: Tigers had won four in a row before losing to Oak Ridge. Played five games in first seven regular season dates.
16. (15) Oviedo (5-1)
Buzz: Lions play at Lake Howell on Friday before hosting Saturday’s Hoops with a Heart event.
Dropped out: Edgewater (1-3); Sanford Seminole (2-2).
On Bubble: Lake Brantley (3-2); Lake Minneola (6-1); Mount Dora Christian (4-0)*; South Lake (4-0)*.
(*denotes teams with Thursday games)