Eva Myers (5’8” Senior Guard) – 11ppg ; 3 apg

FP Predictions:  St. Petersburg Lakewood

Class 6A  - State Finals:

Fort Walton Choctawhatchee (31-0) vs. Orlando Edgewater (25-6)

TODAY’S GAME:                                     6A  STATE  FINAL                                                                    1:30pm

                            Fort Walton Choctawhatchee Indians vs. Orlando Edgewater Eagles

Choctawhatchee Indians:   Brittany Brown (5’8” Senior Guard) – 18ppg ; 4 rpg ; 4 apg

                                                                Lauren Day (6’0” Senior Center) – 10ppg ; 6 rpg                                                     

 Edgewater Eagles:              Nyala Shuler (5’10” Junior Forward) – 16ppg ; 10 rpg

                                                                Trimaine McCullough (5’7” Senior Guard) – 15ppg ; 3 apg

                                                                Haley Clark (5’8” Junior Guard) – 15ppg ; 4 apg

FP Predictions:  Orlando Edgewater Eagles

Class 7A  - State Semifinals:

Gainesville Buchholz Bobcats (27-4) – 79  vs. Tampa Freedom Patriots (25-4) – 73

University of Miami signee, Jessica Thomas (5’7” Senior Guard) led the Bobcats with the game high of 38 points. She scored 25 points in the first half to give Buchholz a ten point cushion, 41-31. Thomas shot 48% from the field making 12 of her 25 shots and 60% from beyond the arc. Thomas, the younger sister of University of Miami football star wide receiver, Lamar Thomas, was very poised and confident in her offensive ability.

Thomas led the Bobcats to a 6 point victory over the Patriots, 79-73. The Patriots were led by Faith Woodard (6’2” Senior Forward) with 26 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks. Taylor Emery (5’9” Sophomore Guard) added 21 points and 7 rebounds in the lost.

Davie Nova Titans (22-7) - 47 vs. Haines City Hornets (27-5)  - 44  

After a slow start, the Titans overcame a 5-0 deficit by the Hornets, to advance the 7A state title game versus Buchholz. Titans’ Kiani Lurry (5’8” Sophomore Guard) made two free-throws to give Nova their first set of points with 2:46 remaining in the 1^st quarter.

Atkins fouled out with 2:38 remaining in the game, with the Titans up 6 points, 41-36. Brekia Henderson (5’5” Senior Guard) converted with five straight points to pull the Hornets within one with 1:15 remaining in the 4^th, 41-40. Titans’ Head Coach, Jason Hively was pleased with the effort of his girls, especially in the second half. Hively stated, “I told the girls we have to find a way to win and leave Lakeland with no regrets.”

With 1:03 remaining in the contest, Lurry converted 6 of 6 free-throws to give the Titans a 47-44 lead with 14 seconds remaining. The Hornets had one more shot at tying the game with 4.8 seconds remaining as Qushonda Florence’s 3-point shot attempt fell short as time expired.

TODAY’S GAME:                                     7A  STATE  FINAL                                                                     5:00pm

                                  Gainesville Buchholz Bobcats vs. Davie Nova Titans

PLAYERS 2 WATCH:

Buchholz Bobcats:   Jessica Thomas (5’7” Senior Guard) – 30 ppg ; 5 apg

                                                Jazlynd Rollins (5’8” Junior Guard) – 16 ppg ; 5 rpg  

 Nova Titans:            Kiani Lurry (5’9” Sophomore Guard)

                                                Bernadette Devaney (5’8” Sophomore Guard)

FP Predictions:  Gainesville Buchholz

Class 8A  - State Semifinals:

Orlando Dr. Phillips (28-3) – 69   vs. Palm Beach Dwyer Panthers  (24-6)– 65

The streak of defeating Florida opponents of 67 straight games was at stake for the Dr. Phillip Panthers. Dwyer and Dr. Phillips met earlier this season. The results were an 82-65 victory for Dr. Phillips in Orlando.

Dr. Phillips went into halftime with a one point lead, 36-35. Dwyer out-rebounded Dr. Phillips 30-18 and for the most part handled Dr. Phillips’ full-court zone pressure. Keyanna Harris (6’0” Junior Guard) led Dwyer with 9 points and 6 rebounds and Sydnei McCaskill (5’7” Senior Guard) led Dr. Phillips with 16 points and 5 assists at the midway point.

Jade Cheek, with 6:42 remaining in the 4^th, hit a crucial 3 point shot to extend Dr. Phillips’ lead to 7 points, 54-47. Cheek stated, “Dwyer’s extended 3-2 zone, with their length on the perimeter cause me to not get good looks at the basket. But finally I got space and didn’t hesitate to let it go. I knew it was a big shot we needed.”

Dwyer took the lead 58-56 on a Keyanna Harris’ three point play with a scored basket and free-throw on a Dr. Phillips foul with 4 minutes remaining in the 4^th quarter. Kai James (6’6” Senior Center) extended the lead for Dwyer with a pair of free-throws 60-56 with 3:24 remaining in the game.

On the following position, Matea Britvar (5’10” Junior Forward) pulled Dr. Phillips within one on a deep 3 point goal, 60-59 with 2:32 left in regulation.

Hannah Schaible (5’9” Senior Forward) tied the game with a lay-up at 61 with 1:42. Dr. Phillips closed the game with an 8-4 run to preserve the win and advance to the 8A State Finals for an opportunity to three-peat.

Miami High Stingarees (25-5) – 46  vs. Orlando Colonial Grenadiers (27-3) – 44

Imagine playing in a State Semifinal game and your only scoring basket is the one that decides the results of the game. Well, that is what the Stingarees’ Melsheree Reid (5’8” Junior Guard) accomplished Friday night against Colonial. Reid’s 18 ft shot gave Colonial their third defeat of the season, and no shot at the Class 8A State Title.

The game was close throughout, but the difference was Colonial not scoring until 1:49 remaining in the game. The Grenadiers suffered from foul trouble with Karma Jeremie (5’6” Junior Guard) fouling out with 6 points and 3 assists and Nina Guillaume (5’9” Senior Forward) fouled out with 9 points and 5 rebounds.

Colonial will be a top consideration as the team to beat and return in Class 8A along with Dr. Phillips next year. The Grenadiers are only losing two players off their eight man roster.

The Stingarees were led by Amanda Mendoza (5’1” Junior Guard) with 17 points and Tynesha Johnson (5’8” Senior Forward) added 12 points to help the Stingarees advance in the Class 8A State Title game against Dr. Phillips.

This will be the second meeting between these two teams. Dr. Phillips defeated Miami in earlier this season, 78-50.

TODAY’S GAME:                                     8A  STATE  FINALS                                                                   8:30pm

                                  Orlando Dr. Phillips Panthers vs. Miami High Stingarees

PLAYERS 2 WATCH:

Dr. Phillips Panthers:          Hannah Schaible (5’9” Senior Forward) – 15ppg ; 9 rpg

                                                                Sydnei McCaskill (5’7” Senior Guard) – 13ppg ; 9 apg  

                                                            Jade Cheek (5’9” Junior Guard) – 13ppg

 Miami High Stingarees:     Beatrice Mompremier (6’4” Sophomore Center) – 14ppg ; 11 rpg

                                                                Amanda Mendoza (5’1” Junior Guard) – 11ppg