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Dr Phillips Advances to FHSAA Girls Basketball State Playoffs

Dr Phillips Advances to FHSAA Girls Basketball State Playoffs

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Dr Phillips advances Colonial falls short in FHSAA girls basketball state

Last season, Dr. Phillips' girls basketball team made a remarkable run to the Class 7A state final; unfortunately for them, they fell short this year as they lost 79-57 to Vero Beach in Lakeland on Saturday afternoon.

This week, the best teams in Florida will descend upon Jenkins Arena at RP Funding Center for the 2023 FHSAA Girls Basketball State Championships. This tournament follows a "Final Four" format with semifinals taking place Wednesday through Friday.

Hawthorne vs. Newberry

Hawthorne has been playing its best basketball lately and it showed on Tuesday night against Newberry when they claimed a 43-41 victory in the Class 1A-Region 3 Final to advance to the state semifinals for the second year running.

This game had plenty of drama, with Hawthorne leading for much of the way until Newberry pulled within one point late in the fourth quarter on a 5-0 run. But just minutes later, sophomore guard Logan McCloud (14 points) tied it at 39-apiece with two free throws.

After that, the Hornets held onto a lead that never wavered, thanks to C.J. Ingram's game-high 15 points and nine rebounds for a team-best nine.

With seven seconds left in the third quarter, Hawthorne had taken a commanding 34-29 lead heading into the fourth. Ingram then hit another reverse layup to extend their lead even further with 18 seconds remaining in play for an even larger margin: 37-29.

Mason Smith (10 points) responded with a 3-pointer to trim the Hornets' lead to one point (37-32) with 3:30 left in the game. Hawthorne's Leland Johnson missed an attempt at a one-and-one with 3.9 seconds remaining, and Ingram made two free throws with one second left to secure victory.

Hawthorne advances to the FHSAA Class 1A state semifinals on Wednesday against Ponce de Leon. If they prevail in their semifinal, Hawthorne will face Wildwood on Friday at 7 p.m.

On the other hand, the Wildcats come into this game with an impressive 24-1 record. Trinidy Harris leads the team with 22 points per game while Zoey Brown averages 11.1 points and 6.2 assists per contest.

Hawthorne faces a formidable challenge against the Wildcats, especially given their district championship and past record against the Hornets. But Cornelius Ingram - himself an ex-Florida Gators tight end and former player - believes his team can rise to this challenge.

Munroe vs. Meadowbrook

Dr. Phillips advanced to the next round of FHSAA girls basketball state playoffs with a 60-52 victory over Riverview on Thursday at Colonial High. The Grenadiers (13-5) took an early lead and couldn't be caught, while the Sharks (12-1) couldn't come back from it.

The Grenadiers used a defensive-first strategy to take control of the game in the first half and then cruised for the remainder. They made 18 steals and only allowed one field goal during that span, and held Riverview to just one point after scoring two of their own goals in the second quarter.

Karma Jeremie led the Grenadiers with eight points, five steals and five rebounds in the game. Astaja Tyghter added 16 points while Denise Daniels contributed 14 while Dajsha Hall chipped in with 13 for the Grenadiers.

Munroe had an outstanding defensive showing in the first half, holding Riverview to just one field goal. They held a commanding 38-4 lead at halftime.

After a promising first half, Munroe faced an uphill battle with their shooting. They shot just 1-for-14 from the floor in the first and 4-for-22 in the second. Fortunately, senior Alexis Johnson hit three consecutive 3-pointers to help his team pull away in the third quarter.

The team will look to capitalize on that momentum in the upcoming round against Oak Hall. The Eagles need some wins and this could be the game that provides them with the boost they need to return to the regional finals.

In the other Class 2A district opener, NFEI takes on Gainesville Oak Hall in what should be a tough matchup. After an injury-riddled start to this season, Gainesville Oak Hall has been playing well this year and features sophomore Bella Dyrkolbotn as their leading scoring threat with 16.5 points per game average and 9.7 boards per game leading the team in rebounding.

Florida High vs. Ocala Trinity Catholic

It's that time of year again when high school teams compete for a state title. From football and basketball to baseball and softball, every game is played with one goal in mind: to win the title.

Over the last two weeks, we've seen just how essential it is for kids to play in a state championship. Not only does it give us something to be proud of, but it also provides them with an incentive to strive a little harder on their game.

Trinity Catholic has been dominating their district all season. After losing three games early on, the Celtics have rallied to finish second and secure a spot in the FHSAA playoffs.

They boast a strong group of returning players, but the real key to their success this season will be Beau Beard who's had an incredible season after sitting out as a sophomore and junior. This offseason he has worked hard to return to the field and has become an important factor in both passing and running games.

That has translated to a formidable defense, too. They've held opponents to an impressive 33.5 points per game this season and have kept them out of the end zone all but five times in their last seven games combined.

These are just some of the reasons why this is an ideal situation for the Celtics. They possess a solid combination of young talent that will only continue to improve, plus an experienced coaching staff with plenty of expertise and an illustrious tradition to draw upon.

On Saturday, the Celtics are 9-2 and will face First Baptist Academy in the Class 1S state championship game. This is a monumental moment for Beau Beard and all of his teammates as they aim to secure another victory on their home field.

Coach Brantley's recent state title win is just the latest in a long line of successes for him. As an athlete, assistant coach and head coach, he's won many accolades over the years; now it's his turn to bring another ring home for his players. With such success comes great responsibility!

Madison County vs. Rickards

At the conclusion of their regular season, the Raiders were 4-3 and had swept their district tournament, earning them a place in the FHSAA state playoffs against an expected state champion. That earned them a date with another top-seeded squad in the FHSAA state semifinals.

Rickards received outstanding performances from Jakiyah Robinson and Genesis Henry. Niylia Wilkins and Jaylen Boyer added points as well. It was a close game throughout most of the fourth quarter until Rickards took control.

Pine Forest was led by senior guard Tahnyjia Purifoy who scored 27 points. She was followed by sophomore guard Niylia Wilkins with 20 points. Additionally, senior guard Jakiyah Robinson and freshman Genesis Henry each contributed 16 points for the Raiders.

Madison County, however, was coming off a loss to Creekside but had several key players back in the starting lineup. Freshmen Jasmine Loux, Julianna Baskin, Kasey Davey and Miley Dill all played significant minutes during the fourth quarter.

The Knights have not had much luck in one-score games. They are 0-4 against Creekside, a team they have lost twice in three years.

Though they have lost two close games this year, the Panthers remain in contention. Nia Blocton, Nacoya Blocton and Narissa Blocton have shown great poise when given a chance.

They also have Paetyn Miller to bring her outside shooting to the court, which is an invaluable asset for them.

Rickards boasts Keyon Brown, who leads the team with six receiving touchdowns. Their athletes are impressive and they possess enough talent to compete for a title this season.

Rickards has an opportunity to win its first district championship in over 10 years when it takes on Munroe on Saturday. This would mark an amazing turnaround for the Bobcats, who went 1-47 over their previous decade of existence.

In other district finals, Oakleaf prevailed over Ponte Vedra and St. Johns Country Day edged University Christian in a thrilling matchup.

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