Since the first day of conditioning the goal for every high school basketball team has been to get to Lakeland and compete for a state championship. For four area teams such as Creeskide, Ribault, Palatka and Bolles they all have a chance to achieve that goal with a win today in the regional final (Elite 8). Here is a quick run down of the Elite 8 games tonight.
🏀 @BballCreekside travels to Tallahassee today to face @LHSTrojansBBall in a Region 1-8A boys basketball final.
The Knights (25-4) and Trojans (20-8) will meet for the third straight postseason. pic.twitter.com/GxGBKFFoQ8
— Will Brown (@wwbrown19) March 2, 2018
Class 8A: Creekside (25-4) at Lincoln (20-8)
Outlook: This date has been circled on the calendar for over a year for Creekside as for the third straight year, these two meet in the same round this time in Tallahassee. Lincoln went on the road back-to-back years and stunned Creekside 62-61 in overtime last year and 57-54 two years ago both on buzzer beaters. No pregame dramatic speech needed here for Noah Lippy (12.2 p.p.g.), J-Michael Plummer (13.6 p.p.g.) and DJ Dumas (9.9 p.p.g.). The Knights won’t be intimated at all having gone 8-0 on the road this season and playing nemesis Lincoln with a spot in Lakeland on the line and two years of frustration built up will have them fired up.
At stake: Winner moves on to the Final Four and will play the winner of Edgewater and Winter Haven in a state semi-final game Friday at the RP Funding Center.
Watch Now!!! Ribault vs Rickards Boys Basketball Regional Final https://t.co/m3IyU91H1t pic.twitter.com/lgc7AYbxiA
— Duval Sports ™️ (@DuvalSports) March 1, 2018
Class 6A: Ribault (14-13) at Rickards (20-7)
Outlook: Both of these teams are no strangers to Lakeland having both won four state titles each, however it’s been three years since Rickards last went and four years since Ribault made it to Lakeland. These two have a long history between each other having met seven times in the playoffs, with Rickards holding a 4-3 lead in the series during the playoffs including winning three of the last four meeting meetings including two in a row in 2003 and 2010. In what was clearly a rebuilding year for the Trojans turned into a team of destiny quickly as the Trojans have got hot in the postseason with a buzzer beater win over host Orange Park and a triple overtime win over nemesis Bishop Kenny in their last game. After two grueling games, do the Trojans have anything left in the tank still ? Can’t make it to Tallahassee you can watch it live on the NFHSNetwork tonight.
At stake: Winner moves on to the Final Four and will play the winner of Palatka and Ridgewood in a state semi-final game Wednesday at the RP Funding Center.
Class 6A: Palatka (27-2) at Ridgewood (27-3)
Outlook: Next to Creekside, there may not be a better team in the area than Palatka, who started off the season with 19 straight wins, before Ponte Vedra upset them. Since the loss the Panthers finished 8-1 down the stretch and enter tonight’s game with a lot of confidence led by Chamar Dumas. As if going on the road in the playoffs isn’t already challenging enough, Palatka will face a Ridgewood team which is playing its final home game in school history after the school which opened in 1978 is being converted into another magnet school next fall. Expect a packed gym and hyped atmosphere as the Rams alumni and current students will be there as will all of Pasco County, as the Rams took to twitter to literally invite every Pasco school to help them root on the Rams.
At stake: Winner moves on to the Class 6A Final Four in Lakeland and will play the winner of Rickards and Palatka in a state semi-final game Wednesday at the RP Funding Center.
Class 5A: Bolles (23-7) at Pensacola Catholic (27-1)
Outlook: They’re not suppose to be here, but the Bolles Bulldogs keep defying the odds and keep finding a way to survive and advance in the postseason. After splitting both regular season matchups with Raines with both teams winning on the home floors and then losing to Raines in the district title game; the Bulldogs went on the road and stunned Raines by 13 in their last game. Two years ago, Bolles brought home its third overall state title with a win over Tampa Catholic in Lakeland, perhaps this team can do it again. However, of all the area teams, Bolles may have drawn the toughest assignment traveling to a Pensacola Catholic team which started out 17-0 before being stunned by Pensacola Washington 62-56 but has rebounded to win 10 in a row since and is 15-0 at home this season.
At stake: Winner moves on to the Class 5A Final Four in Lakeland and will play the winner of Trinity Catholic and Melbourne Central Catholic in a state semi-final game Wednesday at the RP Funding Center
WATCH PARTY
North Florida Educational Institute and Impact Christian both already advanced to the Final Four in Lakeland with wins Tuesday. First year Impact went on the road and knocked off Crossroads Academy 61-38, while NFEI held off Keystone Prep 57-52 at home. Here is the schedule of games in Lakeland. http://www.fhsaa.org/node/31915
Area state titles (37)
Six: Andrew Jackson
Five: Arlington Country Day
Four: Ribault
Three: Bolles, Duval, Providence, Raines
Two: Lee
One: Baker County, Bishop Kenny, Columbia, Fletcher, Hilliard, Nease, Paxon, Trinity
