Class 2A Semifinals:
Tuesday 2/24 -2:30pm

Academy at the Lakes (20-9) vs. #10-Agape Christian Academy (24-3)

The Road to Lakeland for Academy at the Lakes:
W vs. Canterbury (82-60)
W vs. Cambridge Christian (42-41)
W vs. Orlando Christian Prep (60-51)

The road to Lakeland for Agape Christian Academy:
W vs. Cornerstone Academy (82-30)
W vs. Central Florida Christian Academy (79-59)
W vs. North Florida Educational Institute (67-53)

Agape Christian Academy has not tasted defeat since Dec. 30th vs. Strawberry Crest in the Nicholas Holiday Classic at Lecanto. Academy at the Lakes has won six of their last seven games on the shoulders of Ethan Haslem’s 29ppg average and lights-out FG% of 61-percent and an even more white-hot 57% from the 3-point territory. The Wildcats matchup well with Agape in the size department and the bottom line is if Haslem can continue the insane scoring pace he’s current’y on, there’s more than enough talent and expectation to pull the “upset” over their opponents from Orlando. AatL has played countless teams well above their weight class this season and it appears as though that schedule is paying off in dividends at this point regardless of their actual record in those games. The Wildcats are playing with something that you cannot coach and that’s might “Mo” and the confidence to make things happen; those are the kinds of intangibles that lead to success this time of year just as much as anything else.

Class 5A Semifinals:
Friday 2/27 -10:00am
#3-Tarpon Springs (30-1) vs. Rickards (17-12)

The road to Lakeland for Tarpon Springs:
W vs. Zephyrhills (91-58)
W vs. Dunedin (80-42)
W vs. Gainesville-Eastside (68-60)

The road to Lakeland for Rickards:
W vs. Panama City-Arnold (63-40)
W vs. Panama City-Rutherford (61-52)
W vs. Baker County (57-43)

The Raiders from Tallahassee have done this before having won a state championship in 2010 vs. Ft. Lauderdale-Pine Crest, but have not sniffed the Lakeland Center since then until this season. Tarpon Springs has not been in this position since 1943; or not at all depending on the records-keeping some 82-years ago. Before the playoffs began, Rickards had lost six-of-seven games before this run, so they are hitting their stride at the right moment. Tarpon has four players averaging double-digits and will need to take advantage of their size difference in the paint. The main ingredient (which will be for all the teams involved this week additionally) is to get off to a hot start on the offensive side of the ball and get the nerves out of their system. Traditionally teams that live-and-die by the perimeter struggle with the depth perception inside the Lakeland Civic Center, so easy buckets in transition and getting to the free-throw line early-and-often forcing Rickards to their bench would be the best-case scenario for the favorites to play for the 5A state title on Saturday.

Friday 2/27 -11:30am
#1-Cardinal Gibbons (31-1) vs. #4-Gibbs (21-8)

The road to Lakeland for Cardinal Gibbons:
W vs. Palm Bay (65-43)
W vs. Dillard (62-50)
W vs. Eustis (49-38)

The road to Lakeland for Gibbs:
W vs. Robinson (70-48)
W vs. Jesuit (49-48 OT)
W vs. Golden Gate (70-56)
Cardinal Gibbons’ lone defeat on the season comes courtesy one of the Top-10 teams in the nation (and consensus favorite to win the Class 7A title) in Blanche Ely by just a six-point margin. They are the champions of the illustrious Kingdom of the Sun Tournament in Ocala and have blowout victories over the likes of Sagemont and Norland, who are making appearances in Lakeland this week. Gibbs’ schedule IS (along with one of the state’s most-prolific scorers) why they are here and playing the likes of Montverde Academy and Cincinnati-LaSalle (even in losses) should have given them a reference point on how to deal with Gibbons’ size and skill. The Chiefs are likely to go with a front court that looks like an NFL-roster and then counter with 5-star prospect Marverick Rowan in the back-court who, checks in at 6′-7″ 200-pounds and can score from anywhere on the floor. The best approach for Gibbs will be the best approach they’ve employed all season and that’s get the ball to #5 (Barry Brown) and try to get into as up-tempo as they possibly can and try to create foul trouble. Gibbs’ guard play off the ball (again) will be where the Gladiators can potentially frustrate Cardinal Gibbons if they can play a brand of lock-down defense on the perimeter and give zero room to operate in the post.

Class 6A Semifinals:
Friday 2/27 -4:00pm
#7-Norland (21-8) vs. Jefferson (27-4)

The road to Lakeland for Norland:
W vs. Doral Academy (46-38)
W vs. Mater Academy Charter (52-39)
W vs. Pembroke Pines Charter (76-69)

The road to Lakeland for Jefferson:
W vs. Largo (52-38)
W vs. Mitchell (79-65)
W vs. Lehigh (73-72)

Norland’s legendary Head Coach Lawton Williams III and his Vikings are seeking their fourth-consecutive state championship. That’s right; FOURTH. The J-Boys will be facing one of the state’s dynasties of this decade, but will soon realize that Norland puts their uniforms on, ties their shoes and shoot at the same rims that they do and need to carry the karma over from last Saturday’s miracle versus Lehigh. Jefferson will obviously need to contain Norland’s Dewan Huell (6′-10″) in the post and keep out of foul trouble, but if the Dragons are trying to advance to the final game, they will have to limit the distribution and creativity of Norland’s David Jean-Baptiste and the often overlooked tandem of Trevoris Waugh and Immanuel West in the front court. Whereas the Dragons had a substantial size-advantage against Lehigh in the regional finals, they will be matched-if-not-slightly undersized against Norland, but can use that to their advantage if they can extend Norland out from the basket then get to the rim for either a high-percentage shot or shoot free-throws and turn the game into a track meet. The silver-lining for Jefferson is that this isn’t the Norland of a few years past; the Dragons can find themselves playing for the championship on Saturday if they can put together the same four-quarters they’ve been producing for over a month now.

Class 8A Semifinals:
Thursday 2/26 -7:00pm
#10-Hagerty (23-8) vs. St. Petersburg (19-8)

The road to Lakeland for Hagerty:
W vs. Sandalwood (83-73)
W vs. Lake Brantley (67-54)
W vs. Boone (54-47)

The road to Lakeland for St. Petersburg:
W vs. Newsome (53-46)
W vs. Wharton (51-33)
W vs. Oak Ridge (82-75)

The Huskies have been to this point before even if their program is relatively new. In fact, they were your 8A State Champions just two seasons ago after defeating South Miami. The Green Devils have been to Lakeland in recent years as well though, and if not for some out-of-this-world performances from Winter Park last season in the regional finals, St. Pete would be making consecutive trips to the final four. The equation is extremely simple for St. Pete this Thursday evening. Do the same thing against Hagerty they did versus Oak Ridge last Friday. St. Petersburg’s starting five is pound-for-pound the most talented of all five teams from the BCP area that is left and there isn’t a single senior amongst them. The main concern for the Green Devils however will be to maintain their scorching-hot defensive effort that essentially becomes their transition offense and to start hot from the perimeter. If Travis Bianco and Darius Banks can put points on the board and Pro Wells and Serrel Smith can handle the Huskies guards and add their own contributions then you can expect to see St. Petersburg reppin’ the 727 in Lakeland for the chance to play for a ring.

– Doug Pugh