FHSAA boys basketball playoffs: Oak Ridge, Olympia among 9 Orlando area teams advancing

Five Oak Ridge players scored in double digits as the top seed Pioneers ran away from visiting Lake Worth 85-60 in a FHSAA Class 7A Region 2 boys basketball region semifinal on Tuesday night.

Senior forward Jordan Tillery led the way with 20 points. He and elite junior guard Jamier Jones got it started with back to back dunks to get the crowd roaring. Jones finished with 14 points.

“We were locked in from the beginning and played Oak Ridge basketball,” said Pioneers coach Steven Reece. “I was impressed with our defense. When we play together, we’re hard to beat.”

UCF signee Cam Simpson came off the bench to score 18 points in the win. Tyler Johnson (Virginia Tech) added 15 points and Calvin Liptrot Jr. scored 11.

After missing his first few 3-point attempts, Simpson sank three in a row to give the Pioneers (25-3) an early cushion. Oak Ridge finished the first half on a 16-1 run for a 48-25 lead at the break.

Oak Ridge, up to No. 12 in the MaxPreps Top 25 national rankings (state championship contenders only), will be home again Friday vs. Olympia with the region title and a state tournament berth at stake.

The region boasted four of the MaxPreps top six teams in the large-school classification. Lake Worth (18-10) was No. 6.

Chris Martucci

Olympia rolls

Olympia was 0-2 against rival Windermere but won the game that counted most in a big way at home.

The Titans (20-8) rolled to a 75-49 victory to reach the region final round for the first time since their 2008-09 team made the state tournament.

“This is the first time in 15 years that we have made it to the Elite 8,” Olympia coach Rob Gordon said. “Just a great testament to what the program has been through. Four straight Sweet 16’s and now we finally got to a regional final.”

Olympia had its second highest point total of the season and stifled a Wolverines team that came in averaging 71 points per game.

The Titans had four players score double digits with senior Kameren Wright leading the way with 20 points. Seniors Kaiden White and Vophcy Prophete dropped 17 and 16.

A year ago, Windermere won 66-51.

“Last year, we got to this game and I felt like I should have opened the offense up a bit and given our guys some freedom,” Gordon said. “And I kicked myself in the rear end all summer, all fall, and I said, ‘If we get back in this situation again I’m not going to make that same mistake.’ So we really opened the offense up a little bit more for these guys to work out of some space and not be so confined.”

Windermere, in a region semifinal for the sixth consecutive season, had moved up to No. 4 in this week’s MaxPreps 7A rankings — one spot ahead of Olympia.

Max Gamarra

Trojans triumph

Evans, the top seed in 7A Region 1, won its fourth consecutive postseason home game, 63-55, against district rival Ocoee 63-55.

That means homecourt advantage again for the Trojans (19-9) when they host Sanford Seminole on Friday.

“This is a big milestone, but our job ain’t done,” said guard Jermaine Hardy, the only senior who plays major minutes for Evans.

He made several big plays down the stretch — including a 3 off ball movement and an acrobatic left-handed finish that was part of a decisive 11-1 run in the final five minutes.

Antonio Pollard, a junior, had a 3-point play and then a steal and dunk in that spree.

Arosco Dubois made a running bank shot and David Rushing added a bucket for a 59-47 lead.

Before that, fifth seed Ocoee (20-10) whittled a nine-point, third quarter deficit down to 48-46 after Justin Smith made a deep 3 for the Knights.

“It’s hard to beat a team three times in a season. We were laser-focused tonight,” said Evans coach Lonza Morgan.

Dubois led all scorers with 21 points. Hardy and Rushing scored 11 and Pollard added 10.

AJ Smith led Ocoee with 20 points. Justin Smith added 18.

Ocoee posted the third 20-win record in program history with a roster re-haul. Six players transferred out going into the season but six other transfers signed on for coach Marcel Thomas’ fourth year with the Knights.

Buddy Collings

Semifinal successes

Senior guard Josiah Shackelford went 9-for-9 on free throws and scored 26 points for No. 2 seed Seminole (22-7) in its 75-64 home win against No. 3 Orlando University (22-6).

Jordan Pittman contributed 17 points for the ‘Noles and Dequan Ross added 11.

Mo Kamara, a 6-8 junior, had 27 points and 12 rebounds for University. Hudson Maurer scored 19 in the loss.

Seminole advances to a region final for the seventh time in a span of nine seasons. The ‘Noles have been region champ twice (2020 and ’22) and the runner-up four times (’16, ’18, ’19, ’21) under coach Sylvester Wynn.

Edgewater and Oviedo, the two top seeds in 6A Region 2, won at home to set up their Friday showdown.

Eagles (21-7), who will host Oviedo, won 58-52 against Bartow (20-10). Myles Mayfield led Edgewater 14 points and 12 rebounds. Donovan WIlliams Jr. had 12 points and 5 rebounds.

Oviedo won 57-49 against South Fork (21-6) to improve to 25-4.

The Lions have won 25 games for the first time since their final four teams of 2013-14 (28-4 state champs) and 2014-15 (25-6 region champs).

Windermere Prep, the 3A-2 top seed, won 76-63 against Cardinal Newman (23-6) of West Palm Beach.

The reigning region champ Lakers will be home Friday against Holy Trinity (22-6), which scored a 63-60 win against No. 2 seed Santa Fe Catholic (24-6).

Ameer Ramadan scored 15 of his game-high 19 points on 3s to lead Orlando Christian Prep (23-4) to a 66-48 home win over North Tampa Christian (24-4) in 2A-2. The senior guard also had 5 assists.

Isaiah Brown had 17 points and 9 rebounds and Darius Washington III contributed 13 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists in the victory.

The Warriors, ranked No. 3 in 2A, will travel to play top-ranked Victory Christian (25-4) of Lakeland in Friday’s final. The Storm won 86-59 against Mount Dora Christian.

Jamarian Williams and Jalen Brown scored 15 points each and Leesburg held on to win vs. visiting Tampa Jesuit 61-57 in 5A-2.

The Yellow Jackets (18-4) led 51-42 going into the fourth quarter but had to stave off a rally after a technical foul resulted in two free throws and a 3-pointer by Jesuit.

Leesburg plays at top seed Tampa Blake (24-5) on Friday.

Highlanders fall

Lake Highland (24-5), the top seed in 4A-2, was knocked out with a 66-53 homecourt loss to Villages Charter (19-11). The Highlanders had won 19 of their previous 20 games.

Second seed Palm Bay (24-5) won 69-61 against Eustis (22-6).

Varsity Content Editor Buddy Collings can be reached by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.