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Girls basketball: Analysis and predictions for the regional tournaments involving Sarasota-Manatee teams

Dennis Maffezzoli, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
·4 min read

Eight area girls basketball teams qualified for the Florida High School Athletic Association girls basketball regional tournament.

Cardinal Mooney and Parrish Community were the only area teams to gain No. 1 seeds and a home game.

Two other area teams will be at home: Booker, the third seed in Class 4A-Region 3, and Venice, the third seed in Class 7A-Region 3.

District scores: District girls and boys basketball results, schedule for Sarasota/Manatee county schools

Roundup of district play: Roundup: Sarasota, Booker, Cardinal Mooney, Braden River boys hoops win district titles

Two teams qualified in 7A-3 and will play on the road: second-seeded Riverview and fourth-seeded Sarasota.

Palmetto made it in 6A-3 and Bradenton Christian in 3A-3, both as seventh seeds.

The girls basketball regional quarterfinals are Wednesday.

Here is a breakdown of the regions involving area teams:

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Class 3A-Region 3

Fort Myers Canterbury (8) at Cardinal Mooney (1)

Clearwater Central Catholic (5) at Tampa Prep (4)

Bradenton Christian (7) at Tampa Catholic (2)

Clearwater Calvary Christian (6) at Bishop Verot (3)

Analysis: If Cardinal Mooney is going to make it to the State Final 4 for the fourth consecutive year, the biggest obstacle in its way is Tampa Catholic. The Crusaders enter the regionals with a nine-game winning streak and having won 15 of their past 16. Their most-recent loss was a 51-40 setback to Sports Leadership and Management (SLAM) out of Miami in the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational. The Cougars defeated Tampa Catholic, 60-42, in last year’s regional semifinals en route to their third straight appearance in the Class 3A State Championship game.

Our pick: Cardinal Mooney.

Class 4A-Region 3

Lemon Bay (8) at St. Petersburg Lakewood (1)

St. Petersburg Gibbs (4) at Gateway Charter (5)

Academy of the Holy Names (2) at Weeki Wachee (7)

Aubrey Rogers (6) at Booker (3)

Analysis: If Booker is going to return to the State Final 4 for the third straight time, it will have earned it. The Tornadoes face a formidable 17-8 Aubrey Rogers team in the opening round and then have likely matchups with No. 2 Academy of the Holy Names (20-8) of Tampa and No. 1 Lakewood (20-4) out of St. Petersburg in the regional semifinals and final, respectively. Winners of eight straight, Lakewood defeated Academy of the Holy Names in the district final by 21 and have not lost since Jan. 20 against Cardinal Mooney, 57-53.

Our pick: Lakewood.

Class 5A-Region 3

The Parrish Community High girls basketball team won the Chick-fil-A Classic with a 61-44 win over Land O'Lakes in the championship game Saturday at Bradenton Christian School.
The Parrish Community High girls basketball team won the Chick-fil-A Classic with a 61-44 win over Land O'Lakes in the championship game Saturday at Bradenton Christian School.

Cypress Lake (8) at Parrish Community (1)

Barron Collier (5) at Lely (4)

Naples (7) at Clearwater (2)

Sebring (6) at Port Charlotte (3)

Analysis: Parrish Community would like nothing more than a showdown with Port Charlotte for the regional title on its home floor. The Bulls lost a one-point decision 47-46 in overtime in the regional semifinals at the Pirates’ Tony Cicchella Gymnasium last season. Parrish Community cannot overlook anyone in its march to the regional final though.

Our pick: Parrish Community

Class 6A-Region 3

Clearwater Countryside (8) at Bloomingdale (1)

Armwood (5) at Gulf Coast (4)

Palmetto (7) at Charlotte (2)

Hillsborough (6) at Wharton (3)

Analysis: Palmetto had a better second half of the season than its first, but the Tigers are unlikely to get past a Charlotte team on a six-game winning streak in the opening round. A regional final between the Tarpons and unbeaten Bloomingdale with a trip to the Final 4 at stake should be fun to watch.

Our pick: Bloomingdale.

Class 7A-Region 3

The Venice High girls basketball team hoists the championship trophy Friday evening after defeating Riverview High in the Class 7A-District 12 title game at the RHS Gymnasium. Venice received the No. 3 seed and will play a home game against Haines City in the first round of the Class 7A-Region 3 tournament on Wednesday.
The Venice High girls basketball team hoists the championship trophy Friday evening after defeating Riverview High in the Class 7A-District 12 title game at the RHS Gymnasium. Venice received the No. 3 seed and will play a home game against Haines City in the first round of the Class 7A-Region 3 tournament on Wednesday.

Steinbrenner (8) at Winter Haven (1)

Sarasota (4) at Sickles (5)

Riverview (2) at Sumner (7)

Haines City (6) at Venice (3)

Analysis: Interesting how the seedings played out for the area teams. District champion Venice could not jump a Riverview High team it defeated in the district final. But Venice did surpass a Sarasota team it topped in the district semifinals. Venice is playing its best ball right now, but probably does not want to see the Rams again, even if it means it will be at the Teepee in the regional semifinals. The Sailors could get past Sickles on the road, but their season likely will end at Winter Haven, clearly the class of this region, as the 20-5 Blue Devils are on a seven-game winning streak.

Our pick: Winter Haven.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Cardinal Mooney, Parrish Community top seeds in girls basketball regionals