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Region basketball: These Treasure Coast-area teams qualified for FHSAA state tournament

patrick bernadeau, treasure coast newspapers
·6 min read

Just prior to kickoff on Super Bowl Sunday, the Florida High School Athletic Association released regional brackets for the 2024 boys and girls state basketball playoffs, with 10 Treasure Coast-area teams earning spots.

Those local squads that have punched their ticket to the big dance include: Fort Pierce Central (boys and girls), Jensen Beach (girls), Lincoln Park Academy (girls), Martin County (girls), Morningside Academy (boys), Pine School (girls), Somerset College Prep Academy (girls), South Fork and St. Lucie West Centennial (girls).

Girls regional-quarterfinal games begin on Wednesday while boys take center stage on Thursday.

Lincoln Park Academy hosts Eau Gallie in a girls District 13-5A basketball final, Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, in Fort Pierce. Lincoln Park Academy won 70-34.
Lincoln Park Academy hosts Eau Gallie in a girls District 13-5A basketball final, Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, in Fort Pierce. Lincoln Park Academy won 70-34.

Half of the teams are postseason bound by virtue of capturing their respective district championship while the other half picked up at-large bids.

District Boys Basketball roundup: South Fork takes first title since '15, Central upsets Jupiter

District Girls Basketball roundup: LPA annihilates Eau Gallie, Martin County ends 15-year drought

Four area squads will open regionals from home.

Following three upset wins en route to their first district title since 2011, the No. 7 Central boys will host a Region 2-7A quarterfinal despite being a lower seed in their matchup with No. 2 Olympia. All district champions earn a home game in the quarterfinal round if matched up against an at-large bid.

Centennial hosts Fort Pierce Central in a high school boys basketball District 7-7A quarterfinal, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, in Port St. Lucie. The Cobras won 67-54.
Centennial hosts Fort Pierce Central in a high school boys basketball District 7-7A quarterfinal, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, in Port St. Lucie. The Cobras won 67-54.

The only exception is if two district champions are paired, with the higher-seeded team getting to host. That was the case for Morningside Academy in Region 4-2A. Winning their second district crown in three seasons, the Eagles will travel to Weston to take on No. 1 Sagemont Prep.

South Fork ended a nine-year drought between district titles. The No. 3 Bulldogs will host at least one more game before moving to a gymnasium when they take on No. 6 Lake Howell in a Region 2-6A contest.

On the girls side, Martin County, who won its first district championship since 2009, is in line to play two regional home games as a No. 2 seed if the bracket goes chalk. First, the Tigers will take on No. 7 East River from Don Wallen Arena in a Region 2-6A bout.

Karolina Ramirez (11), of Martin County, tries to get past a defender in a girls high school basketball game against Jensen Beach on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, at Jensen Beach High School.
Karolina Ramirez (11), of Martin County, tries to get past a defender in a girls high school basketball game against Jensen Beach on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, at Jensen Beach High School.

Coming off their 17th district title in program history, LPA is another team seeded second in its respective bracket. The Greyhounds will welcome No. 7 Suncoast into Fort Pierce in Region 4-5A action. In the same bracket, No. 8 Jensen Beach heads to Plantation to take on No. 1 American Heritage.

Two programs will represent the area in Region 2-7A. Both the Centennial and the Central girls will drive to Central Florida for their girls, as the No. 5 Eagles play at No. 4 West Orange while the No. 6 Cobras face No. 3 Oak Ridge.

Lastly, Somerset Prep will have a short trip up I-95. The No. 5 Spartans will battle No. 4 Holy Trinity in a Region 4-2A game from Melbourne.

Area Rankings

*Qualifying teams in bold

Boys Basketball

District 7-7A

Treasure Coast (13.915) - eighth in Region 2-7A, 19th in Class 7A, 70th overall

St. Lucie West Centennial (13.643) - ninth in Region 2-7A, 20th in Class 7A, 75th overall

Fort Pierce Central (13.382) - 10th in Region 2-7A, 21st in Class 7A, 81st overall - hosts No. 2 Olympia in regional quarterfinal

Vero Beach (5.019) - 18th in Region 2-7A, 56th in Class 7A, 235th overall

District 8-6A

South Fork (16.163) - third in Region 2-6A, ninth in Class 6A, 45th overall - hosts No. 6 Lake Howell in regional quarterfinal

Martin County (4.362) - 14th in Region 2-6A, 56th in Class 6A, 259th overall

Sebastian River (0.654) - 20th in Region 2-6A, 75th in Class 6A, 363rd overall

District 14-5A

Jensen Beach (2.627) - 19th in Region 4-5A, 51st in Class 5A, 302nd overall

District 13-5A

Port St. Lucie (9.976) - 10th in Region 4-5A, 21st in Class 5A, 144th overall

Okeechobee (5.194) - 16th in Region 4-5A, 38th in Class 5A, 233rd overall

Fort Pierce Westwood (-0.763) - 22nd in Region 4-5A, 74th in Class 5A, 403rd overall

Lincoln Park Academy (-4.012) - 25th in Region 4-5A, 84th in Class 54, 484th overall

District 8-3A

John Carroll Catholic (1.231) - 14th in Region 2-3A, 50th in Class 3A, 346th overall

Somerset College Prep Academy (-5.416) - 22nd in Region 2-3A, 75th in Class 3A, 507th overall

District 14-2A

Pine School (0.87) - 11th in Region 4-2A, 31st in Class 2A, 356th overall

District 13-2A

Morningside Academy (0.026) - 13th in Region 4-2A, 34th in Class 2A, 381st overall - plays at No. 1 Sagemont Prep in regional quarterfinal

St. Edward’s (-7.473) - 23rd in Region 4-2A, 68th in Class 2A, 548th overall

Master’s Academy (-17.401) - 30th in Region 4-2A, 95th in Class 2A, 651st overall

Girls Basketball

District 7-7A

St. Lucie West Centennial (11.549) - fifth in Region 2-7A, 23rd in Class 7A, 92nd overall - plays at No. 4 West Orange in regional quarterfinal

Fort Pierce Central (10.934) - sixth in Region 2-7A, 25th in Class 7A, 100th overall - plays at No. 3 Oak Ridge in regional quarterfinal

Vero Beach (6.765) - ninth in Region 2-7A, 39th in Class 7A, 166th overall

Treasure Coast (5.581) - 10th in Region 2-7A, 42nd in Class 7A, 187th overall

District 8-6A

Martin County (12.052) - second in Region 2-6A, 15th in Class 6A, 84th overall - hosts No. 7 East River in regional quarterfinal

Sebastian River (5.896) - ninth in Region 2-6A, 39th in Class 6A, 183rd overall

South Fork (-6.609) - 19th in Region 2-6A, 83rd in Class 6A, 432nd overall

District 14-5A

Jensen Beach (5.197) - eighth in Region 4-5A, 28th in Class 5A, 197th overall - plays at No. 1 American Heritage in regional quarterfinal

District 13-5A

Lincoln Park Academy (12.384) - second in Region 4-5A, 12th in Class 5A, 79th overall - hosts No. 7 Suncoast in regional quarterfinal

Fort Pierce Westwood (-3.583) - 16th in Region 4-5A, 59th in Class 5A, 377th overall

Okeechobee (-5.89) - 20th in Region 4-5A, 68th in Class 5A, 417th overall

Port St. Lucie (-13.776) - 25th in Region 4-5A, 91st in Class 5A, 555th overall

District 8-3A

Somerset College Prep Academy (5.769) - fifth in Region 2-3A, 24th in Class 3A, 185th overall - plays at No. 4 Holy Trinity (Melbourne) in regional quarterfinal

John Carroll Catholic (-8.292) - 21st in Region 2-3A, 67th in Class 3A, 462nd overall

District 14-2A

Pine School (2.280) - seventh in Region 4-2A, 22nd in Class 2A, 257th overall - plays at No. 2 Schoolhouse Prep (Miami) in regional quarterfinal

District 13-2A

Morningside Academy (-0.333) - ninth in Region 4-2A, 31st in Class 2A, 308th overall

St. Edward’s (-6.363) - 11th in Region 4-2A, 44th in Class 2A, 422nd overall

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Basketball: Which Treasure Coast teams made the cut for the state postseason?