Florida Regional Playoffs: 6A Preview
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With just two days until the 6A regional playoffs kick off, here are some special teams, sneaky teams and top players to look out for.
TOP FOUR TEAMS (ONE FROM EACH REGION)
Godby
At 24-1, and with a newly-shelved district championship in their trophy case, the Godby Cougars are poised to make a deep run into the playoffs. They have great senior leadership, especially with 6’9” senior Corbin Merritt leading the charge with his shot-blocking ability and soft touch around the rim. Maxpreps lists them as the best team in the class. Godby hosts Lynn Haven-Mosley in the regional quarterfinal.
Central
The Bears are a modest 19-9, but they’ve seem to have caught fire while on a six-game win streak. Four of those six have been by 12 points or more. Central is coming off winning a district championship against a then-undefeated Nature Coast squad. Senior Andrew Krienes is a 6’6” key man for the Bears, averaging 11.1 points and 8.6 rebounds a game. Junior Caleb Johnson (20.4 PPG) can pose as a terror for New Port Richey-Ridgewood in the regional quarterfinal.
Jesuit
The Tigers have the same amount of losses, as they do players who are averaging double-digits in scoring. Four. Three of those four are seniors. Stevie Darst (15.7 PPG), Lucas Uzdavinis (11.5 PPG) and Tyson Dunn (10.7) are playing great in the last year of their high school career. Junior Thierry Moliere (11.4 PPG) is making his presence felt, as well. With only one loss at home all year, the Maxpreps fifth-ranked team hosts Sarasota-Booker in the regional quarterfinal.
Titusville
The Terriers are 25-2 and is Maxpreps third-ranked squad in the 6A class. Presbyterian-commit Romeo Crouch has proven his leadership skills. Titusville guard Joe Russell is known for being very offensively sound and plays the game in a respectable way. Freshman Kario Oquendo is fourth on our “Class of 2020 Watch List” for his high level of athleticism. Titusville is 11-0 at home. They put the home-streak to test as they host Kissimmee-Poinciana in the regional quarterfinal.
SLEEPER TEAMS TO WATCH
Orange Park
The Raiders won their district championship against Trinity Christian and look to use that as momentum as they ride into the playoffs. They basically have three double-digit scorers. Seniors Jalen Oliver (10.2 PPG) and Blake Partin (9.9 PPG) are doing great for them, while sophomore John Abate (10.5 PPG) is earning his keep. Their next opponent? Jacksonville-Terry Parker in the regional quarterfinal.
Suncoast
Head coach Jason Powell’s Chargers are 20-5 and is fresh off a district championship win against Westwood High. Junior Miclenby Gerfard posted 32 points and 14 rebounds in that game, while senior Jake Knorr offered 14 of his own. Freshman Sam Rolle is considered an x-factor for the team. They’ll play Archbishop McCarthy in the regional quarterfinal.
Nature Coast Tech
They may be district runner-ups, but the Sharks are still 24-1 and are the second-best team in 6A according to Maxpreps. With a team boasting nothing but juniors and seniors, they are a team who can use their experience to their advantage. Senior forward Kaine McColley is a guy who has improved his mid-range jumper to the point where he can really take over a game. The Sharks travel to Zephyrhills for the regional quarterfinals.
Gibbs
The Gladiators are 20-6 and have just as good as any to sneak up on some of the heavy hitters. Junior guard David Pierce is snapping, averaging 23 points a game. Freshman Tre Gilliam is posting 13 points a night. As a team, they average 67 points a game while shooting 46% from the field. Their offense is pretty sound. They face Cape Coral-Mariner in the regional quarterfinals.
TOP PLAYERS
Corbin Merrit (Godby)
Andrew Krienes (Central)
Trey McCray (Santa Fe)
Malik Robertson (Eastside)
Caleb Johnson (Central)
Stevie Darst (Jesuit)
Jalen Oliver (Orange Park)
David Pierce (Gibbs)
Bailey Peterson (Gibbs)
*Jake Perper contributed to this article*