What to Watch For: District Playoffs
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It’s playoff time!
The road to Lakeland beings this week with matchups across South Florida. Here are some headlines to watch. Please contact me at my socials below regarding any new information.
5A District 14 has Stranahan as its top seed. The Mighty Dragons are as tough of a team around led by 2022 Houston Culpepper Houston Culpepper 6'3" | CG Stranahan | 2022 State FL and imposing 2023 Hykeem Williams Hykeem Williams 6'4" | PF Stranahan | 2023 FL . Stranahan is a tough team that will make you work for four quarters. Just ask Pembroke Pines Charter this past weekend at the Big 8 Tournament. Is a meeting with No. 2 Suncoast a formality? The Chargers lost all four of their games by a combined 16 points. Look out for 2024 Jeremiah Police Jeremiah Police 6'4" | SF Suncoast | 2024 State FL and 2022 Henry Peterson Henry Peterson 6'5" | SF Suncoast | 2022 State FL , as well as the other players I mentioned in previous articles. Police had 14 points and six rebounds on 5-of-10 shooting in a recent outing against Royal Palm Beach. Peterson is 6-foot-6 and also had 14 points and six rebounds.
3A District 15 has Riviera Prep as its top seed. I’m looking at Ransom Everglades (18-7) at No. 3. The Raiders have 2023 Daniel Ribeiro and his 20 points per game. The 6-foot-1 guard has hit four or more 3-pointers in eleven games. 2022 Aidan Rothstein averages nearly 12 points and six rebounds per game while dishing out a team-best 3.2 assists. Ransom Everglades lost to No. 2 seed Florida Christian in overtime during the regular season.
6A District 16 has Miami Southridge as the top seed. The Spartans (15-8) are another team with a handful of close defeats. 2023’s Mister Dean Mister Dean 6'4" | SF Southridge | 2023 State FL and Koree Cotton Koree Cotton 6'4" | SF Souhtridge | 2023 State FL are capable 20-point+ scorers. Both players are 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-6, respectively. I think Southridge is a better team than their record might indicate.
Lake Worth is a tough team in 7A District 11. The Trojans have four double-figure scorers led by point guard Calvin Sirmans (15.4 ppg/5.6 apg. 2023 Marvin Golf leads Lake Worth in rebounds (7.2 rpg) while averaging 14.5 points per game. 2022’s Pat Presendieu and Chancellor Wilson Chancellor Wilson 6'6" | SF Lake Worth Community | 2022 State FL each average thirteen and 11.6 points per game, respectively. Lake Worth could face No. 4 Forest Hill (18-4) in the second round. That could be a good matchup as the Falcons have an electric scorer in 2022 Michael Cooper (20.2 ppg). The 6-foot-1 guard has shot 59 percent from the floor. Forest Hill also has 6-foot-1 guard Kyron Platt (12.6 ppg) and Brayser Martinez (10.3 ppg). 2022 Bryan Manzano is the Falcons’ top rebounder (7.2 ppg). The Falcons will first have to get by Santaluces.
Miami Northwestern is the top seed in 5A District 16. The Bulls are 15-2 overall behind head coach Melvin Randall. The Bulls have three solid scorers in 2022 Camari Austin (17.2 ppg) and 2023’s PJ Paulk PJ Paulk 6'3" | CG Northwestern | 2023 State FL (15.8 ppg) and Jamai Hager-Tejada Jamai Hager-Tejada 5'10" | CG Mater Lakes | 2023 FL (14.1 ppg). Each player has shot 49 percent or better from the field. The 6-foot-4 Austin has gone 48-of-104 (46 percent) from deep and shot 55 percent from the floor overall. Belen Jesuit is the second seed. The Wolverines are riding a six-game winning streak.
For any South Florida Prep Hoops news or information…please contact Michael Costeines @Steins_23 on Instagram or follow him on Twitter @Mungertown_Mike23.