Standouts: District Tournament Week
The FHSAA officially started last week with district tournaments taking place all across the state of Florida. The Hoop Vibe staff was out at games in the Tampa Bay/Clearwater and Fort Myers area.
Here is a look at the scores and standouts from the semifinal and final action in the district tournaments listed below.
Friday, Feb. 10
Class 3A-District 12 Final
Score: Gateway Charter 70, First Baptist 55
Standouts: It was an amazing environment as Gateway Charter captured its first district title in school history.
Gateway Charter – 2023 6-foot-3 guard Jahmari Johnson was in full control all night long, finishing in a variety of ways in route to a 24-point night. He has been a major problem for defenses all year. 2025 6-foot-7 forward Pat Johnson was a beast on the boards and impressive around the rim with 21 points. 2023 6-foot-1 guard Jaden Arzola continued his steady shooting with 12 points.
First Baptist – 2023 6-foot-3 guard Latrell Davis was flat-out good for First Baptist despite constant pressure and double teams from Gateway Charter. He had 18 hard-earned points at the break and lived at the free throw line throughout the night. Davis is a gamer. 2023 6-foot-5 guard Yohandry Ortiz used his length to his advantage with 11 points as a slasher.
Up next: No. 4 seed Gateway Charter will host No. 5 seed First Baptist on Thursday in the 3A-Region 3 quarterfinals.
Class 3A-District 10 Final
Score: Calvary Christian 70, Northside Christian 38
Standouts: The two local squads know each other well and battled as Calvary Christian won its third district title in four years.
Calvary Christian – 2024 6-foot guard Daniel MacGregor has been a top performer all season long and it wasn’t any different on Thursday night. He dropped 21 points and certainly set the tone for his fast-paced group. 2024 6-foot-6 guard Ace Taylor paced him with 18 points and finished well inside. 2023 5-foot-9 guard Davin Long knocked down five 3’s to end the night with 15 points.
Northside Christian – 2023 5-foot-11 guard Skyler Scull was putting it on the line for the Mustangs with a hard-nosed 20-point night. He’s a scrappy and tough point guard. 2023 6-foot-3 guard Tobias Gunter sat out with an injury but should be back for the regional tournament.
Up next: No. 2 seed Calvary Christian will host No. 7 seed Northside Christian on Thursday in the 3A-Region 3 quarterfinals.
Wednesday, Feb. 8
Class 7A-District 10 Semifinals
Scores:
- Plant 48, Alonso 32
- East Lake 58, Sickles 47
Standouts: Plant and East Lake both won on Wednesday night in the semifinal round before Plant won at East Lake 51-43 in the district championship.
Plant – The combination of 2023 guards Noah Fishman and Will Willard worked in Plant’s favor in a win over Alonso. Fishman, a 5-foot-11 guard hit a near half court buzzer beater to close out the half and had some nice looks to end with 17 points. Willard found openings and connected from deep often to finish with 14 points of his own.
East Lake – 2023 5-foot-11 guard Justin Kruszewski scored 16 points for the Eagles despite seeing constant pressure from the Sickles defense. He simply lives at the free throw line and makes his shots count. 2023 6-foot-7 forward Jace Maples grinded it out inside with 11 points and some very gritty rebounds.
Sickles – Division III Allegheny College commit Jayson Perry really took full command of the Sickles backcourt against East Lake with 22 points. The 2023 6-foot guard kept his team afloat, cutting the deficit from double digits down to five or six points often with his playmaking ability. 2023 6-foot-6 forward Kyle O’Hare had 10 points with a couple of finesse finishes down low.
Alonso – 2023 6-foot-3 guard Woody Machado recorded 13 points to lead the Ravens in the loss against Plant. He did all he could, being double teamed often as he hit some crafty mid-range looks. 2023 6-foot-2 guard Matthias Donaldson flashed his speed and assertiveness with nine points. 2023 6-foot-11 forward Cole Gingeleski sat out with an injury.
Up next: No. 4 seed Plant will host No. 5 seed East Lake on Thursday in the 7A-Region 3 quarterfinals. No. 6 seed Alonso travels to No. 3 seed Plant City in the same region.
Must Attend: Spring Showcase
Looking to get your prospect to play against the top competition while also earning coverage from The Hoop Vibe scouts as well as media and college coaches in attendance evaluating? Make sure to attend the Spring Showcase on Saturday, March 18 at Bradenton Christian to further your game. Use the code JPerper10 to receive $10 off your purchase.
Jake Perper has been a sports writer since 2010 and a basketball scout since 2015. He was the Southeast Scouting Director for the Prep Hoops Circuit and the lead scout for Prep Hoops’ Florida site for seven years. You can follow him on Twitter @thehoopvibe.