Top 8: Region Finals To Watch

The region final round tips off on Friday night here in the 2022-2023 high school boys’ basketball season.
There have been some terrific matchups and major upsets down the stretch. Here is a look at my Top 8 favorite region final matchups.
Note: You can view all the playoff matchups and scores, here on MaxPreps.
7A-Region 2
Top Teams to Watch: Windermere (21-7) at Oak Ridge (18-9)
Top Players to Watch: Windermere – 2024 5-7 G Ta’Veon Jones, 2024 6-4 G Chalier Torres, 2023 6-2 G Jalen Debose; Oak Ridge – 2024 6-5 F Tyler Johnson, 2024 6-5 G Jordan Tillery, 2024 6-6 F Cameron Simpson, 2024 6-3 G Elijah Elliott
Insight: 7A-Region 2 is brutal. Oak Ridge went down to Lake Worth and won in the region semifinal. Windermere avenged a regular season loss at Olympia. The Pioneers are young, long and peaking at the right time behind Johnson (17.6 PPG), Elliott, Tillery and others. Oak Ridge is not an easy place to play. Windermere is built to hang with anybody, losing by six points to Oak Ridge in the district semifinals earlier this month. Jones is a lightning bolt and an elusive finisher while Torrres and Debose are locked in shooters. Expect a sold out crowd in Orlando.
6A-Region 4
Matchup: Pembroke Pines Charter (16-10) at Dwyer (26-1)
Top Players to Watch: Pembroke Pines Charter – 2024 6-7 F Josh Harris, 2024 6-7 G/F Jeremy Elyzee, 2024 6-3 G Adrian Shackleton; Dwyer – 2023 6-3 G Kyle McNeal, 2023 6-4 F Mason Brown, 2023 6-6 F Blake Wilson.
Insight: In the semifinal round, Dwyer beat an athletic Southridge group while Pembroke Pines Charter went to St. Thomas Aquinas and won. The No. 6 seeded Pembroke Pines Charter seems to always be a deep playoff contender. With Harris and Elyzee serving as versatile lengthy pieces and Shackleton handling the ball, they are playing superb right now. However, Dwyer is a brutal place to play and the Panthers have only lost one game all year to Lake Worth. McNeal, an FIU football commit is a high flyer while Brown is a physical forward and Wilson is a skilled shooter and rebounder. This could be a barnburner.
6A-Region 2
Matchup: Lakeland (24-4) at Wekiva (25-4)
Top Players to Watch: Lakeland – 2023 6-2 G Rolijah Hardy, 2024 6-0 G Derajah Hardy; Wekiva – 2023 6-3 G KJ Robinson, 2023 6-6 G/F Malachi Hampton
Insight: Lakeland beat visiting Edgewater while Wekiva took care of Viera on Tuesday in the semifinal round. Both of these teams are super fast and play hard on both ends of the floor. Lakeland has the Hardy brothers who are strong and attacking guards. Wekiva has length with Hampton (Davis & Elkins commit) and Robinson (Hofstra commit) scoring in bunches. This is one of my favorite games on paper.
5A-Region 4
Matchup: Norland (21-7) at Belen Jesuit (25-4)
Top Players to Watch: Norland – 2024 6-6 G Triston Wilson, 2023 6-3 G Carl Parrish, 2024 6-4 G Jamal Ware; Belen Jesuit – 2023 6-0 G Ryan Cuellar, 2023 5-11 G Javi Rosell, 2025 6-1 G Bryce Fitzgerald.
Insight: Norland got by Suncoast by one point while Belen Jesuit flew past visiting Rockledge in the semifinal round on Tuesday. Norland has Wilson, a bonafide leader at the forefront and bucket and Parrish and Ware very skilled pieces in place. Belen Jesuit has been very good all year behind the shooting and scoring of Cuellar, Rosell (Maryville College – Division III commit) and Fitzgerald. It will be a loud gym for sure.
5A-Region 3
Matchup: St. Pete (22-6) at Barron Collier (23-5)
Top Players to Watch: St. Pete – 2023 6-5 G Tristan Gross, 2023 6-6 F Dylan Kramer, 2023 5-11 G Quez Curry, 2023 6-0 G Sam Ducksworth; Barron Collier – 2023 6-5 G/F Noah French, 2023 6-4 G Bryce Clayton, 2023 6-5 F Brayden Touchette, 2023 6-4 G Mikey Reyes
Insight: Barron Collier beat Mariner on a jumper by Bryce Clayton with two seconds left and St. Pete took out Southeast in the semifinal round. This is a rematch of last year’s region final when St. Pete won at home 69-66. Both teams are almost identical, just a year older. There are a lot of seniors on both sides. For St. Pete, Gross (Stetson commit) can score in bunches while Kramer is a brute inside and Curry and Ducksworth can hurt you in a variety of ways. Barron Collier has a true pick your poison together group that can shoot and drive with French, Clayton, Touchette and Reyes. Expect a racous crowd in Naples.
4A-Region 4
Matchup: North Broward Prep (22-7) at Mater Lakes (25-3)
Top Players to Watch: North Broward Prep – 2023 6-4 G Ryan Weiss, 2024 6-8 F Enrico Borio, 2024 6-5 G Raul Perez Ruiz; Mater Lakes – 2024 6-5 F Christian Reid, 2025 6-0 G Anthony Knowles, 2023 6-3 G Michael Bradley.
Insight: North Broward Prep beat Somerset Canyons while Mater Lakes took down Hallandale in the semifinal round earlier this week. North Broward Prep has Weiss as its leading scorer and Borio slashing inside while Perez Ruiz handles the rock and can open up space. For Mater Lakes, Reid is a strong body who can get inside and finish while Knowles and Bradley are dangerous jump shooters and drivers. This is going to be a tight matchup.
3A-Region 4
Matchup: Westminster (21-7) at Riviera Prep (24-6)
Top Players to Watch: Westminster – 2025 6-4 G Alexander Lloyd, 2025 6-7 F Alex Constanza, 2025 6-6 F Dwayne Wimbley Jr, 2023 6-8 Jaylen Carey; Rivieria Prep – 2025 6-4 F Dante Allen, 2023 6-3 G Cooper Josefsberg, 2027 6-0 G Myles Fuentes
Insight: Westminster took down Miami Country Day in the semifinal round while Riviera Prep handled Divine Savior. It is quite difficult to find a deeper group in the state than Westminster, which is always a threat in Class 3A. Lloyd (18.1 PPG), Constanza, Wimbley, Carey and 2024 6-5 F Jeremiah Police and 2026 6-0 G Randy Livingston Jr. give the Lions perhaps their most gifted teams ever. Riviera Prep is not your average high school team, featuring five players 6-foot-6 or taller. Allen is having another impressive season with 21.8 PPG while Josefsberg and Fuentes are shooting it at a high clip. This is going to be a tight one.
3A-Region 1
Matchup: Florida State University High (27-2) at Providence (27-2)
Top Players to Watch: Florida State University High – 2023 6-3 G Anthony Robinson, 2024 6-6 F Dakota Morris, 2023 6-0 G Thaddeus Burns; Providence – 2024 6-6 F Jaylen Robinson, 2024 6-6 G Chris Arias, 2023 6-6 G/F Mason Lee
Insight: One very good talented team will be going home when Providence plays host to defending state champion Florida State University High. The Seminoles beat Maclay while Providence took care of Oviedo Master’s. Providence has length and versatility on its side with Robinson, Arias (Jacksonville commit) and Lee (UNF commit). The Stallions are very put together. On the flipside, FSUS runs through Robinson (Missouri commit) while Morris does dirty work inside and Burns hits big shots. This is going to be a fun one.
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.