PALM BEACH COUNTY – Nearly all of our area’s Top 10 boys basketball teams qualified for this year’s FHSAA state postseason.
When the brackets were released on Selection Sunday (Feb. 12), we were met with one surprise – a good one at that.
We have six district champions and five at-large teams that were selected to the state’s body basketball dance.
Let us get to the list now.
CLASS 7A: Lake Worth (21-1; District 8-7A champion; automatic bid; No. 1 ranked team in Palm Beach County; No. 2 seed in Region 2)
CLASS 7A: Wellington (20-5; District 8-7A runner-up; at-large bid; No. 4 ranked team in Palm Beach County; No. 6 seed in Region 2)
CLASS 6A: Dwyer (24-1; District 13-6A champion; automatic bid; No. 2 ranked team in Palm Beach County; No. 1 seed in Region 4)
CLASS 5A: Suncoast (21-5; District 14-5A champion; automatic bid; No. 3 ranked team in Palm Beach County; No. 2 seed in Region 4)
CLASS 4A: Somerset Academy Canyons (19-6; District 13-4A runner-up; at-large bid; No. 7 seed in Region 4)
CLASS 3A: King’s Academy (25-1; District 8-3A champion; automatic bid; No. 6 ranked team in Palm Beach County; No. 3 seed in Region 2)
CLASS 3A: Benjamin (15-10; District 8-3A runner-up; at-large bid; No. 7 ranked team in Palm Beach County; No. 5 seed in Region 2)
CLASS 3A: St. Andrew’s (18-9; District 13-3A champion; automatic bid; No. 9 ranked team in Palm Beach County; No. 8 seed in Region 4)
CLASS 2A: Jupiter Christian (21-3; District 14-2A champion; automatic bid; No. 5 ranked team in Palm Beach County; No. 2 seed in Region 4)
CLASS 2A: Atlantic Christian (18-4; District 14-2A runner-up; at-large bid; No. 10 ranked team in Palm Beach County; No. 5 seed in Region 4)
CLASS 2A: Lake Worth Christian (20-6; District 14-2A quarterfinalist; at-large bid; No. 6 seed in Region 4)
If we break down the Palm Beach County bids, we can say that we got two teams in the Class 7A tournament, one team each in the 6A, 5A, and 4A tournaments, and three teams each in the 3A and 2A tournaments. This is how we got 11 teams in the state’s postseason.
Here is a list of the FHSAA regional quarterfinal games – featuring our Palm Beach County teams – that will be played on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m.
CLASS 7A – REGION 2
No. 2 seed Lake Worth (21-1) vs. No. 7 seed Harmony (22-5)
No. 6 seed Wellington (20-5) at No. 3 seed Oak Ridge (Orlando) (16-9)
CLASS 6A – REGION 4
No. 1 seed Dwyer (24-1) vs. No. 8 seed Piper (15-8)
CLASS 5A – REGION 4
No. 2 seed Suncoast (21-5) vs. No. 7 seed Miami Northwestern (16-7)
CLASS 4A – REGION 4
No. 7 seed Somerset Academy Canyons (19-6) at No. 2 seed Cardinal Gibbons (21-6)
CLASS 3A – REGION 2
No. 3 seed King’s Academy (25-1) vs. No. 6 seed Santa Fe Catholic (17-11)
No. 5 seed Benjamin (15-10) at No. 4 seed Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy (20-7)
CLASS 3A – REGION 4
No. 8 seed St. Andrew’s (18-9) at No. 1 seed Riviera Prep (Miami) (22-6)
CLASS 2A – REGION 4
No. 2 seed Jupiter Christian (21-3) vs. No. 7 seed Miami Christian (15-10)
No. 5 seed Atlantic Christian (18-4) at No. 4 True North Classical Academy (23-5)
No. 6 seed Lake Worth Christian (20-6) at No. 3 seed Dade Christian (21-5)
NOTE: The one good surprise we got was from Lake Worth Christian, which made the state playoffs despite losing in the District 14-2A quarterfinal round.
FHSAA BOYS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE: REGIONAL ROUNDS – ALL GAMES
Semifinals – Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m.
Finals – Friday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m.
FHSAA BOYS BASKETBALL STATE FINAL FOUR SERIES – ALL CLASSIFICATIONS
State semifinals: March 1-3
State finals: March 3-4
Location: RP Funding Center – Lakeland
PHOTO/VIDEO CREDITS: Future Draft Style
