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What you need to know about the 3 girls basketball teams playing in the State Final 4

dennis maffezzoli, sarasota herald-tribune
·4 min read
Mooney's Olivia Davis (#12) drives to the basket. Cardinal Mooney hosted Tampa Catholic in the girls basketball regional semi-final on Tuesday night.
Mooney's Olivia Davis (#12) drives to the basket. Cardinal Mooney hosted Tampa Catholic in the girls basketball regional semi-final on Tuesday night.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

FHSAA FINAL 4

WHERE: RP Funding Center, 701 W. Lime St., Lakeland

ADMISSION: $10 in advance, $13 day of event by visiting RP Funding Center Box Office “buy tickets” or call 813-834-8111.

PARKING: $10

CLASS 3A

Cardinal Mooney (20-5) vs. King’s Academy (23-4)

Mooney's Sy'monique Simon (#15) goes up for a rebound. Cardinal Mooney hosted Tampa Catholic in the girls basketball regional semi-final on Tuesday night.
Mooney's Sy'monique Simon (#15) goes up for a rebound. Cardinal Mooney hosted Tampa Catholic in the girls basketball regional semi-final on Tuesday night.

WHEN: Noon Wednesday

ABOUT KING’S ACADEMY: Out of West Palm Beach, the third-seeded Lions are looking for their first state title. … King’s Academy enters with a 13-game winning streak with its most recent loss to Miami High in the Suts New Year’s Classic.

LEADERS: Janessa Williams (16 points, 11 rebounds), Jade Jones (12.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.7 steals), Jordan Race (3.2 assists).

COACH: Chris Race.

FHSAA RANKING: 19.1.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: 9.94

ABOUT CARDINAL MOONEY: Also looking for their first state championship, the second-seeded Cougars are in the Final 4 for the third straight season. The past two seasons, Cardinal Mooney reached the 3A state championship game, losing to Miami Country Day, 59-34, in 2021 and Westminster Academy, 44-41, last season. … Last year, the Cougars defeated Kings Academy, 50-42, in the state semifinals. It was the only meeting between the schools. … Cardinal Mooney enters with a seven-game winning streak.

LEADERS: Olivia Davis (16.3 points, 3.9 assists, 1.7 steals), Kali Barrett (15.6 points, 8.9 rebounds), Sy’monique Simon (12 points, 8 rebounds), Bri Behn (5.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists).

COACH: Marlon Williams.

FHSAA RANKING: 9.94.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: 12.37.

NEXT: The winner plays the winner of the game between Miami Country Day (1) and Providence School (4) out of Jacksonville at 10 a.m. Saturday.

CLASS 4A

Booker (22-7) vs. Lake Highland Prep (23-6)

Booker Tornadoes girls celebrate their win with gold confetti in the Class 4A-Region 3 Regional finals 61-48 over the Academy of the Holy Names in front of a packed crowd Friday evening, Feb. 17, 2023, at Tornado Alley in Sarasota.
Booker Tornadoes girls celebrate their win with gold confetti in the Class 4A-Region 3 Regional finals 61-48 over the Academy of the Holy Names in front of a packed crowd Friday evening, Feb. 17, 2023, at Tornado Alley in Sarasota.

WHEN: 10 a.m. Thursday

ABOUT LAKE HIGHLAND PREP: The top-seeded Highlanders out of Orlando are a three-time defending state champion. … Ranked second in the state, Lake Highland Prep has six state titles and three-runners up in program history. … Last year, the Highlanders defeated Booker, 73-51, in the state semifinals before knocking off Calvary Christian out of Clearwater, 75-57, in the championship game. … Lake Highland Prep graduated four seniors from last year’s title team.

LEADERS: Eleecia Carter (12.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2 steals), Lexi Blue (12.4 points, 4.9 rebounds), Jada Eads (12 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2 steals).

COACH: Al Honor.

FHSAA RANKING: 24.8

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: 17.71.

ABOUT BOOKER: The four-seeded Tornadoes are in the Final 4 for the second straight year. … Booker is looking for its first state championship. … The Tornadoes enter with a five-game winning streak.

LEADERS: Jakai Peterson (11 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.9 steals), Sariah Bradley (8.8 points, 4.8 rebounds), Leah DuBose (8.4 points, 4.9 rebounds), Kymani Freeman (7.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.9 steals).

COACH: Ty Bryant.

FHSAA RANKING: 16.1.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: 9.80.

NEXT: The winner plays the winner of the game between Bishop Kenny (2) out of Jacksonville and Cardinal Gibbons (3) out of Fort Lauderdale at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

CLASS 6A

Charlotte (21-6) vs. Oakleaf (26-2)

Charlotte High's D'Yanis Jimenez drives to the basket against Riverview High earlier this season. Jimenez is the Tarpons' leading scorer this season.
Charlotte High's D'Yanis Jimenez drives to the basket against Riverview High earlier this season. Jimenez is the Tarpons' leading scorer this season.

WHEN: 8 p.m. Thursday

ABOUT OAKLEAF: The second-seeded Knights out of Orange Park are looking for its first state championship. … Oakleaf enters with a seven-game winning streak. … Its lone two losses were to Valor Christian out of Georgia and Bishop Kenny.

LEADERS: Kaylah Turner (23 points, 5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 5.8 steals), Fantasia James (18.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3 steals), Trista Brown (9.4 points, 2.2 assists, 2.7 steals).

COACH: Frederick Cole.

FHSAA RANKING: 18.6.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: 6.71.

ABOUT CHARLOTTE: The third-seeded Tarpons are looking for the first state title in program history. … Last year, Charlotte reached the Final 4 for the first time, losing in the state semifinal to Bishop Moore, 51-46, in Class 5A. … The Tarpons enter with a nine-game winning streak with their most recent loss 65-43 to Plant in the Tampa Bay Christmas Tournament.

LEADERS: D’Yanis Jimenez (16.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.8 steals), Kamie Ellis (10.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 3.6 steals), Adriana Iorfida (10.7 points, 4.1 rebounds).

COACH: Chris Stephenson.

FHSAA RANKING: 18.2.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: 11.51.

NEXT: The winner plays the winner between St. Thomas Aquinas (1) and Lake Gibson (4) at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Cardinal Mooney, Booker, Charlotte girls basketball teams in Final 4