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What you need to know about the girls basketball state championship games

dennis maffezzoli, sarasota herald-tribune
·4 min read
Cardinal Mooney High School Head Basketball Coach Marlon Williams instructs his players against King's Academy during their FHSAA Girls 3A girls semifinal basketball game at The RP Funding Center in Lakeland Wednesday. February 22, 2023. (SPECIAL TO THE PALM BEACH POST/MICHAEL WILSON)
Cardinal Mooney High School Head Basketball Coach Marlon Williams instructs his players against King's Academy during their FHSAA Girls 3A girls semifinal basketball game at The RP Funding Center in Lakeland Wednesday. February 22, 2023. (SPECIAL TO THE PALM BEACH POST/MICHAEL WILSON)

GIRLS BASKETBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

WHERE: RP Funding Center, Lakeland

ADMISSION: $10 if purchased in advance, and $13 if purchased day of game

PARKING: $10

THIRD TIME FOR COUGARSGirls basketball state semifinal: Cardinal Mooney advances to championship game again

FIRST TIME FOR TARPONSGirls basketball state semifinal: Charlotte reaches state final for first time

TORNADOES' FINALS BID DENIEDGirls state basketball: Booker falls to Lake Highland Prep

CLASS 3A

Cardinal Mooney (21-5) vs. Miami Country Day (24-7)

WHEN: 10 a.m., Saturday

King's Academy's Jade Jones (13) battles for a rebound with Cardinal Mooney High School's Josie Maloni (5) during their FHSAA Girls 3A girls semifinal basketball game at The RP Funding Center in Lakeland Wednesday. February 22, 2023. (SPECIAL TO THE PALM BEACH POST/MICHAEL WILSON)
King's Academy's Jade Jones (13) battles for a rebound with Cardinal Mooney High School's Josie Maloni (5) during their FHSAA Girls 3A girls semifinal basketball game at The RP Funding Center in Lakeland Wednesday. February 22, 2023. (SPECIAL TO THE PALM BEACH POST/MICHAEL WILSON)

ABOUT CARDINAL MOONEY: The Cougars are in the state championship game for the third straight year. … Last year, Cardinal Mooney lost to Westminster Academy out of Fort Lauderdale, 44-41. … In 2021, Cardinal Mooney fell to Miami Country Day, 59-34. … The Cougars advanced to the final this season with a 52-39 victory over King’s Academy of West Palm Beach on Wednesday. … Bri Behn (17), University of Tampa signee Olivia Davis (14) and Sy’monique Simon (11) each scored in double figures. … Kali Barrett grabbed 10 rebounds. … Cardinal Mooney is looking for its first state title in girls basketball. … The Cougars are ranked 13th in MaxPreps, 12th in the FHSAA power rankings and 17th in strength of schedule (12.37).

ABOUT MIAMI COUNTRY DAY: The Spartans are looking for their eighth state championship and first since 2021. … They won six straight from 2014-19. … Miami Country Day was runner-up in 2013. … Miami Country Day was beaten by eventual state champion Westminster Christian in the 3A-Region 4 final. … This year, the Spartans defeated Providence School out of Jacksonville, 58-33, in the state semifinal. … Miami Country Day got 15 points from Kristina Godfrey, who signed with Florida Atlantic, and 14 points and 11 rebounds from Jalynn Belton. Sofia Mendez and Jada Johnson each scored nine points. … The Spartans have six players on their roster who are in the seventh or eighth grades. … Miami Country Day is ranked 4th in MaxPreps, 5th in the FHSAA power rankings and 3rd in strength of schedule (16.00).

CLASS 6A

Charlotte (22-6) vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (23-8)

WHEN: 5:30 p.m., Saturday

Charlotte's D'Yanis Jimenez contests a shot by Oakleaf's Kaylah Turner during the Class 6A state semifinal on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023, at RP Funding Center in Lakeland
Charlotte's D'Yanis Jimenez contests a shot by Oakleaf's Kaylah Turner during the Class 6A state semifinal on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023, at RP Funding Center in Lakeland

ABOUT ST. THOMAS AQUINAS: The top-seeded Raiders out of Fort Lauderdale have an 11-game winning streak with their most recent loss a 60-56 setback to Dr. Phillips. … Seven of their eight losses have been by 10 points or fewer. … Two-time defending state champion St. Thomas Aquinas won last year’s state title 59-45 and 2021’s championship 62-60 both over Wekiva. … In 2021, the Raiders defeated Charlotte 62-48 in the state semifinal. … This season, St. Thomas Aquinas knocked off Lake Gibson of Lakeland, 77-35, behind 27 points and 11 rebounds from Nyla McFadden. East Carolina commit Karina Gordon and Kamryn Corporan each had 16 points. The Raiders held Lake Gibson to 10 points in the second half. … St. Thomas is ranked 6th in MaxPreps, 8th in FHSAA and 2nd in strength of schedule (16.31).

ABOUT CHARLOTTE: The Tarpons made it to the Finals for the first time in program history following a 54-48 victory over Oakleaf out of Orange Park. Adriana Iorfida scored 22 points, including going 12-for-17 from the free-throw line. Wisconsin signee D’Yanis Jimenez added 21 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the floor. Jamie Ellis pulled down a team-high eight rebounds. … Charlotte had lost in the state semifinals the previous two seasons. … Charlotte comes in on a 10-game winning streak with its most recent loss 53-43 to St. Joseph Academy out of St. Louis, Missouri, at Bishop Verot High in Fort Myers. … The Tarpons are ranked 18th in Florida by MaxPreps, 19th by the FHSAA and 19th in strength of schedule (11.51).

STATE FINAL NOTES: The most recent area team to capture a girls basketball state title was Southeast High coached by John Harder in 2014. … The Seminoles are one of three area schools to win girls basketball state titles and the only one to capture multiple crowns. … The other two are Jim Van Til-coached Bradenton Christian (1997) and Lorie Starkweather-coached Palmetto High (1996).

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Cardinal Mooney Charlotte girls basketball teams play for state titles