High School Basketball District Preview Here’s what to expect in top 10 tournaments Edgewater likely to face tough challenge against 2nd seed Windermere By Buddy Collings Orlando Sentinel The boys basketball postseason unfolds this week with district tournaments tipping off across Central Florida. To help hoops junkies map their travel plans, we’ve ranked the top 10 districts based on talent, depth and the potential for drama in semifinal elimination games. Champions and runners-up advance to Thursday, Feb. 21, region games against adjacent districts. Admission is $6 for all district days. Top 10 tournaments No. 1 Class 8A, District 5 At Windermere High School Monday No. 4 Ocoee vs. No. 5 Lake Minneola, 3:30 No. 1 Edgewater vs. No. 8 East Ridge, 5 Here’s what to expect in top 10 tournaments
Sentinel's Update By J.C. Carnahan Orlando Sentinel The two lower seeds sent a shock wave through the Class 6A, District 13 boys basketball tournament by pulling off semifinal victories on Tuesday night. Fourth-seeded Poinciana rallied to knock out No. 1 Bishop Moore with a 51-50 victory and No. 3 Eustis eliminated two-time defending state champ Leesburg on its home court, 63-50. Poinciana (17-8) and Eustis (19-7) will meet Friday night at Leesburg to play for the district championship and homecourt advantage for the region quarterfinal round on Thursday, Feb. 21. Bishop Moore, which finished 20-5, was Florida’s No. 1 ranked Class 6A team according to MaxPreps, and had been as high as No. 3 in the Sentinel Super 16 area rankings for all classification teams. After an early 7-0 fourth quarter run the Hornets found themselves holding their largest lead of the game 50-39. But the Eagles finished with an 11-0 run of their own to capture their ninth win in the past 10 games. That includes two victories over Bishop Moore and another against Leesburg. Senior guard Reggie Mesidor led the Eagles (17-8) with 25 points. Eustis led most of the way against Leesburg. The Yellow Jackets (14-8) trimmed the lead to 42-39 late in the third quarter but that would be as close as the defending district and the 6A state champ would get. Jermarious Maple led the Panthers (19-7) with 23 points.