JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The second round of the girls high school basketball state playoffs are Tuesday night. A glance at the matchups.
Regional semifinals
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Tuesday, Feb. 15, all games 7 p.m.
Region 1-7A
(4) Oakleaf (12-11) at (1) Colonial (22-7)
Road here: Oakleaf d. Oak Ridge, 52-47; Colonial d. Timber Creek, 46-31.
Winner gets: (2) Spruce Creek or (3) Apopka in the regional final on Friday. Oakleaf would travel to face either.
Region glance: The Knights played well in their opener but get a jump up in competition here. Colonial is ranked second in Class 7A by MaxPreps. Fantasia James dropped 22 points against Oak Ridge and is averaging 18.7 ppg. A win here means another tough opponent for the Knights, a state semifinalist last year. Spruce Creek and Apopka are Nos. 8 and 9, respectively by MaxPreps.
Region 1-6A
(5) St. Augustine (22-1) at (1) Fort Walton Beach (20-4)
Road here: St. Augustine d. Gainesville, 73-37; Fort Walton Beach d. Leon, 51-38.
Winner gets: (2) Navarre or (6) Nease in the regional finals on Friday. St. Augustine would host Nease but travel to Navarre.
(6) Nease (23-4) at (2) Navarre (23-3), 6 p.m.
Road here: Nease d. Ponte Vedra, 48-47; Navarre d. Crestview, 64-32.
Winner gets: (5) St. Augustine or (1) Fort Walton Beach in the regional finals on Friday. Nease would travel to face either.
Region glance: Both St. Johns County teams handled business in their openers, with Nease getting a driving bucket by Sydney Gomes with time running out to edge rival Ponte Vedra. Gomes is one of the area’s best players (20.1 ppg) and the Panthers will lean on her significantly through this playoff trek. Camryn Robinson (14.5 ppg) and Allison Fifeld (11.3 ppg) also power the Panthers, a Super 6 team from start to finish this season. The Yellow Jackets went wire-to-wire No. 1 this year in the area but stumbled in the district final. They romped in their playoff opener to get back on track. Janiyah Jackson (14.9 ppg, 13.6 rpg) and Emily McIntosh (12.1 ppg) pace St. Augustine, a state semifinalist last year.
Region 1-5A
(5) Tallahassee Rickards (14-5) at (1) Orange Park (23-5)
Road here: Rickards d. Ribault, 64-48; OP d. Choctawhatchee, 63-30.
Winner gets: (2) Pine Forest or (3) Daytona Beach Mainland in the regional finals on Friday. OP would host either.
Region glance: The Raiders have been a solid pick to put up a deep playoff run all season. The duo of G Eris Lester (20.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg) and F Nia Brown (12.9 ppg, 9.7 rpg) can push for the area’s top twosome. A tough next round would follow, but the Raiders have the talent to handle it.
Region 1-4A
(5) South Walton (21-3) at (1) Bishop Kenny (23-4)
Road here: BK d. Keystone Heights, 81-23; South Walton d. Paxon, 54-47.
Winner gets: (2) Rutherford or (6) Jackson in the regional finals on Friday. Kenny would host either team.
(6) Jackson (16-10) at (2) Rutherford (23-3)
Road here: Jackson d. Dunnellon, 79-39; Rutherford d. Bolles, 60-58.
Winner gets: Jackson would face South Walton or Bishop Kenny in the regional finals on Friday. Jackson would travel to face either.
Region glance: The Crusaders are the area’s hottest team, ripping off 15 consecutive wins. Sharpshooting G Maddie Millar (16.5 ppg, 44% 3-point percentage) is one of the area’s top players and has been through the postseason gauntlet before. The Tigers are tough, as evidenced by their 40-point blowout of Dunnellon in the opener. Jazmine Jackson (11.6 ppg) makes things happen for the Tigers. A rematch of the district championship game isn’t out of the question.
Region 1-3A
(7) Episcopal (12-10) at (3) Providence (19-5)
Road here: Episcopal d. Ocala Trinity Catholic, 51-41; Providence d. Daytona Beach Father Lopez, 47-19.
Winner gets: Florida State University School or Foundation Academy in the regional finals on Friday. Both teams would travel to face Florida State. Episcopal would travel to face Foundation Academy, but Providence would host that game.
Region glance: Janie Boyd (15.3 ppg) and Ella Ortman (11.6 ppg) combined for 28 points and six 3ss in the playoff opener for Providence. The Stallions have already faced Episcopal this season and won 44-37.
Region 1-2A
(5) St. Johns Country Day (21-5) at (1) Florida A&M (14-3)
Road here: St. Johns CD d. NFEI, 63-38; Florida A&M d. St. Joseph, 57-27.
Winner gets: University Christian or Munroe in the regional finals on Friday. St. Johns would travel to face either team.
(3) Quincy Munroe (15-6) at (2) University Christian (16-11)
Road here: Munroe d. Oak Hall, 40-24; UC d. Aucilla Christian, 48-14.
Winner gets: St. Johns Country Day or Florida A&M in the regional finals on Friday. UC would host St. Johns but travel to face Florida A&M.
Region glance: Good matchups for both local teams. The Spartans still have state semifinal aspirations but have a big challenge against Florida A&M. G Taliah Scott (32.8 ppg) had 30 in the playoff opener for St. Johns and remains one of the country’s most electric players. UC’s Taijshiah Baldwin (17.6 ppg) and Monique Cepeda (11 ppg) lead the Christians, who would get a chance to host the Spartans in the regional final should both teams win.