By STEVE JACKSON
All South Shore five high school basketball teams opened play in the state playoffs this week. Last week the five squads compiled a 6-4 record in the Federal Division of the Hillsborough County School District annual Western Conference Tournament.
Sumner High, holding a 14-11 record, is the only South Shore five team with a bye in the 7A-District 11 opening round, which tipped off earlier this week. The #2 seed Stingrays will play Wednesday, Feb. 5, at Sumner against the winner of the game two days prior between the 6-13 Riverview Sharks and 8-17 Alonso High. Top seed in District 11 is 18-7 Plant High of Tampa. This district playoff concludes Friday, Feb. 7, between the winning teams for the championship at 7 p.m. at the higher seed’s gym. Losers in the playoffs go home to end their 2024-25 seasons.
The 10-12 Lennard Longhorns, #4 seed, started play in the 7A-D11 Feb. 3 versus 9-16 Palm Harbor University High, #5 seed, at Alonso High. The winner continues Feb. 5 at top seed Plant High. The Riverview Sharks boosted their season record to 6-13. The #6 seed Sharks faced #3 seed Alonso High in the opening round of the 7A-D11 playoff.
Two other hoop squads from the South Shore five opened in the 5A-District 9 playoff earlier this week on Monday. The #5 Spoto Spartans trekked to challenge #4 Braden River High. Spoto carries a 13-8 mark into the melee while Braden River’s season work is 12-13 with four straight wins. The winner has the task of matching up Feb. 5 in the District 9 semi-finals at #1 seed Jesuit High of Tampa, sporting an 18-7 season mark. East Bay High also represents the unofficial South Shore five as a #3 seed. The Indians were overwhelming favorites to knock off #6 seed Hillsborough High Feb. 3. The reward is a duel with the #2 seed, the Southeast Seminoles, at suburban Bradenton with a 13-9 record on Feb. 5. The District 9 championship will be decided Friday, Feb. 7, with the higher seed as host, and the championship team continues in the regional playoff next week,
This week’s district playoffs and next week’s regional action for the survivors, followed by the Florida State Championships, are coordinated by the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) and culminate with games at Lakeland, March 4 through 8.
Riverview was the lone South Shore five team to go 2-0, undefeated, in last week’s Hillsborough County School District Western Conference Tournament. The Sharks beat two teams with 17 losses each. First, Riverview bashed 7-17 Tampa Bay Tech 60-42. Then the Sharks disposed of the 8-17 Freedom Patriots last Thursday in a defensive struggle 42-32. For the 2024-25 season, Riverview has scored 881 points for a 46.3 points per game average. On defense the Sharks have coughed up 1033 points for a 54.3 per game average. All four of the other teams from the South Shore five won one and lost one.
Francis Fedor Photos
East Bay junior Armani Smith launches a jumper from the corner in game win over Leto at neutral site Lenard HS.
Spoto saw its four-game win streak end on Wednesday, dropping a 69-58 decision to Leto High. The night previous, the Spartans edged Alonso High 53-52. Spoto has tallied 1149 points this season, a 54.7 points per game average. On the other hand, the Spartans have given up 1068 points, an average of 50.9 points a game. Lennard pummelled Robinson High 66-26 to open the WC Tourney last week. Junior Edgar Delvalle had a career night, scoring 21 and snaring 10 rebounds for a double-double. The Horns could not continue their winning pace, however. Despite junior Devin Freeman’s 17 point outburst along with seven rebounds and six assists, Lennard suffered a 70-63 loss to Steinbrenner in the WC Tourney Jan. 30. East Bay started the WC Tourney with a dominate win over 6-17 Leto High 56-38. The Indians were paced by senior Tiicon Walker Jr.’s career-high of 20 points. EB then turned around and fell to 14-11 Gaither High 55-52, despite a career-high of 24 points from junior Curry Staples. The Indians have pumped 1399 points through the hoop so far this season for an average of 58.2 per game. On defense the EB squad has allowed 1262 points, an average of 52.5 per game. Sumner High also split a pair of WC Tourney games last week. The Stingrays squeaked past Alonso 51-47. The very next day, Sumner was lambasted by the Sickles Gryphons 91-71 to snap a four-game Rays’ win skein. For the season, Sumner has tallied 1587 points to compile a 63.5 points per game average. On the flip side of that point ledger, the Stingrays have permitted 1545 points for a 61.8 points per game yield.
The top four teams playing in the Federal Division of the Western Conference Tourney included #1 seed Blake High, which won the tourney. Blake first beat #4 seed Plant High 57-41. That same night #3 seed Wharton High nipped #2 seed Newsome High 40-39. For the championship last Friday, Blake ran its overall record to 20-3 by drubbing Wharton High 53-36.
Newsome won the consolation contest, beating Plant High 67-60. All four teams are expected to do well in the playoffs in their respective districts and regions. Blake plays in 4A-D10, Wharton is in 6A-D9, Newsome competes in 7A-D10 and Plant competes in 7A-D11.