Boys basketball: Four teams advance in regional playoffs | Observer Preps

West Orange, Dr. Phillips, Edgewater and CFCA all won their respective regional playoff games Thursday night.

By Steven Ryzewski
| 1:00 p.m. February 23, 2018

Sports

Regional playoffs for boys basketball began last night, with four of seven Observer Preps teams covered by the West Orange Times & Observer, the Windermere Observer and the Winter Park-Maitland Observer proving victorious and advancing.

Class 9A Regional Quarterfinals

Dr. Phillips 68, Alonso (Tampa) 45

Daniel Love led four Panthers (19-8) in double-figures, finishing with 19 points, five rebounds and five steals. Dante Love added 13 points and a career-high 12 assists; Esdras Jeanand Devon Buckhanon chipped in with 13 and 12 points, respectively. Next up — Regional semifinal at Oak Ridge (26-4), 7 p.m. Feb. 27: The Panthers lost twice to the Pioneers during the regular season — by eight points in December and by 22 points in the district final.

West Orange 73, University (Orlando) 62

West Orange (15-13) outscored University 45-28 in the second half, en route to a 73-62 win. KJ Simon led four Warriors in double-digits with 16 points. Joining him in surging in the third and fourth quarters was teammate Jamarcus Clark, who scored eight points early in the third quarter and 12 points on the game. Next up — Regional semifinal at Boone (17-11), 7 p.m. Feb. 27: The Warriors will get an opportunity for a little revenge after the Braves ended their season in 2017.

Class 8A Regional Quarterfinals

Edgewater 82, Celebration 39

Robert Allen led three Eagles (23-5) in double-figures with 18 points. Next up — Regional Semifinal vs. Viera (19-6), 7 p.m. Feb. 27: Edgewater will try and slow a Hawks team averaging 74.6 points per game this season. Viera is 5-2 on the road this season.

Viera 81, Ocoee 66

The program's first playoff victory again eludes the Knights in a road loss. Ocoee ends the season with a 7-19 record.

Class 6A Regional Quarterfinals

Rockledge 61, Bishop Moore 38

Hornets' season ends with a 23-5 record.

Class 5A Regional Quarterfinals

Trinity Catholic 60, Windermere Prep 52

Lakers end season with 13-15 record.

Class 2A Regional Semifinals

CFCA 85, Master's Academy (Vero Beach) 32

Bryce Street drained a three-pointer on the opening possession for the Eagles (26-3), kickstarting ta 28-0 run to start the game. The Eagles went into halftime up 61-7.

Next up — Regional Final vs. Florida Prep (25-5), 7 p.m. Feb. 27: A rematch of last year's regional final gives the Eagles another chance to make it to Lakeland.