Dr. Phillips girls basketball team, state champion

The Dr. Phillips High School girls varsity basketball team had one goal in mind through its entire 2022-23 season: to win the state championship title, again. 

The Lady Panthers were able to fulfill that goal after defeating Winter Haven 47-43 during the state Class 7A, District 5 state championship game Saturday, Feb. 25. 

Point guard Trinity Turner was the main leader on the court for the Lady Panthers during their 2022-23 season. 

Offensively, Turner scored an average of  20.6 points per game, 7.1 assists per game, had a 74% free throws per game, a total of 576 points during the season and 200 assists. Defensively, Turner accumulated a total of 306 rebounds this season, completed 128 steals and 33 blocks. 

Shooting guard and point guard Kendall Perry also led the girls this season offensively with a 52 field foal percentage and a 44% 3-point percentage. 

Out of 30 games this season, the Lady Panthers only lost one game — that against Georgetown Visitation Prep — where the Panthers fell short 62-59 after the final whistle Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022. 

"That game was quite interesting, we take that loss on a chin and it hurts," head basketball coach Anthony Jones said. "Not for the reason because we lost but for the reason of why we had to take that loss. ... There was some fault in it with the score the entire game. ... When we got back to the hotel, the coaching staff and our athletic director spent two hours watching the game and the actual score was 61-61 tied game. ... We learned our lesson, ... I think that was so heartbreaking in the magnitude on how we lost that we took it hard because we felt that it wasn't fair, and that was the turnaround (for us)."

This is the sixth state championship title for the Dr. Phillips High girls varsity basketball program.