Predicting the 3A FHSAA State Playoffs

Predicting the 3A FHSAA State Playoffs By Michael Wholey 2/19/21 1:00 PM EST We are two weeks out from the end of this crazy 2020-21 High School season. Over half of the teams in Florida, seasons have concluded. We take a look at 3A teams still alive in the Regional playoffs and who we think will take home the championship! 3A Who are we predicting? Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL) 15-2 <img class=" wp-image-252019 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/02/Jordan-Rosier-CFE-e1612284255163-180x300.jpeg" alt="" width="164" height="273" />[player_tooltip player_id="91556" first="Tonie" last="Morgan"] is the # 2 ranked player in the class of 2022 for a reason as she has the ability to completely control all aspects of the game. She has an extremely efficient floor game and plays with an impressive court vision and decision-making balancing being the teams go to scorer with setting up her teammates. [player_tooltip player_id="91564" first="Jordan" last="Rosier"] is headed to South Alabama next season and has been the team’s 2nd leading scorer with 15.2 points per game while [player_tooltip player_id="151168" first="Audia" last="Young"] has been solid all year averaging 10.6 points per game. Morgan, Rosier, and Young are the best trio we see in 3A and predict they will lead the Florida State University High School Seminoles to the FHSAA 3A State Championship! Who is in their way? Miami Country Day (Miami, FL) 20-3 <img class="size-medium wp-image-219836 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/11/Andrea-Daley20-2018-PC.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />Through November 28, Miami Country Day was 2-3. Since that date, Miami Country Day has won 18 in a row. When you are speaking up 3A and Lakeland, it is impossible to not talk about Miami Country Day. They had won 6 in a row before being knocked off by Master’s Academy last year in the semifinals. The faces have changed as the off season saw several departures, but the Spartans are playing as good of basketball as any team in the state right now and they got their eye on another state championship. Should Florida State University and Miami Country Day both handle their business and make it the finals, it will be a guard vs post matchup. For Miami Country Day, it starts with George Washington signee [player_tooltip player_id="91494" first="Andrea" last="Daley"] and Freshman [player_tooltip player_id="217667" first="Kayla" last="Nelms"]. They are both double-double machines and extremely imposing forces in the paint. [player_tooltip player_id="91642" first="Kristina" last="Godfrey"] and [player_tooltip player_id="219988" first="Charisse" last="Martin"] will need to chip in on the offensive end but more importantly they will need to guard and keep FSU Guards [player_tooltip player_id="91556" first="Tonie" last="Morgan"] and [player_tooltip player_id="91564" first="Jordan" last="Rosier"] in check! Who are the sleepers? Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate (Tampa, FL) 16-5 <img class=" wp-image-204972 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/09/Jaela-Davis-232x300.jpg" alt="" width="177" height="229" />BDCS is one of the most balanced teams and in the state and is one of the reasons we could see them playing a role in the next two weeks possibly playing the role of sleeper. They have not shied away from tough games all season and are built for the playoffs. Good luck to opposing coaches putting together a game plan because if you try and take one player out, another one will step up. [player_tooltip player_id="244163" first="Ayonna" last="Simmons"], [player_tooltip player_id="91581" first="Jaela" last="Davis"], [player_tooltip player_id="145105" first="Brionna" last="McClinton"], [player_tooltip player_id="91530" first="Triniti" last="Youngblood"], and [player_tooltip player_id="145103" first="Amarie" last="Godwin"] have gotten it done all season by committee and it will take that same type of balanced attack to win 3 more games and take him the ‘Ship! Community School of Naples (Naples, FL) 15-4 <img class=" wp-image-208817 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/Kiaraly-Cabrera-2020-SSS-199x300.jpg" alt="" width="124" height="187" />[player_tooltip player_id="91646" first="Kiaraly" last="Cabrera"] is averaging just over 13 points per game but is averaging close to 20 points per game over the last 5 games. She is peaking on the offensive end at the right time of the season. She is a dynamic, smooth, offensive threat that can score off the dribble and from the outside. If Community School of Naples is going to make some noise, it has to start with Cabrera and some support from Junior Elly Beshears.   Cardinal Mooney (Sarasota, FL) 18-8 <img class=" wp-image-209295 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/58_Jordyn-ByrdPrepHoops-2-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="172" height="172" />Cardinal Mooney could be one of the state’s most underrated teams. Sophomores [player_tooltip player_id="91658" first="Olivia" last="Davis"] (15.1 PPG) and [player_tooltip player_id="91637" first="Jordyn" last="Byrd"] (15.2 PPG) make up more than half of the teams points per game. Look for Davis and Byrd to have Cardinal Mooney be a staple in the road to Lakeland for the next few years. This year might be a year too early, but should they play well, anything is possible!     Master’s Academy 16-7 Master’s Academy won their 4th straight district title when they defeated Windermere Prep last week. In 2019-20, they played the role of Cinderella when they defeated Miami Country Day. Can they do it again? It starts with Florida State University Friday night. [player_tooltip player_id="91653" first="Chloe" last="Kitts"] was the team’s top player last season and she is now at DME Academy but Sophomore phenoms 5’4 [player_tooltip player_id="91652" first="Kiara" last="Harris"] and 5’9 [player_tooltip player_id="166168" first="Hannah" last="Kohn"] remain. If they are going to play the role of Cinderella again this year, it starts with Harris and Kohn! Westminster Academy (Fort Lauderdale, FL) 17-4 <img class=" wp-image-235682 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/12/Emma-Wallhoff-2018-NYC-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="128" height="171" />Over the course of 4 seasons between the 2016-17 season through the 2019-20 season, Westminster Academy is an impressive 78-19. Unfortunately, in each of those seasons, it ended with a loss to Miami Country Day. Well, here it is again, mid-February Westminster Academy v Miami Country Day with a spot in the Final 4 in Lakeland on the line. Could this be the year Westminster Academy takes down Miami Country Day? [player_tooltip player_id="91499" first="Emma" last="Wallhoff"] has played in everyone one of those games as she is in the final weeks of a big-time high school career that stated in 7th grade. She recently became the all-time high school made 3-pointer leaders when she made her 561st 3-pointer a couple weeks ago. Wallhoff will have to get hot from outside to pull off the upset and make a run in Lakeland. She is averaging 4 made 3-pointers per game but is capable of going for 5, 6, or even 10 like she did vs Everglades in late January. Should she catch fire and the support staff around her of super 8th grader [player_tooltip player_id="243895" first="Lena" last="Girardi"], Junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="151173" first="Claire" last="Erickson"] and Senior Forward Addison Atkinson step up, an upset could be in the making!   Regional Semi-Final Matchups Tuesday February 16 @ 7 PM Region 1 Florida State University 74 - Andrew Jackson 52 Master’s Academy 58 – St. Joseph Academy 38 Region 2 Cardinal Mooney 53 - St. Petersburg Catholic 48 Community School of Naples 44 – Neumann 36 Region 3 Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate 58 – Carrollwood Day 56 Benjamin School 59 – King’s Academy 45   Region 4 Westminster Academy 61- Calvary Christian 37 Miami Country Day 65 – Palmer Trinity 51   Regional Final Matchups Friday February 19 @ 7 PM Region 1 Florida State University v Master’s Academy Region 2 Cardinal Mooney v Community School of Naples Region 3 Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate v Benjamin School   Region 4 Miami Country Day v Westminster Academy     Michael Wholey is the Senior Scout of Prep Girls Hoop Florida and he can be reached directly at <a href="mailto:WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com">WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com</a> or on Twitter or Instagram at @WholeyPrepHoops.