FHSAA Playoffs: Predicting 2A

FHSAA Playoffs: Predicting 2A By Michael Wholey 2/10/22 11:00 AM EST The district tournament starts this week in Florida and over the next 3 weeks, the top teams in Florida will compete for a coveted state championship concluding February 23-26 in Lakeland at the RP Funding Center. Let’s look at the top teams in 2A and who we predict to win it all!   FLORIDA PLAYOFF INFO District Tournament: February 1-4, 2022 (at host school) Regional Tournament: February 10, 12, 15, and 18th (at host school) State Championships: February 23-26 (at RP Funding Center)   PREDICTING 2A Maxpreps lists the following as the top 7 schools in 2A. <ol> <li>Faith Christian</li> <li>Miami Christian</li> <li>Central Florida Christian</li> <li>Florida A&M</li> <li>Neumann</li> <li>Johns Country Day</li> <li>University Christian</li> </ol>   Make your own prediction for who you think will be the 2022 FHSAA 2A State Champion in Girls Basketball. *Voting closes 2/15 https://poll.fm/11033406   Who will be this year’s 2A State Champion? Miami Christian is the defending state champs. FAMU has been runner up in 2020 and 2021, the 2019 and 2020 champs Florida Prep do not exist anymore, while traditional powerhouses Grandview Prep and City of Life Christian Academy are down this year.   Florida A&M finished the regular season 11-3 and are led by their longtime Head Coach Ericka Cromartie and [player_tooltip player_id="353523" first="Ameari" last="Logan"]. The 5’9 Senior Wing is averaging 20.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 7.2 steals per game. The Baby Rattlers have been the bridesmaid each of the past two years, we predict this is the year and Florida A&M Baby Rattlers Varsity Girls Basketball takes home the FHSAA 2A State Championship.   Faith Christian is new to the scene with young roster led by Freshman, Sophomores, and an 8th grader. They split during the year with 1A powerhouse Wildwood, while defeating the likes of West Orange, Gateway, Like Nona, Timber Creek, Lakewood, St. Cloud, Bishop Kenny, St. Johns Country Day, and Everglades and splitting with Bishop Moore. Their wins are impressive as is their youth. Sophomore point guard [player_tooltip player_id="221840" first="Dezmariah" last="Soto"] leads the team in scoring (12.8 PPG) and steals (3.9 SPG), while fellow Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="248306" first="Camryn" last="Patterson"] leads the team in rebounds (9.3 RPG) and assists (3.8 APG) and is second on the team in scoring (11.0 PPG). 8th grade sensation [player_tooltip player_id="243908" first="Ciara" last="Hayes"] is third on the team in scoring with 9.5 points per game and likely be in the top five in the 2026 rankings when they come out in the fall. Maxpreps has them # 1 in the 2A rankings based on their record and strength of schedule and they have a real shot at taking home the championship.   <img class="size-medium wp-image-208669 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/80-Enjulina-Gonzalez-2.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />Miami Christian was crowned the 2A State Champions in 2021 and are led by Mercer signee [player_tooltip player_id="154908" first="Enjulina" last="Gonzalez"] (14.4 PPG), and a pair of Sophomores Enjulina’s sister 5’7 Guard [player_tooltip player_id="244205" first="Ziul" last="Gonzalez"] (10.1 PPG), and 5’3 Guard [player_tooltip player_id="221843" first="Samantha" last="Vales"] (13.6 PPG). Do not let Miami Christian 14-8 record fool you as they are battled tested having played four of the state’s top 10 ranked teams in St. Thomas Aquinas, Westminster Academy, American Heritage, and IMG Academy as well as Somerset Academy Silver Palms, Mater Lakes, Palmer Trinity, Seminole Ridge, SLAM (Miami), and Plant. The Victors are small and don’t have a deep bench, but they play hard, scrappy and together and you can never count out the defending champs till someone knocks them off!   I have got to be honest; I am not too familiar with Central Florida Christian Academy. They have an impressive 18-3 record and have taken down Wildwood, Orlando Christian Prep, Edgewater, and Gateway with tough losses to Haines City, Vero Beach, and Apoka. If Central Florida does not get it done this year, look for them to be in the mix for the next several years as they are led in scoring by a 7th grader [player_tooltip player_id="248680" first="Janiya" last="Swift"] (16.5 PG), a Freshman [player_tooltip player_id="248675" first="Aarin" last="Manuel"] (10.0 PPG) and a Sophomore Talia Kemp (11.5 PPG).   <img class=" wp-image-347506 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/09/Taliah-Scott-crop-1512x993-1635839250-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="268" height="176" />Who else is in the mix? Neumann, St. Johns Country Day, and University Christian round out the top 7, while Keswick Christian and Calvary Christian (Ormond Beach) should play a factor in February and will be tough outs in the regional playoffs. Senior Leah Marti- Gonzalez and Sophomore Sophia McCartney average 33.5 points per game between the two of them for Neumann and are capable of putting their squad on their backs and making a deep run in the playoffs. While St. Johns Country Day features the state’s leading scorer and University of Arkansas verbal commit [player_tooltip player_id="91651" first="Taliah" last="Scott"]. The uber athletic guard/wing has scored 50 points twice and 40+ points five times, if her scoring is one, she is capable of leading St. Johns Country Day single handedly all the way to Lakeland.   <img class=" wp-image-242820 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/01/Sydney-Jackwin-1K-crop-507x333-1609710788-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="245" height="161" />University Christian is another squad where you cannot let their record deceive you. They finished 12-11 but scheduled tough and are battle tested. [player_tooltip player_id="353625" first="Taijshiah" last="Baldwin"] is the team’s leading scorer at 18.3 PPG, while fellow Seniors Monique Cepeda and Lariel Green both average double digits as well. Junior [player_tooltip player_id="247154" first="Yakiya" last="Milton"] has been a bit quiet this season, but she is ranked in our top 10 for the class of 2023 for a reason and gives them four legit scorers to possibly make some noise in February and make a run. Keswick Christian is 16-8 entering the playoffs and are led by Sophomore Ava Graham (17.4 PPG) and Senior [player_tooltip player_id="243959" first="Sydney" last="Jackwin"] (12.1 PPG). They have played opponents tough all season and could upset any of the favorites on any given night.   <img class=" wp-image-382920 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/AA3D6A2A-0078-45E3-916C-3ABA6738530E-e1643673954748-206x300.jpg" alt="" width="110" height="160" /> Lastly it is hard to predict the 2A without mentioning Calvary Christian (Ormond Beach). They always play a factor in Lakeland at the end of the season. The Lions wrapped up the season 18-2 and are led by 8th grader [player_tooltip player_id="216440" first="Kailani" last="Merrell"] (17.6 PPG) and the O’Berry sisters (Tristen O’Berry and Tristan O’Berry) who are averaging 13.0 and 12.5 points per game.     Michael Wholey is the lead scout for Florida Prep Girls Hoop Florida and a former division one Assistant Coach at American University, University of Memphis, and Georgia Tech. Wholey and the rest of the Prep Girls Hoop staff, seek to cover the entire state of player, keeping subscribers up to date with player evaluations, recruiting info, and statewide news. Our audience often supplies us with some of our best information. If you have any information on players, teams, or statewide news in the state of Florida, emailing Michael Wholey at <a href="mailto:WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com">WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com</a> or DM him through Twitter or Instagram @WholeyPrepHoops.