FHSAA Playoffs: Predicting 3A

FHSAA Playoffs: Predicting 3A By Michael Wholey 2/4/22 5:00 PM 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 3A 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 3A Maxpreps lists the following as the top 7 schools in 3A. <ol> <li>Westminster Academy</li> <li>Miami Country Day</li> <li>Brooks DeBartolo</li> <li>Cardinal Mooney</li> <li>Florida State University HS</li> <li>Carrollwood Day</li> <li>King’s Academy</li> </ol> Make your own prediction for who you think will be the 2022 FHSAA 3A State Champion in Girls Basketball. *Voting closes 2/15 https://poll.fm/11033407   In my opinion the 3A State championship will be decided in South Florida and whoever makes it out will be crowned champion. With the top two teams hailing out of Dade and Broward County in Westminster Academy and Miami Country Day, King’s Academy is the top team in Palm Beach County and both Somerset Academy Silver Palms and Palmer Trinity are both in Dade and are going to be tough opponents and capable of knocking any team out. <img class=" wp-image-382917 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_2988-e1643673811400-294x300.jpg" alt="" width="249" height="254" />Any road to the 3A or 4A State Championship goes through Miami Country Day. They have won seven of the last nine state championships in 3A and 4A dating back to 2015 and are the defending 2021 FHSAA 3A State Champions and I am predicting they will once again finish as champions, claiming the 2022 FHSAA 3A State Championship. [player_tooltip player_id="217667" first="Kayla" last="Nelms"] is one of the top players in the state and ranked in the top five in the Prep Girls Hoops class of 2024 rankings. She is an extremely versatile 6’2 Forward who is productive on the inside and is a high percentage 3-point shooter. The only teams in 3A that have any size to match up with Miami Country Day are Cardinal Mooney, Carrollwood Day, and Somerset Academy Silver Palms. If there was a team that could shut down Nelms, I think the perimeter play of [player_tooltip player_id="91642" first="Kristina" last="Godfrey"], Bella Guevara, [player_tooltip player_id="217665" first="Sofia" last="Mendez"], and [player_tooltip player_id="221703" first="Kaliyah" last="Morales"] will be too tough to stop as well as MCDS constant pressure. Look for Miami Country Day to repeat as 3A State Champions once again. <img class="size-medium wp-image-382915 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/Lena-Girardi-WA-2-300x199.png" alt="" width="300" height="199" /> Westminster Academy has taken down some of the state’s top teams this year including Miami defending 2A State Champion Miami Christian, defending 7A State Champion Plant, and highly ranked SLAM! (Miami), Calvary Christian (FLL), and Dillard. They have faced five of the top ten teams in 3A defeating Palmer Trinity, Carrollwood Day, Somerset Academy Silver Palms, Kings Academy and falling to Cardinal Mooney 55-57 on New Years Eve. They also have fallen to quality opponents Seminole Ridge and Blanche Ely. For the past five years, Westminster Academy has been one of the top teams in 3A and 4A in Florida but unfortunately the road to Lakeland and the pursuit of a championship has always involved a clash with Miami Country Day in the regional playoffs. For the past five seasons 2016-17 through 2020-21, Westminster Academy season has come to an end with a loss to Miami Country Day. Could this be the year they finally knock off the Spartans? I am predicting NO! Westminster is led by the Prep Girls Hoops class of 2025 number one prospect [player_tooltip player_id="243895" first="Lena" last="Girardi"], Senior [player_tooltip player_id="151173" first="Claire" last="Erickson"], Sophomore Aylana Mergilles, Junior Taelyn Carey and Freshman [player_tooltip player_id="243902" first="Maddie" last="Wallhoff"]. They are a balanced team with balanced scoring and a willingness to share the basketball, play together, and get down and guard the basketball. They have the talent and the ability to knock off Miami Country Day but I think unfortunately for WA it is going to be another season that comes to an end at the hands of Miami Country Day. Maybe they prove me wrong – either way, if both make it to the regional finals, it should be quite the game and might decide the 3A State Championship. <img class="size-medium wp-image-331190 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/09/15-Tyra-Kennedy.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /> Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate finished the regular season at 17-5 and is one of the top teams in the Tampa area. Senior [player_tooltip player_id="91581" first="Jaela" last="Davis"] and Junior [player_tooltip player_id="243947" first="Tyra" last="Kennedy"] are one of the top backcourt duo’s in the state and have led their squad to solid wins over Boca Ciega, Clearwater, Miami Senior, Gulf Coast, Plant, Hagerty, Lakewood and Wildwood. Their balanced attack, spacing the floor 4 out and 5 out is tough to guard and if the 3-ball is going down, they could play the role of spoiler and make a deep run in Lakeland and are capable of taking home the championship.   <img class="wp-image-204259 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/09/10-Olivia-Davis-2-e1614637637752-296x300.jpg" alt="" width="177" height="179" />Cardinal Mooney is led by Juniors [player_tooltip player_id="91658" first="Olivia" last="Davis"] and [player_tooltip player_id="91637" first="Jordyn" last="Byrd"] as well as Freshman [player_tooltip player_id="243900" first="Kali" last="Barrett"] and Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="221699" first="Kennedy" last="McClain"]. Those four can match up against any four in 3A. The question is are those four enough? Can they get big games throughout the playoffs from all four or will someone else step up to help lead Cardinal Mooney deep into the playoffs. They have a win over Westminster Academy, Charlotte, Carrollwood Day, Clearwater, and South Fort Myers. They fell narrowly to Brooks DeBartolo completed with state powerhouses DME Academy. Don’t count Cardinal Mooney out, they have as good of a shot as anyone!   <img class="size-medium wp-image-91632 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2019/09/Tonie-Morgan-300x235.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="235" />Who else is in the mix? Florida State University HS has two Senior D-1 signees in [player_tooltip player_id="91556" first="Tonie" last="Morgan"] (Georgia Tech) and [player_tooltip player_id="151168" first="Audia" last="Young"] (Auburn). The Seminoles finished the regular season at 15-3 and their two best wins are vs Wekiva and Pine Forest. Morgan and Young are the most talented duo in 3A and in order for them to make some noise and make a run, they will have to do it all. Carrollwood Day has a revamped roster with a new coaching staff. They are the biggest team in the field with three players over 6’0 and all averaging 10+ points per game ([player_tooltip player_id="248836" first="Carlee" last="Janikowski-Warden"], [player_tooltip player_id="219928" first="Leah" last="Barnes"], and [player_tooltip player_id="349386" first="LeighAnn" last="Hanley"]). In January they have faced off against Cardinal Mooney falling 63-46 and Westminster Academy falling 49-46. Any shot at taking home the 3A State Championship will likely involve them having to knock off Cardinal Mooney in the regionals to get to Lakeland and a matchup against Westminster Academy or Miami Country Day in Lakeland. <img class=" wp-image-230754 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/11/IMG_8679-185x300.jpg" alt="" width="147" height="240" /> King’s Academy, Somerset Academy Silver Palms, and Palmer Trinity are all talented and very good teams. Unfortunately, these reside in a region that will force them to go through Miami Country Day, Westminster Academy or potentially both to get to Lakeland. Kings Academy has [player_tooltip player_id="243896" first="Jade" last="Jones"], [player_tooltip player_id="247134" first="Janessa" last="Williams"], [player_tooltip player_id="243926" first="Jordan" last="Race"], and Mo’nique Joseph while Somerset Academy has [player_tooltip player_id="243916" first="Victoria" last="Valle"], Stephanie Vega, [player_tooltip player_id="243907" first="Ashley" last="Martinez"], Shanaii Gamble and [player_tooltip player_id="248642" first="Dianka" last="Hardisson"]. Palmer Trinity is led by Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="217669" first="Jade" last="Leon"] and Junior [player_tooltip player_id="91640" first="Emily" last="Montes"]. All three times are capable of knocking out any team on any given night. They will likely need their stars to come up big when the lights are the brightest.   <img class="alignleft wp-image-382909 " src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_2310-e1643673525130-184x300.jpg" alt="" width="129" height="210" />Outside of South Florida, look for Seffner Christian, Holy Trinity, and Berkeley Prep all to make deep runs in the playoffs as well. Seffner Christian has a revamped roster as well and leans heavily on Junior [player_tooltip player_id="219990" first="Nini" last="Davenport"] and Senior [player_tooltip player_id="91583" first="Milahnie" last="Perry"] while Holy Trinity is led by a trio of players in Junior [player_tooltip player_id="247204" first="Lynn" last="Rieth"], Senior [player_tooltip player_id="248869" first="Ionna" last="Garcia"] and Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="372064" first="Alinah" last="Sarratt"] as well as one of my favorite players I have watched live this season 5’2 Junior Guard [player_tooltip player_id="247202" first="Marissa" last="Cloud"]. Berkeley Prep wrapped up the regular season 16-6 and have three players that all averaged double digits in 6’1 Senior Forward [player_tooltip player_id="248864" first="Mira" last="Hanna"] (13.5 PPG), 5’8 Freshman Guard [player_tooltip player_id="346855" first="Naomi" last="Parker"] (10.6 PPG), and Senior Lauren Mack (10.5 PPG).   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.