Grandview Prep stretched its unbeaten streak to 21 Saturday, knocking off Sarasota-Riverview – the state’s top-ranked Class 8A team – at the Wally Keller Classic in Punta Gorda.
Lavorris Givins and Palm Beach Lakes moved up to No. 5 in this week’s boys hoops Top 10. The Rams are 13-4. (Photo by Damon Higgins)
Following St. Andrews’ loss to Oxbridge Academy on Saturday, the Pride remain the area’s only unbeaten team.
The Scots dropped a spot from No. 2 to No. 3, while Wellington moved up two spots to No. 2 after winning a trio of games last week, among them a 62-61 thriller against state-ranked St. Petersburg at the Wally Keller Classic Saturday. Dwyer and Palm Beach Lakes round out the top five.
Two weeks remain in the regular season. District tournaments are set to begin Feb. 1.
Boys basketball top 10 entering Week 8:
1. Grandview Prep (21-0): Pride rout state’s top 8A team
2. Wellington (18-4): Wolverines have won five straight
3. St. Andrew’s (17-1): Oxbridge hands Scots first loss
4. Dwyer (15-3): Panthers fall at MLK Classic
5. Palm Beach Lakes (13-4): Rams are 9-2 in district
6. Santaluces (14-5): Chiefs beat Park Vista, Spanish River
7. Royal Palm Beach (12-5): Wildcats have won 7-of-9
8. Lake Worth (13-5): Trojans split pair of games
9. Suncoast (14-5): Chargers have won their last four
10. Boca Raton (13-7): Double OT loss to state-ranked Miami Central
Also considered: Oxbridge Academy (13-4); Benjamin (14-5)
Games of the Week:
John I. Leonard (9-9) at No. 8 Lake Worth (12-4), 7:30 p.m. Tuesday: The Trojans and Lancers both need wins here to keep pace in rugged District 10-8A. John I. Leonard will have one district contest remaining after this one, while Lake Worth closes its district schedule at home against Atlantic on Friday. The Trojans won the first meeting with the Lancers in a close contest Dec. 8, and expect this one also to be tight. Lake Worth had its lengthy winning streak snapped by Santaluces Jan. 8 in a tight game, and dropped another close district contest to Park Vista last week. John I. Leonard, which made the Class 8A state semifinals in 2014, has been inconsistent in recent weeks. But the Lancers can be dangerous, particularly on offense with Greg Metelus, Lovens Desius, Dylan Bales and Jerquan Worthen leading the way. Joshua Rathell and Bryan Henry lead Lake Worth in scoring at 15.3 points and 12.7 points, respectively.
No. 6 Santaluces at No. 10 Boca Raton, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday: This is another key District 10-8A contest, with the winner gaining an edge in an up-for-grabs championship race. The Bobcats were on the losing end of the first meeting between the two, falling 70-63 Dec. 8. That loss was Boca Raton’s first of the season after opening with five straight wins. Santaluces started slowly, dropping its first two games – both within the district. But the Chiefs have been on a tear since, winning 12 of their past 15 games. All three of their losses since Nov. 20 have come to ranked teams. Boca Raton also has played well of late, winning three of its past four games. The Bobcats’ only loss during that span was a 72-68 double overtime defeat to state-ranked Miami-Central. Four Boca Raton players are averaging double digits in scoring, led by senior guard Morgan Zook at 15 ppg.
Cardinal Newman (9-7) at Oxbridge Academy (13-4), 7 p.m. Friday: The Crusaders got off to a slow start this season, dropping six in a row between Dec. 2 and Dec. 30 to fall to 2-6. But Cardinal Newman, which advanced to the Class 4A state championship game last year, has been on a tear since. The Crusaders, paced by KJ Fitzgerald, Scott Perry (14.9 ppg) and Warren Goulbourne (8 rpg), reeled off seven straight wins before falling to Fort Lauderdale Monday at the MLK Classic in Coral Springs. The ThunderWolves will be a tough test. Oxbridge also started slowly, but has won nine a row, including a huge 46-41 upset of then-unbeaten St. Andrew’s on Saturday. Oxbridge has gotten great production out of sophomore guard Keidron Smith, who leads the team in scoring at 13.1 points per game, and freshman forward Dante Wilcox, who is its leading rebounder at 6.9 per game.
