DISTRICT 10-6A
SITE: Deerfield Beach High School, 910 SW 15th St.
SCHEDULE: Wednesday — Coconut Creek (4) vs. Spanish River (5), 6; Deerfield Beach (3) vs. Coral Springs (6), 7:30 p.m.; Thursday — Olympic Heights (2) vs. Deerfield/Springs winner, 6 p.m.; Douglas (1) vs. Creek/River winner, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday — Championship, 7: 30 p.m.
REGIONAL QUALIFIERS LAST YEAR: Deerfield Beach, Coconut Creek.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Douglas: Kevin Eakin, Steve Cowherd, Hayden Byer, Mike Arnold; Deerfield Beach: Tramain Hall; Coral Springs: Derek Dominion; Spanish River: Prentice Mobley, Matthew Stone; Olympic Heights: Joe Volman, Tom Worthington, Jason Valentine; Coconut Creek: Reggie Crockett, Terrance Smith.
COMMENT: This may be the most wide open district that includes Broward schools. Douglas has emerged as the surprise front-runner. Its only district loss came to Deerfield Beach, which it later defeated. Deerfield Beach is the defending Class 6A state champion, but it graduated almost all of its entire team and returns only two players who saw limited playing time a year ago.
DISTRICT 11-6A
SITE: Dillard High School, 2501 Panther Lane, Fort Lauderdale.
SCHEDULE: Wednesday: Plantation (4) vs. Taravella (5), 6; Boyd Anderson (3) vs. Piper (6), 7:30 p.m.; Friday: Ely (2) vs. Boyd Anderson/Piper winner, 6 p.m.; Dillard (1) vs. Piper/Plantation winner, 7;30 p.m.; Saturday: Championship, 7:30 p.m.
REGIONAL QUALIFIERS LAST YEAR: Dillard, Ely, Plantation.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Dillard: Kelvin Brown, Ricky Phillips, Steve Allen, Darius Mattear; Ely: Adrian Jackson, Frank Bennett, Sterling Hicks; Boyd Anderson: Klaus Wimbush, Dwight Blackwood; Taravella: Frank Dellatto, Carlos Peguero; Piper: Jay Jones; Plantation: Dwight Anglade, Adam Baldwin.
COMMENT: Ely will be without forward and key rebounder Demetric Preston who was ejected from Thursday’s Big 8 game against Cardinal Gibbons and will be sitting out the mandatory two games. Without him it will be tough for the Tigers to dethrone the Panthers. Ely was the Class 6A state runner-up last year and defeated Dillard in the regional quarterfinal in getting to state.
DISTRICT 12-6A
SITE: Western High School, 1200 SW 136th Ave., Davie.
SCHEDULE: Today: Flanagan (4) vs. Western (5), 7 p.m.; Wednesday: South Plantation (2) vs. McArthur (3), 6 p.m.; Cooper City (1) vs. Flanagan/Western winner, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday: Championship, 7:30 p.m.
REGIONAL QUALIFIERS LAST YEAR: None.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Flanagan: Allen Nazare; Cooper City: Alain LaRoche, Mike Fischman; McArthur: Anthony Ashby; South Plantation: Larry Singleton, DeWayne Malcom.
COMMENT: This district is wide open with all teams having a shot at the two regional playoff berths.
DISTRICT 15-5A
SITE: St. Thomas Aquinas, 2801 SW 12th St., Fort Lauderdale.
SCHEDULE: Today: Northeast (4) vs. Hollywood Hills (5), 6 p.m.; Fort Lauderdale (3) vs. Nova (6), 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday: St. Thomas (1) vs. Northeast/Hills winner, 6 p.m.; Stranahan (2) vs. Lauderdale/Nova winner, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday: Championship, 7:30 p.m.
REGIONAL QUALIFIERS LAST YEAR: St. Thomas, Stranahan.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: St. Thomas: Garth Campbell, Ed Nelson, Tony Brown, Pat Wilkie; Fort Lauderdale: Nick Berry, Rodney Howard; Stranahan: Matthew Peets, Dwayne Cummings; Northeast: Wes Cardet, Paul Facyson; Hollywood Hills: Andrew Bramwell; Nova: Doug Scott.
COMMENT: St. Thomas’ losses have come to Lake Worth in double overtime and Lexington Catholic (Ky.) in the final of the Kreul Classic. Stranahan beat the Raiders in district play a few years back but are the underdog again.
DISTRICT 16-5A
SITE: South Broward High School, 1901 N. Federal Highway, Hollywood.
SCHEDULE: Wednesday: South Dade (3) vs. Miami Dr. Krop (6), 6:30 p.m.; South Broward (4) vs. Coral Reef (5), 8 p.m.; Friday: Miramar (2) vs. South Dade/Krop winner, 6:30 p.m.; Hallandale (1) vs. South Broward/Coral Reef winner, 8 p.m.; Saturday: Championship, 7:30 p.m.
REGIONAL QUALIFIERS LAST YEAR: Hallandale, Miramar, South Broward.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Hallandale: Akil Lewis, Ashley Boles; Miramar: Warren Gale, Roderick Wilmont; South Broward: Travis Daniels, Danny Richards; South Dade: James Terry; Coral Reef: Lyube L’Bert.
COMMENT: Hallandale advanced to the regional semifinal last year before losing to Port St. Lucie. Miramar has dropped down from 6A. It advanced to the regional semifinal last year before losing to Ely.
DISTRICT 16-4A
SITE: Cardinal Gibbons, 4601 Bayview Drive, Fort Lauderdale.
SCHEDULE: Today: Key West (2) vs. Miami St. Brendan (3), 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday: Championship, Cardinal Gibbons vs. Key West/St. Brendan winner, 7:30 p.m.
REGIONAL QUALIFIERS LAST YEAR: None.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Cardinal Gibbons: Darrance Gillion, Greg Walker; Key West: Doug Meeker, Carlton Thurston.
COMMENT: The Redskins will be without guard Brandon McGill who is sitting out a mandatory two-game suspension for being ejected from Thursday’s Big 8 game against Ely. Gibbons is also without guard Tim Stevens who is sidelined with a wrist injury. That leaves Gillion to carry the team. There is no excitement in this district since there are only three teams and two advance. Gibbons is in because it is the top seed.
DISTRICT 15-3A
SITE: Chaminade-Madonna, 500 Chaminade Drive, Hollywood.
SCHEDULE: Today: American Heritage (4) vs. University School (5), 6 p.m.; Chaminade-Madonna (3) vs. Pine Crest (6), 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday: Westminster Academy (1) vs. Heritage/University winner, 6 p.m.; Miami Pace (2) vs. Chaminade/Pine Crest winner, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday : Championship, 7:30 p.m.
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Westminster Academy, Miami Pace, Chaminade-Madonna, Pine Crest, American Heritage.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Westminster Academy: Jimmy Bishop, Chip Stroud, Jan Fikiel, Derek Holden; Miami Pace: Leon Park, Ray Lane, Courtny Bloom; Chaminade:Madonna: Kenny Clarke, Nick Ellingsworth; American Heritage: Matthew Cenatus, Javarus Dudely; University School: Harris Howard, Adam Seiderman; Pine Crest: Che Chase.
COMMENT: This should be a competitive district featuring two state qualifiers from last year, for Miami Pace (20-7) was the 4A champion and Westminster a 2A semifinalist. No team went unbeaten in district play, for Westminster split with American Heritage and Chaminade split with Pace. Westminster has won 16 straight games, so it goes in as favorite although Chaminade will benefit from the home-court advantage. Five of the six teams in the district advanced to regional play last season.
DISTRICT 14-2A
SITE: Highlands Christian, 501 NE 48th St., Pompano Beach.
SCHEDULE: Today: King’s Academy (4) vs. Glades Day (5), 4 p.m.; Highlands (3) vs. St. Edward’s (6), 6; Hollywood Christian (2) vs. North Lauderdale (7), 8; Friday: Hollywood/North Lauderdale winner, Highlands/St. Edward’s winner, 5:30 p.m.; Benjamin (1) vs. King’s/Glades winner, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday: Championship, 7:30 p.m.
REGIONAL QUALIFIERS LAST YEAR: Hollywood Christian, Benjamin, St. Edward’s, Glades Day.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Benjamin: Nick Long, Brandon Arnette; Hollywood Christian: Daunte Foster, Matt Humphreys, Brandon Parker; Highlands Christian: Rem Longstreth, Chris Banta; King’s Academy: Mark Griffith; Glades Day: Ryan Shackelford, Jesse Montalto; North Lauderdale Academy: J.C. Oblinger, Jeff Moss.
COMMENT: Benjamin and Hollywood Christian are the favorites to advance.
DISTRICT 8-1A
SITE: Zion Lutheran School, 959 SE Sixth Ave., Deerfield Beach.
SCHEDULE: Monday: Zion Lutheran (4) defeated Grandview Prep (5); Wednesday: American Heritage Boca (2) vs. Boca Prep (3), 6:30 p.m.; North Broward Prep (1) vs. Zion Lutheran, 8 p.m.; Saturday: Championship, 7 p.m.
REGIONAL QUALIFIERS LAST YEAR: Zion Lutheran.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: North Broward Prep: Sean Ullman, Justin Flit; American Heritage Boca: Scott Feller, Paul Baldwin; Grandview: Gray Hill.
COMMENT: Zion was the only regional qualifier in this group last year and the Lions were a quarterfinal loser. This one is up for grabs.
DISTRICT 13-1A
SITE: Pompano Beach High, 1400 NE Sixth St.
SCHEDULE: Today: Broward Christian (4) vs. Coral Springs Christian (5), 7 p.m.; Friday: Fort Lauderdale Christian (2) vs. Pompano Beach (3), 6:30 p.m.; Upperroom (1) vs. Broward/Coral Springs Christian winner, 8 p.m.; Saturday: Championship, 7 p.m.
REGIONAL QUALIFIERS LAST YEAR: Broward Christian, Fort Lauderdale Christian.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Upperroom: Greg Troupe, Jarvis Miller, Morris Johnson; Fort Lauderdale Christian: Colin Eccleston, Matt Johnson; Pompano Beach: Thurman Moyer, Troy Fryer, Everol Blake; Broward Christian: Jerry Reed, John Weinheimer; Coral Springs Christian: David Fantell.
COMMENT: Pompano Beach has fared well in its return after a 15-year hiatus, but Upperroom is the favorite.
DISTRICT 14-1A
SITE: Sheridan Hills Christian School, 3751 Sheridan St., Hollywood.
SCHEDULE: Monday: Horeb (4) vs. First Baptist (5); Today: LaProgressiva (2) vs. Sheridan Hills (6), 6 p.m.; Florida Bible (1) vs. Horeb/First Baptist winner, 8 p.m.; Friday: Championship, 8 p.m.
REGIONAL QUALIFIERS LAST YEAR: None.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Florida Bible: Larry Weeks; Sheridan Hills: Albert Leon, Daniel Talpesh; Horeb: Matt Grubb, Pedro Suarez.
COMMENT: This is a weak district that lacks a proven favorite.
