- March 29, 2024
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The Winter Park Wildcats spent their last home game of the regular season celebrating in the guise of a basketball game. They would defeat Lake Nona 68-43 Monday, one game after cementing a three-way tie at the top of their district.
They saved the drama for their final Class 8A District 5 game against Oak Ridge.
The Wildcats were a game short of tying things up heading into the district tournament. By the end of the first quarter of that game, they were letting their chances of grabbing that district lead slip away, behind 23-20 to the Pioneers.
That’s when the Wildcats came roaring back. Through a wild second quarter the Wildcats would put up 22 points to Oak Ridge’s 12, then hold them to 12 points again in the third quarter to stretch out a lead. By the start of the fourth quarter, Winter Park was up 57-47. They just needed to hold on.
Though the Pioneers would snatch back five points of that lead in the final quarter, it wouldn’t be enough. The Wildcats tied it all up with a win.
Against Lake Nona on Tuesday night, they would blow open a wide lead early, doubling the Lions’ score by the end of the first quarter. Elijah Farley, who would score 31 points in the game, started with four straight three-pointers to give the Wildcats their first 12 points of the game. Seven of Farley’s 12 sunk shots would be from three-point land.
They would hammer away for the rest of the game, ending it ahead by 25 points.
The Wildcats played the West Orange Warriors in their penultimate game of the regular season Tuesday, losing by a score of 67-63. Farley again led the team with 27 points, followed by Wyatt Wilkes with 12 points, and Kevin Reiz with eight points.
That loss puts their record at 16-8 overall heading into the final game before the playoffs start, with a bracket still pending.
The Wildcats will play Dr. Phillips on the road at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30. Then next week it’s district tournament time.
Winter Park girls basketball
The lady Wildcats blasted their way into district play with a dominating 23-2 record and sole possession of the lead in Class 8A District 5. Heading into the tournament, they were undefeated in district play.
They won their first round game against University 57-49 Wednesday night. With the win, they're through to the finals, where they're face Colonial, which battered Timber Creek 75-55 in the first round. It tips off at 7 p.m. Friday at Winter Park.
Edgewater boys basketball
Edgewater moved up to 18-5 on the season and remained undefeated in their district as they rolled over Apopka Tuesday with a 69-59 win.
The Eagles are at Olympia and then Bishop Moore to finish off the regular season on the road this week before taking the top seed in the Class 6A District 7 tournament coming up next week, when they’ll face East River (5-18, 1-5) in their first round game. That’ll be played at East River on Feb. 4.
Edgewater girls basketball
The Lady Eagles (17-5) moved on to the district championship game with a 63-18 steamroller win over Eau Gallie to start off their district tournament. Tiara McMillan scored 17 points for the Eagles.
The girls will face Melbourne’s Heritage at 7 p.m. Thursday, on Heritage’s home court, for the championship. But regardless of outcome, they’ve earned themselves a berth into the regional playoffs next week.