Girls basketball district tournament schedule
8A-7 at Plant
Tuesday: No. 4 Newsome vs. No. 5 Alonso, 6:30; No. 3 Wharton vs. No. 6 Bloomingdale, 8; Wednesday: No. 2 Durant vs. Bloomingdale/Wharton, 6:30; No. 1 Plant vs. Newsome/Alonso winner, 8; Friday: Final, 7.
THE SKINNY: The Panthers ripped through the district slate undefeated and are the prohibitive favorite. Kelly Brennan leads a balanced Plant offense, but keep an eye on Ashley Nelson and Durant, which lost to the Panthers by just three in the team's last meeting.
7A-8 at Riverview
Tuesday: No. 4 Plant City vs. No. 5 Hillsborough, 5; No. 3 East Bay vs. No. 6 Brandon., 7; Thursday: No. 1 Tampa Bay Tech vs. Plant City/Hillsborough winner, 5; No. 2 Riverview vs. East Bay/Brandon winner, 7; Friday: Final, 7.
THE SKINNY: Anything other than a Riverview-TBT final would be a shock. Arguably the best two teams in the county, the Sharks and Titans split their two regular-season meetings.
7A-9 at Steinbrenner
Tuesday: No. Chamberlain vs. No. 5 Gaither, 7; Wednesday: No. 2 Freedom vs. No. 3 Wiregrass Ranch, 6; No. 1 Steinbrenner vs. Chamberlain/Gaither winner, 8; Friday: Final, 7.
THE SKINNY: The Warriors were undefeated in district play and can stake a claim as the county's best with a district title. Wharton's Bailey Hooker, averaging just over 20 points per game, is one of Hillsborough's most dangerous players.
6A-11 at Jefferson
Monday: No. 4 Strawberry Crest vs. No. 5 King, 6; No. 3 Armwood vs. No. 6 Leto, 7:30; Wednesday: No. 2 Sickles vs. Armwood/Leto winner 6; No. 1 Jefferson vs. Strawberry Crest/King winner, 7:30. Friday: Final, 7.
THE SKINNY: Jefferson, led by leading scorer and rebounder Shayla Wilson, is the class of the district. The real battle will be which team can finish second and advance to the postseason: King, Strawberry Crest, Armwood or Sickles?
5A-11 at Blake
Tuesday: No. 4 Middleton vs. No. 7 Lennard, 7; Wednesday No. 1 Robinson vs. Middleton/Lennard winner, 6; No. 2 Blake vs. No. 3 Spoto, 7:30; Saturday: 7.
THE SKINNY: This district is somewhat up for grabs with Robinson, Blake and Spoto competing for two postseason slots. None of these teams ranks among the county's elite, but the balance should make this a fun district to watch.
4A-9 at Tampa Catholic
Wednesday: No. 2 Academy of the Holy Names vs. No. 3 Booker, 6; No. 1 Tampa Catholic vs. No. 4 Berkeley Prep, 7:30; Friday: Final, 7.
THE SKINNY: TC and Academy of the Holy Names have been dominant in the district all season and should meet in the final. The Crusaders defeated the Jaguars by a combined 36 points in the team's two regular season meetings.
3A-8 at Seffner Christian
Tuesday: No. 4 Bishop McLaughlin vs. No. Carrollwood Day School, 7; Friday: No. 2 Brooks DeBartolo vs. No. 3 Tampa Prep, 5:30; No. 1 Seffner Christian vs. Bishop McLaughlin/Brooks DeBartolo winner, 7; Saturday: Final, 7.
THE SKINNY: After reaching the Final Four last year, Seffner Christian's Crusaders are starting to make a name for themselves in area basketball. They return a young team this season led by underclassmen Peyton Walker and Sabrina Whiting.
2A-8 at Cambridge Christian
Tuesday: No. 4 Tampa Bay Christian vs. No. 5 Cambridge Christian, 6; Thursday: No. 2 Hernando Christian vs. No. 3 Citrus Park Christian, 6; No. 1 Academy of the Lakes vs. Tampa Bay Christian/Cambridge Christian winner, 8; Friday: Final, 7
THE SKINNY: Hillsborough County teams will have a tall order knocking off Academy of the Lakes or Hernando Christian in this district.
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