Class 6A grabbed bragging rights as the toughest classification heading into the final week of the FHSAA boys basketball regular season.
Three 6A programs are ranked in the overall top 10 of the latest FHSAA state rankings. 21-1 Bartow (20.724) now sits at No. 3, 16-6 Fort Lauderdale Dillard (19.716) is No. 7 and 17-3 South Miami (19.510) is No. 10.
Class 3A Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic (21-2) remained the top-ranked program in the state with a 22.606 ranking, followed by 7A West Palm Beach Forest Hill (21.389, 23-2) and Bartow (20.724).
The rest of the state’s overall top 10 are: 4) 17-5 Tampa Catholic (4A, 20.652); 5) 20-2 Orlando Christian Prep (2A, 20.484); 6) 18-1 Pembroke Pines Charter (5A, 20.327); 8) 17-3 Jacksonville Andrew Jackson (3A, 19.624); and 9) 15-6 Davie University School (4A, 19.554).
Two-time defending state champion University School has the top strength of schedule rating among the top 10 at 14.06, followed by Dillard at 13.79 and Tampa Catholic at 13.41.
Pines Charter has the lowest SOS at 7.98.
Your state No. 1s by classification are:
7A: Forest Hill
6A: Bartow
5A: Pines Charter
4A: Tampa Catholic
3A: Santa Fe Catholic
2A: OCP
1A: Wildwood
Hialeah Gardens Mater Academy heads Nos. 11-20, followed by 12) Oakland Park Northeast; 13) Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna; 14) Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy; 15) Jacksonville Paxon; 16) Ocoee; 17) Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer; 18) Tallahassee Lincoln; 19) Miramar; and 20) Jacksonville North Florida Educational.
Jacksonville Lee is No. 21, followed by 22) Fort Lauderdale Stranahan; 23) Tarpon Springs East Lake; 24) Sanford Seminole; 25) Boca St. Andrew’s; 26) Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian; 27) Coral Gables; 28) Tallahassee Rickards; 29) Miami Schoolhouse Prep; and 30) Windermere Prep.
District play begins next week.
If you have high school or travel basketball news, you can reach Pat Lammer via e-mail at PatALammer@Gmail.com