FLEMING ISLAND - Fleming Island High basketball is on a win streak of eight games as the District 3-5A championship tournament gets set to begin and the Golden Eagles are revving up at the right time.
"The second Oakleaf game (an 84-66 win after a double overtime win a week prior) was the start of the team beginning to understand that every game is a big game," said Fleming Island coach Traavis Chandler, now 20-5 overall and ranked second in Class 5A to Pembroke Pines Charter at 15-7 also the 6A state champion last year. "We have become very consistent and have gotten guys to come off the bench and not letting the throttle slow down on our game."
Where Chandler has been getting some additional punch has been outside the three point stripe where Nate Lowery has had the hot hand along with Luke Frisbee and, against Buchholz, a dramatic three pointer from Cooper Mas. Fleming Island won 68-49 with a second half scoring surge.
"If we stay hot from the three, it opens up our game for Carson Crawford and Ayden Greenidge underneath," said Chandler. "That's tough for any defense."
In Class 6A, in district 2-6A, Oakleaf, at 17-6, is the number one seed for that district, but recently had a stunning upset loss to Orange Park just two weeks prior to the districts.
For the Knights, the speed and steal front loaded attack has worked most of the season with two wins over St. Augustine; one on January 23 and a wins over Bradford and Ponte Vedra also in January.
Oakleaf has a BYE, but the faces off with the winner of Nease and First Coast on Wednesday, February 5 with the championship game set for Friday, February 7. Fletcher (19-5) and Mandarin (18-6) are in the opposite semifinal also on February 5.
For Orange Park, in the same district 3-5A as Fleming Island, whether coach Derek Kurnitsky can inspire the same game plans as the Oakleaf win will play big as the Raiders open with a semifinal game against Clay before a possible final with Fleming Island on Friday, February 7. Fleming Island will play the winner of Ridgeview vs. Middleburg on the semifinal date.
"You never know this time of year," said Kurnitsky, when asked about a followup upset of Fleming Island after knocking off Oakleaf. "That's the plan."
In district 4-3A, Keystone Heights will travel to Palatka in their game one.
In district 3-1A, St. Johns Country Day School, the No. 2, will host First Coast Christian on Tuesday, February 4 in the semifinal game with the championship game Thursday, February 6.
In the girls district matchups, the most riveting is a possible rematch of Ridgeview's girls against Orange Park after a tumultuous game in the Clay County Cup championship game that had Orange Park coach Michael Nesmith vividly upset over the lack of officials calls under the basket against Ridgeview's hard driving sisters; Narissa and Nacoya Blocton.
Ridgeview, at 18-4 and ranked ninth in Class 5A, seems to be the top of the class for district 3-5A's lineup, but don't count out either Orange Park or Fleming Island with Ridgeview the top seed and the Raiders two, Fleming Island three.
Middleburg and Clay play on Tuesday, February 4 with that winner going up against Ridgeview in the semifinal while Fleming Island (14-10) travels to Orange Park (14-11) for their semifinal.
Nesmith has to remember to beat Fleming Island first before strategizing Ridgeview with that final on Saturday, February 8. Fleming Island has five straight wins since January 20 (loss to Oakleaf) and have put up 70 points plus twice, but lost 53-35 to Orange Park on January 6.
One key for Fleming Island is the play of freshman Seven Gourdet who has hit for double figures nine of the last 11 games to add a 10 point average to team leader Gianna Crawford's 12.4 points per game.
For Oakleaf, in district 2-6A, has back to back losses to finish his season after a flurry of wins including Fleming Island and Bradford, so coach Fred Cole has to right the ship for the district tournament where Oakleaf still has the top seed.
At St. Johns Country Day School, coach Tyler Miller, 17-6, has a strong corps of players, though not many, led by top scorer Kendall Proffitt, 29.1 points per game. Miller has top seed Florida Deaf's 15-3 record that he will most likely visit and with the knowledge that St. Johns beat Florida Deaf on January 7.
In district 3-3A, Keystone Heights (5-16) will travel to Baldwin for the at-large game with Newberry (14-5) the top seed next up in the semifinal.