Basketball super 7
Records through Wednesday
Girls
1. Wiregrass Ranch (14-1, 4-1): The Bulls share the top spot in 7A-8 with wins against Sickles and — finally — Steinbrenner. Amanda Melosky and Stephanie Brower lead the team’s offense, averaging 16.5 and 10.2 points per game, respectively.
2. Gulf (11-1, 9-0): The Buccaneers remain undefeated in district play after Tuesday’s win against Tarpon Springs. Gulf hits the holiday circuit next week, taking on Wiregrass Ranch in the Holy Names tournament.
3. Land O’Lakes (11-2, 8-2): The Gators are just behind Gulf in 5A-8, adding decisive wins against Fivay and Anclote. After Friday, Land O’Lakes will be back in the new year with games against Tarpon Springs and Mitchell.
4. River Ridge (11-2, 7-2): The Royal Knights’ 30-point win against Sunlake keeps them third in 5A-8 play. River Ridge grabbed 35 rebounds — its second-highest total of the season — to keep the Seahawks grounded.
5. Pasco (7-4, 6-0): Pasco continues to dominate in 5A-7 play and has improved outside of it as well. The Pirates are on a five-game win streak. They face Mitchell tonight and Zephyrhills on Friday.
6. Nature Coast (11-2, 8-1): Three consecutive wins against 5A-7 foes put the Sharks in second place behind Pasco. The Pirates defeated Nature Coast two weeks ago, but the two face each other again in mid January.
7. Mitchell (10-3, 3-1): The Mustangs fell to second in 6A-10 after a close loss to Dixie Hollins. But they’ll get another shot at the Rebels on Jan. 7.
Boys
1. Nature Coast (8-0, 6-0): The Sharks continue their dominance in and out of district play with wins against Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills and Central. They are now the only undefeated team in 5A-7.
2. Mitchell (10-0, 3-0): No one has been able to catch the Mustangs this season, making next month’s matchup against Nature Coast one to look forward to. Mitchell has won by an average of 27.8 points this season, a number boosted by last week’s 44-point victory over 6A-10 foe Dixie Hollins.
3. Wesley Chapel (9-1, 5-1): The Wildcats’ loss to Nature Coast bumped them down one spot in district rankings, but the loss was a narrow one — just four points. They’ll face the Sharks again at the end of January.
4. Hernando (5-3, 3-2): A win against Zephyrhills boosted the Leopards to the No. 3 spot in 5A-7. Hernando’s performance against the top-ranked Wildcats was impressive — they led for the first three quarters before falling in overtime.
5. Springstead (8-2, 3-1): The Eagles remain in second place in 6A-10, behind undefeated Mitchell and Largo teams. They face Largo Friday night in the Packers’ second district matchup this season.
6. Hudson (6-3, 3-1): The Cobras are ranked second in 4A-6 behind an undefeated Villages Charter team. Matchups in the next few weeks could shake up local rankings.
7. River Ridge (7-6, 5-3): Though the Royal Knights are tied with Anclote for third place in 5A-8 behind Tarpon Springs and Land O’Lakes, River Ridge eked out a one-point win over the Gators two weeks ago. Friday’s game against winless Sunlake should improve River Ridge’s district standing.