Boys basketball state semifinals
All games at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. Admission is $10 in advance, $13 on the day of the event. Parking is $10.
Class 5A
St. Petersburg (24-5) vs. Orlando Jones (20-7), 4, Thursday
How they got here: St. Petersburg d. Seminole 71-47, d. Bradenton Southeast 80-77, d. Naples Barron Collier 69-66. Orlando Jones d. Kissimmee Gateway 63-50, d. 65-54, d. King 49-47.
Stat leaders
| Category | St. Petersburg | Orlando Jones |
| Points per game | Tristan Gross, 20.6 | N/A |
| Rebounds per game | Dylan Kramer, 8.8 | N/A |
| Assists per game | Marquris Curry Jr., 4.0 | N/A |
| Steals per game | Derrick Mitchell, 2.1 | N/A |
| Blocks per game | Dylan Kramer, 0.6 | N/A |
Outlook
After a three-year absence, St. Petersburg is back in the state semifinals. This is the Green Devils’ fifth trip to Lakeland in the past decade. Bolstered by a handful of transfers, St. Petersburg knew it had the capabilities of making a state title run and put together a challenging regular season schedule to prepare for the kind of competition it would face in the playoffs. The Green Devils, ranked fifth in the class by MaxPreps, have won seven straight games. They have three players — Tristan Gross (20.6 points per game), Derrick Mitchell (12) and Dylan Kramer (10.6) — who are averaging double figures in scoring. Orlando Jones, ranked third in the class by MaxPreps, also has won seven straight, the last two coming against Jesuit and King. In each of their three regional games, the Fightin’ Tigers rallied from first quarter deficits to win.
