Girls Basketball State finals
All games at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. Admission is $15 on the day of the event. Parking is $10.
Class 6A
Bloomingdale (30-0) vs. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (22-9), 12:30 p.m., today
How they got here: Bloomingdale d. Countryside 55-18, d. Armwood 59-40, d. Punta Gorda Charlotte 49-47, d. Ponte Vedra 55-50. St. Thomas Aquinas d. Palm Beach Atlantic 75-22, d. Miami Southridge 65-43, d. Pompano Beach Blanche Ely 55-47, d. Wekiva 62-35.
Stat Leaders
| Category | Bloomingdale | St. Thomas Aquinas |
| Points per game | Noelle Mengel, 20.8 | Khadee Hession, 18.6 |
| Rebounds per game | Izellah Kendrick, 7.6 | Khadee Hession, 8.6 |
| Assists per game | Tabitha Vega, 2.7 | Kamryn Coperan, 3.9 |
| Steals per game | Noelle Mengel, 2.8 | Kamryn Coperan, 4.0 |
| Blocks per game | Izellah Kendrick, 1.4 | N/A |
Outlook
The Bulls not only can win their first girls basketball state title in school history but also can finish the season undefeated. During their perfect run, Bloomingdale has survived plenty of close calls, winning 10 games by single digits, including Thursday’s 55-50 victory over Ponte Vedra in the semifinals. Trailing at the half and at the end of the third quarter, the Bulls rallied in the fourth quarter to win. Noelle Mengel led the comeback, finishing with a team-high 25 points. It was her fourth straight game with 20 or more points. The final hurdle to capping off an undefeated season with a state title will be the toughest. Bloomingdale faces three-time defending state champion St. Thomas Aquinas, which is ranked No. 1 in the class and No. 7 overall in the state by MaxPreps. The Raiders’ brutally tough schedule is paying off with six straight wins heading into today’s championship game.
