The two high school varsity basketball teams in the western communities that have the strongest chance of generating a deep postseason run are also crosstown rivals — the boys basketball teams from Wellington High School and Palm Beach Central High School.
The two squads are expected to meet on Saturday, Feb. 7 in the final of the Florida High School Athletic Association’s (FHSAA) Class 7A, District 8 Tournament. The game will be played at Wellington High School starting at 7 p.m.
For this game to take place, both Wellington and Palm Beach Central must win their respective district semifinal games on Wednesday, Feb. 4. The winner of the final will be awarded a slot in the upcoming FHSAA Class 7A boys state basketball tournament.
Wellington, the top seed in the District 8 tournament, played Lake Worth High School on Feb. 4, while Palm Beach Central, the second seed, faced Palm Beach Gardens High School. Both Wellington teams were strong favorites to win their respective semifinals. However, the results of both games were not available at press time.
A district final matchup between Wellington and Palm Beach Central would be the third time that both teams will have played one another this season. Back on Dec. 12, the two teams met inside Palm Beach Central’s gym, where the Broncos prevailed 54-51. Then, on Jan. 16, the two teams played at Wellington, where the Wolverines outscored the Broncos, 68-58.
Going into the district tournament, Palm Beach Central’s record was 17-7 and the Broncos were riding a five-game winning streak, while the Wolverines had compiled a record of 15-7 and had won 11 out of their previous 13 games. In the statewide rankings, Wellington is listed 12th, while Palm Beach Central is two spots behind at 14th. The game should be a closely contested affair.
WHS head coach Matt Colin knows what his team will need to do to prevail at the district final.
“It’s going to take us defending at a high level, taking care of the basketball, and playing with great energy and togetherness,” Colin said.
Win or lose, chances are strong that both teams will receive bids into the upcoming Class 7A state tournament, since both teams have strong rankings. However, the winner of the district tournament will get a higher seeding in the forthcoming regional games.
