C.J. Gish
P.K. Yonge outscored visiting Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville) in every frame en route to a 66-47 home Class 3A-District 2 playoff win on Tuesday.
Patton Pinkins scored 16 of his game-high 26 points, including three 3-pointers, in the first half as the Blue Wave (17-8) took a 32-24 halftime lead.
“It’s one game at a time, especially at this particular part of the season,” P.K. Yonge coach Boderick Johnson said. “We have a tough district, in my opinion one of the tougher districts and regions as well. We’re going to be facing Bishop Snyder and we’ll see how it goes.”
Eli Harris added 18 points for the Blue Wave. Randall Robinson scored eight points and Jordan Richardson had seven.
P.K. Yonge – winners of 13 of its last 15 games – will play Bishop Snyder (13-11) in Jacksonville on Wednesday.
Buchholz 68, Columbia 64
The fifth-seeded Bobcats (Gainesville) traveled to Lake City and defeated No. 4 seed Columbia (Lake City), 68-64, in the Class 6A-District 3 playoffs on Tuesday.
Daryus Boyd led Buchholz with 20 points, Tyler Gainey had 13, and Hayden Findley added 10.
The Bobcats will face top-seed Fleming Island (Orange Park) on Wednesday in the district semifinals at 7:30 p.m.
In the other Class 6A-District 3 semifinal matchup, No. 3 seed Gainesville will play No. 2 seed Forest (Ocala) at 6 p.m.
Newberry 56, Bronson 44
Both District 7-1A semifinal games on Tuesday night saw big second half comebacks by the underdog teams.
And while Bronson couldn’t come all the way back against Newberry, Trenton did finish the job in the second half against host Williston.
Fourth-seeded Bronson (16-10) cut a 19-point third quarter lead by top-seed Newberry to three points after a 16-0 run that spanned the third and fourth quarters.
The Eagles got within three points at 41-38 with two minutes left but Michael Moore knocked down a 3-pointer from the top of the key and the Panthers (19-5) pulled away for a 56-44 win.
Moore led Newberry with a game-high 17 points and Reggie White added 15 points as the Panthers beat Bronson for the fourth time this year.
Perrion Sylvester chipped in 10 points for Newberry. Jesse Williams III led Bronson with 13 points.
Newberry moves on the District 7-1A championship game on Friday night against the third seed, the Trenton Tigers.
Trenton 50, Williston 44
Trenton defeated second-seed and host Williston for the third time this season, rallying from a 17-point third quarter deficit to eliminate the Red Devils 50-44.
Much like the first game, Williston led throughout the first half and took a 30-17 halftime lead over the Tigers (16-10).
Williston (16-10) extended the lead to 17 early in the third period, but then Trenton began chipping away, led by junior Xavier Jones who scored 12 of his game-high 20 points in the second half.
Trenton’s pressure forced numerous Red Devils turnovers, and the Tigers went on a 16-1 run to start the fourth quarter, taking a six-point lead it never relinquished.
Nathaniel Ridgell added 10 points and senior Tyler Perry scored all nine of his points in the final period for Trenton.
Williston was led by sophomore Kyler Hall with 14 points and senior Tayelen Seabrook with 11 points.
Newberry and Trenton met twice during the regular season, with the Panthers winning 43-40 on the road and 67-61 at home against the Tigers.
In the Class 4A-District 4 tournament at North Marion (Citra), No. 4 seed Dunnellon beat No. 5 Eastside (Gainseville), 55-48, and No. 3 North Marion defeated No. 6 Keystone Heights, 70-45.
Dunnellon will play top-seed Santa Fe (Alachua) on Wednesday in the semifinals.
In the Class 2A-District 4 tournament at St. Joseph (St. Augustine), No. 4 Saint Francis Catholic (Gainesville) edged No. 5 Christ’s Church Academy (Jacksonville), 52-50, and will play top-seed St. Joseph’s Academy on Wednesday.
No. 3 Oak Hall (Gainesville) eased past No. 6 Countryside Christian (Gainesville), 74-45, and will face No. 2 University Christian on Wednesday.
In the Class 1A-District 6 tournament at Bell, No. 5 Fort White beat Union County (Lake Butler), 56-49, and will face top-seed Bradford on Wednesday, while No. 3 Dixie County (Cross City) downed Branford, 60-32, and will face No. 2 Bell on Wednesday.