High School Hoops: A Week of Thrilling Games and Surprising Results

High school basketball fans in Manatee and Sarasota counties had a lot to cheer about during the week of Dec. 29, 2025, to Jan. 3, 2026. The games were intense, the scores were close, and the performances were outstanding. Let's take a look at some of the most exciting matchups. The Venice High School Indians showed their resilience in a nail-biting semifinal game against the Riverview Rams. The Indians started strong, building a 27-9 lead in the first quarter. But the Rams didn't give up easily. They mounted a fierce comeback in the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to just four points. In the end, the Indians held on to win 61-57. Sophomore Peter Palao led the way with 23 points, while junior Pierce Weber and senior Giulio contributed 13 and 10 points, respectively. The Indians will now face the powerful Covington Catholic High School Colonels in the tournament championship game. The Colonels have been dominant this season, with a record of 9-1. They defeated the Booker High School Tornadoes 92-55 in their semifinal game. Junior Braeden Myrick led the way with 31 points, including four three-pointers. Senior Cash Harney and junior Athens McGillis also had strong performances, scoring 20 and 18 points, respectively. The Tornadoes, despite the lopsided loss, had a standout performance from senior J. P. Lattimore, who scored a game-high 30 points. The Tornadoes will face the Rams in a consolation game to determine the third-place finisher.In other games, the Sarasota Christian School Lady Blazers showed their defensive prowess in a 46-25 victory over the Tampa Prep Terrapins. The Lady Blazers held the Terrapins to just nine points in the first three quarters. Brenda Bresciani led the way with 23 points, while Grace Gallo had a career-high three three-pointers. The Lady Blazers will now face the Victory Christian Academy in the Holiday Classic Championship game. The All Saints Academy Blades dropped their semifinal game of the Sarasota Christian Holiday Classic to the Meadowbrook Academy. The Blades were led by Drew Sirianni with 12 points, Travis Miller had 11 and Justin Brock 10. The Blades will now face the Cambridge Christian in the third-place game. The Cardinal Mooney Cougars dropped their first game of the season to the Bullis School, 52-50. Jamaal George led Mooney with 13 points, and Malkai Cuffy added 12. The Cougars will look to bounce back in their next game.