By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

Poinciana won the old-fashioned way – with great defense – to advance to the 7A-2 boys basketball regional semifinal round with a 54-32 win over St. Cloud Thursday at the Mike Brizendine gym.

Poinciana will host Oak Ridge (17-10), a 71-45 winner against Oak Ridge, Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The Eagles’ 2-3 zone stifled the Bulldogs from the opening tip in a low-scoring affair that saw Poinciana (20-9) lead 18-10 at the half when St. Cloud had just four field goals.

Poinciana’s senior guard Stefan Moody did his part, scoring 24 points and boosting the Eagles to a 20-9 spurt in the third quarter that made it 38-19.

“We did a good job of smothering their offense,” Poinciana’s first-year Coach Oliver Simmons said. “We’re getting better. We’ve been saying it all year, it was a matter of me learning them, and them learning me. They are starting to play with more confidence.”

St. Cloud, which did not have a player in double figures, patiently tried to work around the Eagles zone defense in the first period with sparse results. The Eagles led 9-4 after the first quarter.

Seldom seeing an open shot, the Bulldogs were unable to score on consecutive possessions until late in the fourth quarter when the substitutes were on the floor.

“They do a good job with their 2-3 zone,” Bulldogs Coach Johnnie Jenkins said. “They matchup and make it tough to get a shot.”

The Bulldogs (12-15) were led by guard Austyn Jandrew’s eight points.

Jenkins compared Poinciana’s Moody, who averaged 27 points during the regular season, to NBA star Allen Iverson before the game. Jenkins saw Iverson as a high school player in Virginia, and Moody again was the key for the Eagles. He had four assists and split defenders repeatedly to draw fouls. He hit 14 of his 15 free throws.

“We actually did what we wanted to do defensively,” Jenkins said. “They had 18 points at the half. Usually when you do that, you’re in pretty good shape. I thought if we could keep it in the 40s or 50s, we’d have a chance. But, you have to score more than eight points (actually, 10) in the first half. I can’t be too upset, though. The kids played hard.”

Poinciana set the school record with its 20th win, and it also won a regional playoff game for the first time.

“We’re at the stage that we’re setting records, now,” Simmons said.

What is encouraging, Simmons said, is how the other starters are stepping forward when Moody is double- and triple-teamed.

“Stefan actually didn’t have a good game for him, but the other guys did a good job of getting their shots,” Simmons said. “It’s something we’ve been working on all year, and it’s starting to pay off.”

Dyland Jean Pierre, at 6-5 a presence inside, had seven, along with guard Jaquan Flood. Paris Greene had six points, four in the first quarter off feeds from Moody.

“Dyland has picked up his game. He’s going a good job with his defense, and he’s getting better offensively,” Simmons said.

But, said the Eagles coach, the path toward the state tournament in Lakeland will get much tougher beginning Tuesday.

“The tough games are coming up,” he said. “We’ve got to be prepared.”

The good news for Poinciana is that it should host all playoff games leading to the state tournament, which begins in two weeks.

Life Christian Academy (17-10) lost its regional quarterfinal game to Faith Christian (22-7), 68-62, Thursday.

Jorge Rosa scored 27 for the Lions.