By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

Still three weeks away from the district boys basketball tournaments, New Dimensions already has earned the top seed in 2A District 9 and, along with it, a first-round bye at the district tournament.

The Tigers, 9-8, beat Lakeland Santa Fe, 65-52, Friday to clinch the No. 1 seed. Because there are just three teams in 2A-9, the No. 1 seed automatically advances to the regional round since both the district champion and the runner-up go to the regionals.

Santa Fe and Lakeland Christian will play in the first round of the district tournament. That winner will take on New Dimensions for the championship. The district champion hosts in the first round of the regionals.

“We were ahead by 30 points, but because some of my guys are battling injuries, I put my bench players in to finish the game,” Tigers coach Dustin Gassert said.

This marks the Tigers second straight trip to the playoffs after the team won the district championship last year.

Leading the way for the Tigers were Kepler Francois and Orlando Vargas, each with 15 points. Sebastian Joseph scored 12 and Marc Serat had eight points and nine rebounds.

New Dimensions beat Pine Castle Christian, 54-34, Thursday.

The news wasn’t as good for Osceola, which saw its eight-game winning streak snapped Monday at Lake Wales, 75-70. The Kowboys, up by 10 in the third quarter, slipped to 7-2 in the district, and with a pair of losses against Lake Wales, they probably won’t earn the bye in 5A District 5, which has seven teams.

“We have to find a way to match their intensity for all 32 minutes,” OHS Coach Steve Mason said. “I’m going to find a way to beat them in the districts, they are good.”

OHS, 14-5, scored a thrilling 62-61 win over Haines City at the Kowboys gym Friday as J.J. Jackson hit the game-winner with 0.2 seconds remaining. Antonio Benitez scored 24 to lead OHS, which hosts district foe Winter Haven today at 7:30 p.m.

“That was an all-time classic, considering the circumstances and J.J. hitting the shot at the buzzer,” Mason said. “It was pandemonium.”

Jackson’s aunt, Dana Coats, one of his and the Kowboys’ biggest fans, passed away one day prior to the Haines City game, setting a tone of high emotion at the Kowboys gym Friday.

Osceola likely will be seeded second at the district tournament if it beats Winter Haven today then district opponents Liberty and Sebring next week.

Gateway, 9-9, got itself into the thick of the 6A-6 district race at the John Ramirez Gym Friday with a 72-33 rout of Port St. Lucie Centennial led by forwards Erick Marino (18) and David Jerome (16).

The Panthers, who played Colonial on Wednesday in a non-district game, travel to Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast Friday, and then host Vero Beach Jan. 28 in the district. Gateway could be seeded anywhere from No. 1 to No. 4 in the five-team district depending on the outcome of those games.

“That was probably the best we’ve looked all year,” Panthers Coach Bob Baker said. “We’ve been fighting all kinds of illnesses this year, and to our top players. I don’t want to make excuses, but it hurt our ability to play together and it’s only now that we’ve got everyone healthy.”

Baker said the Panthers are capable of beating any team in the district when they’re healthy.

“I’m hoping we’ll have an opportunity to put together a nice run heading into the district tournament and maybe we’ll make some noise there,” he said. “We’ve made a couple of adjustments along the way, and we have a pretty good team when we get everyone on the floor.”

Life Christian stands 15-6 overall and is in contention for the top seed in A District 7, Coach Kevin Hosford said.

Heritage Christian, visits Poinciana today at 7:30 p.m. Poinciana, 11-7, lost to the Community School of Naples, 64-62, Saturday.