Sports Editor

The pressure is both off and on for New Dimensions and Life Christian Academy boys basketball teams today when they play for district championships.

Since the top two teams from the district advance to the regional playoffs, the pressure is off. But, as the district champion earns a coveted home court advantage in the regional quarterfinals, and perhaps through the entire playoff series, the pressure is on.

New Dimensions, 9-15, will host Lakeland Santa Fe at 7 p.m. for the 2A-9 championship, while Life Christian, 19-7, travels to Winter Haven All Saints Academy to play Victory Christian for the A-7 title at the same time.

“I’m very confident going into the game. We’ve had our best week of practices and the boys are working extremely hard to make a run to the state tournament,” New Dimensions Coach Dustin Gassert said.

New Dimensions, as the No. 1 seed in the three-team district, had a first-round bye and an automatic playoff berth. Santa Fe defeated Lakeland Christian Tuesday in the semifinals to advance.

Life Christian easily defeated Sonrise Christian, 56-34, in the A-7 semifinals Tuesday. Coach Kevin Hosford said the Lions beat Victory by 16 points during the regular season and expects to see either Seffner or Bradenton Christian in the regional quarterfinals, which begin Thursday.

Four county squads played Friday for berths in today’s championship games.

St. Cloud held off rival Harmony, 60-53, Wednesday and advanced to the semifinal round of the 4A-6 boys district basketball tournament at the St. Cloud gym. Poinciana (17-7), a 74-43 winner over Tavares Wednesday, played Oak Ridge.

The winners meet for the district championship today at 7 p.m.

Oak Ridge advanced Wednesday by nipping Celebration, 71-65, in the quarterfinals.

Osceola (21-6, No. 10 Class 5A) met Haines City in the 5A-5 district semifinals Friday. That winner plays the Lake Wales-Davenport Ridge Community winner for the championship today at 7 p.m. at Ridge Community.

Gateway played at Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast in the 6A-6 semifinals. The winner plays for the championship today at 7 p.m. at Treasure Coast.

Harmony (7-15), playing without leading scorer Daniel East, who broke his foot last week, led by 10, 43-33, in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s 4A-6 quarterfinal game before the Bulldogs began a furious comeback that saw St. Cloud (11-14) go on an 18-4 run over a five minute span.

Forward Jamal Demetrius (20) tied the score at 48 with a lay-in and guard Jens Soto (13) converted a three-point play on St. Cloud’s next trip to put the Bulldogs up, 51-48.

St. Cloud Coach Tim McMullen said he had to go to a smaller lineup in the fourth quarter to counter Harmony’s quickness.

“People don’t understand, we just had to get our little guys in there with their guards,” he said. “We were bigger, but we had to match their quickness.”

After St. Cloud center Zack Hull (12) scored off an assist from Soto, Harmony’s Colton Viscomi (10) hit a 3-point shot to tie the score at 53, but the Bulldogs countered with baskets from Demetrius and Hull and a free throw from Eddie Sanchez in the final 1:13.

Erik Sjostrom (16) and Austin Baur (14) led Harmony.

Harmony Coach Steve Smith said his team played hard despite the loss of East, but that it could have won.

“We outplayed them for 30 minutes; however the game was 32 minutes,” Smith said. “What we are trying to get across the kids is that playing hard is great, but playing well and smarter is better. These kids want to win but we have to show them how it is done. I feel we will get there and we laid a good foundation this year.”

The Horns played only one senior, Sjostrom, Wednesday. East also graduates.

“It’s a shame, because nobody has given more to this program than Daniel has,” Smith said.

Celebration (10-15) got 25 points from Rob Machecek and 18 from Mark Pearson against Oak Ridge. The Pioneers broke open a tie game in the third quarter and led by 10, but the Storm chipped the lead to five points twice in the fourth quarter. Quinton Willis had 27 for Oak Ridge.

“Our guys weren’t intimidated. They kept after it,” Celebration Coach Jeff Bean said. “We had too many turnovers in the third quarter. You can’t do that in a tie game.”

Poinciana (17-7) was led by Stefan Moody (16) and Osanto Marc (15) as the Eagles cruised.