Basketball Recap: St. Petersburg Proves Higher State Rank Is No Mistake

St. Petersburg extended their postseason success on Wednesday against Cape Coral. They snuck past the Cape Coral Seahawks with a 46-40 win. Given the Green Devils' advantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 126th, while the Seahawks are ranked 323rd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

It was another big night for Emir Gainer, who went 9-for-20 to rack up 23 points. What's more, he also posted a 60% three-point shooting accuracy, which is the highest he's achieved since back in November of 2024. Julian Macon was another key player, putting up four points and five boards.

St. Petersburg smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in eight consecutive matches.

Cape Coral's defeat came despite a true team effort with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Elijah Felix, who posted 13 points. Another player making a difference was Dylan Bandale, who scored six points.

St. Petersburg's record now sits at 16-11. As for Cape Coral, their loss ended a five-game streak of away wins and brought them to 21-5.

St. Petersburg wasted no time getting back out on the court and has already played their next game, a 70-67 victory against Port Charlotte on the 17th. Cape Coral does not have any more games scheduled as of now.