Boyd Anderson believes it still has Blanche Ely's number. Northeast hopes reigning Class 5A state champion Dillard is ripe for the picking.

A playoff-type atmosphere is expected when Northeast travels to face Dillard (2-0), ranked No. 2 in 5A, on Friday and Boyd Anderson (5-0), ranked No. 2 in Class 6A, renew its rivalry against Blanche Ely (2-0), ranked No. 6, on Saturday.

Given all the verbal sparring between Northeast and Dillard for the past few months, don't expect the District 16-5A rivals to exchange Christmas cards.

Apparently, the tipping point came at a fall league game in Hollywood, when Northeast players and fans proclaimed they would end Dillard's reign this season. '

''It's an ongoing thing that kind of grew at the fall league,'' Northeast coach Darrance Gillion said. 'There was some trash talking. Dillard is a big-time team. For Northeast just to challenge them is an insult to Dillard. That piqued a lot of teams' interest. It will be a very emotional and tense game.''

Gillion said most teams get intimidated against Dillard even before they step on their floor, but said the Hurricanes will not fall into that same trap.

''In no way shape or form will our kids be scared, intimidated or rattled,'' Gillion said. ``You can print that. They have been looking forward to this since the schedule came out. The difference with our guys going in is we expect to win the game. We don't expect to have a moral victory. Anything less than a win at the end of the buzzer will be a loss.''

Northeast (3-1), whose lone loss came to reigning 3A state champion Pine Crest last Wednesday, is led by transfer Jelani Hewitt, a 6-3 junior guard.

Hewitt scored a career-high 50 points against West Broward and continued his hot start with 34 points in a 74-54 win over Miami Jackson on Tuesday.

As explosive as Hewitt has been, he has not seen the speed and depth Dillard guards Robert Burger, Rubyne Burrows, Sherman Gammage and Courtney Ojeda brings. The X-factor could be Burrows, who has the size, strength and attitude to match up with Hewitt.

On Saturday, Ely's gym is expected to be packed for the first meeting of the season between the teams.

Ely, led by super-quick guard David Jean Jacques and 6-5 forward Bryce Clark, will try to halt a four-game losing streak to the Cobras dating to last season.

The teams last met in the 6A regional semifinals in February when Boyd Anderson won 71-55. Despite losing Ivan Aska, the 2007-08 Broward Player of the Year, to graduation, the Cobras have hardly skipped a beat.

With Cedric Flood inserted in a starting lineup along with Martavious Irving, Bryan Bynes and Tyrone Davis, the Tigers will have to contend with the Cobras' improved perimeter shooting and transition game.

''We are probably as quick or quicker with four guards on the floor,'' said Irving, an All-Broward first team selection last season.

``We will be pushing the ball more. Ely should be a good test, especially in their house. They should be pretty dangerous, but I think we are still the better team.''

Join the discussion

The Miami Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. In order to post comments, you must be a registered user of MiamiHerald.com. Your username will show along with the comments you post. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

     Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first

@Nyx.AuthorDisplayName@ wrote on @Nyx.PostedAtTime@:

@Nyx.repliedToText@

@Nyx.replyAnswerText@

Reply to this Comment @Nyx.Recommender@ @Nyx.AbuseReporter@