Pickering head coach Robert Cupit didn’t quite know what type of team he would have when the 2023-2024 boys basketball season started.

But the Red Devils stayed in the top four in the power ratings most of the season and found their way to the state basketball tournament for the first time in 1996.

“It has been kind of crazy, Cupit said. “It has been surreal.

“You don’t really know how good you are going to be, and then you find yourself up at the top. Once we kind of cement ourselves in that top three or four ranking, then maybe we can hold that top four and get that first-round bye and have our home games. That was definitely huge to do that.”

No. 4 Pickering (24-9) plays No. 1 Lakeview (26-6) at 8 p.m. today tonight in the nonselect Division IV semifinals at Burton Coliseum.

“It is definitely something that everybody is excited about,” said Cupit, who also coaches the girls basketball team. “Right now we are battling some injuries, so we are piecing it together the best that we can.

“They just have to go about their business. They don’t really show a lot of emotion one way or the other. Everybody is excited, but we are basically treating it like any other game. We have been doing that since the playoffs started. It is definitely going to be a challenge.”

The Red Devils lack size but they make up for it with perimeter shooting, led by junior point guard A.J. Berry, who is averaging a triple-double with 18 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists a game. Guards LeDarius Privitera (12 ppg) and Landon Cupit (11 ppg) and forward Christian Morgan (14 ppg, 10 rpg) all average more than 10 points a game.

“We are not a real big team so we have to rely on our shooting ability. If we are not shooting well, then we struggle. But we have had several games where we have hit 12, 13, 14 3-pointers. That is kind of our style of play. We are going to shoot.

“We have a good point guard that leads us and he can create a lot. And Christian Morgan is that tough guy because he has size and quickness. He is hard for a guard to guard, and if you put a big on him he is going to go by them.”

Pickering scored 25 points in the fourth quarter to beat East Iberville 50-43 in Friday’s quarterfinals.

“We struggled with shooting the ball the other night, and that was why that game was like it was,” Cupit said. “We were able to speed them up and get some turnovers and ended up finally taking the lead and getting some momentum. We are going to have to battle. There will be runs back and forth.”

Lakeview is led by four seniors averaging in double figures: Andre Sowell (15 ppg), Alonzo Driver (15 ppg), Taylen Phillips (11 ppg), Dereon Joseph (13 ppg). The Gators have won 15 of their last 17 games.

“They have a lot of athletes,” Cupit said. “In their semifinal game, they have the video of the kid breaking the rim.

“They have two really good guards. They play a unique style of matchup zone where they rotate man to zone. Our key is rebounding. If we can rebound with them and keep them out of the paint the best that we can is going to be the key for us.”