Unexpectedly, Haines City tied with Kissimmee Osceola for Class 9A, District 7 top seed after finishing district play with identical 7-1 records. The Hornets, now 16-5 on the season, will flip a coin with Osceola this week to see which team will draw the top seed when the district tournament begins next week.

HAINES CITY – Fujika Nimmo has done it all this year but she won’t be allowed to flip the coin.

Unexpectedly, Haines City tied with Kissimmee Osceola for Class 9A, District 7 girls basketball top seed after finishing district play with identical 7-1 records. The Hornets, now 16-5 on the season, will flip a coin with Osceola this week to see which team will draw the top seed when the district tournament begins next week.

The 16-5 record was a bit of a shock to Hornets head coach Masha Paul because he only returned two players, Nimmo and Sheyvonne Owens, with varsity experience coming into the season. But the rebuilding year suddenly turned into a district title run.

“I was expecting this team to be extremely good next year, but they have come along pretty good. Next year we only lose (Owens) and return eight players,” Paul said. "It is a young team. Besides Fuji and Sheyvonne, everyone is new to varsity."

To make the lineup jive, the Hornets shifted the 5-9 junior Nimmo to point guard from her traditional shooting-guard slot. Owens is at power forward, the Brooks sisters, Tia and Tamara, are at guards and 6-2 Jada Garbutt is down in the post.

“Literally, Fuji is our everything,” Paul said.

Haines City has only lost to Bartow twice, 59-55 and 50-49, Timber Creek 64-48, Kissimmee Osceola 62-59 and finally to perennial power Miami Country Day on Saturday evening, 69-45.

Nimmo pumped in 20 points against Country Day while Owens added 14.

Nimmo is averaging 27.4 points, which puts her 34th in the country and third in the state among Maxpreps.com’s reported scoring leaders.

 “It is remarkable she is averaging this much because in five games she did not play in the fourth quarter. We did not want to get her hurt, and she has been double- and triple-teamed all year," Paul said.

And Nimmo’s production has grown after shifting to the point position, where she has much-more duties to worry about than scoring, basically running the offense.

“I think the key to keeping a high average and being a point guard is my energy,” said Nimmo, who stands 5-foot-9. “Coming into the game, I am ready to play with intensity. It’s important because when we have a slow start, we struggle.

“I really need to give a shout out to (Owens) because she is a great rebounder. Without her giving her all, especially in practice, we would be in trouble. She really brings the energy to us. She is always very vocal and always pushing me.”

Nimmo was verbally committed to Georgia Tech but now wants to re-examine the situation and open the door for more offers to flow in her direction.

“I just want to take my time and make sure I go to a school that is the best fit for me,” said Nimmo, who attempted to transfer to Winter Haven before the start of the season but was turned away after no slots were available.

Bill Kemp can be reached at Bill.Kemp@newschief.com; follow him on Twitter @BillKempSports