JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Eight local high school basketball teams will face off Thursday at the inaugural Fortegra High School 9:12 Invitational.
First Coast, Providence, Bishop Kenny, Orange Park, Ponte Vedra, Episcopal, Bolles and Ribault will compete at the Episcopal School of Jacksonville on the opening day of the tournament.
Teams in the field have won a combined 12 Florida high school state championships. Bolles (1952,
1988, 1989, 2016) and Ribault (1989, 1990, 1994, 1995) lead the way with four each. Providence has won three titles (2010, 2013, 2015). Bishop Kenny won its state title in 1957.
Two coaches in the event, Providence head coach Jim Martin and Ponte Vedra's Bud Beech, are among the most successful high school coaches in Jacksonville. Martin is in his 19th year at Providence and has won three state championships. Beech has spent 35 years coaching in St. Johns County, including at Nease where he won teh 2002 state championship.
Three counties are represented in the field--Clay (Orange Park), Duval (Bishop Kenny, Bolles, Episcopal, First Coast, Providence and Ribault) and St. Johns (Ponte Vedra).
Tournament schedule
Thursday
First Coast vs. Providence, 12:30 p.m. (Radio: 1010XL-AM live cut-ins)
Bishop Kenny vs. Orange Park, 2:30 p.m. (Radio: 1010XL-AM live cut-ins)
Ponte Vedra vs. Episcopal, 6 p.m. (Radio: 1010XL-AM live play-by-play)
Bolles vs. Ribault, 8 p.m. (Radio: 1010XL-AM live play-by-play)
Friday
Losers Bracket, 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. (Stream: News4Jax.com; radio: 1010XL-AM live cut-ins)
Semifinals, 6 and 8 p.m. (TV: CW17, taped for Saturday; stream: News4Jax.com live; radio: 1010XL play-by-play)
Saturday
7th Place, Noon (Stream: News4Jax.com)
5th Place, 2 p.m. (Stream: News4Jax.com)
3rd Place, 4 p.m. (Stream: News4Jax.com)
Championship, 7 p.m. (TV: CW17; stream: News4Jax.com; radio: 1010XL-AM live play-by-play)