JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The boys high school basketball playoff field is set, and the area is ready to try and put an end to its state championship drought.
Bishop Kenny, Fleming Island, Impact Christian, Jackson, and Providence earned top seeds in the postseason brackets when the Florida High School Athletic Association released them Monday afternoon. First-round games are Saturday at 7 p.m.
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There are a few all-local matchups in the openers.
Bishop Kenny hosts Ribault in Region 1-4A. Bishop Snyder faces Providence in 1-2A and First Coast Christian visits Christ’s Church in Region 1-1A.
The feel-good story of Atlantic Coast continues in Region 1-7A where the Stingrays get a district championship game rematch with Flagler Palm Coast. Atlantic Coast edged the Bulldogs 40-36 to win the district. The Stingrays were 3-23 in head coach Charlsea Clark’s first season. They improved to 10-14 last season before their massive jump in 2026. Clark led the Bishop Kenny girls basketball program for six years, going 112-62, and went to the state semifinals three times.
The area hasn’t had a city team win a state title since Bolles in 2016 under Anthony Candelino. There’s a very strong possibility that this ends this year. Providence is ranked sixth in the state in all classifications and hasn’t lost since 6-8 wing Nolan Nelson returned to the school after playing most of the season at SPIRE Academy in Ohio. Nelson is a junior four-star prospect and has added substantial scoring (12.8 ppg) and rebounding (11.5) to what was an already strong lineup.
Jackson (25-1) is ranked No. 7 in the state in all classifications and should have a strong shot to return to the final four under Byron Shemwell. A state championship for the Tigers will be a tall task, especially with the likes of Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian and Lake Highland Prep. Calvary Christian and North Broward Prep, ranked Nos. 1 and 3, respectively, in the state, would meet in the regional round.
Fleming Island is the top team in 1-5A and has an elite wing player in Carson Crawford (16.1 ppg, 9 rpg) leading the way. No. 2 seed Ponte Vedra has been elite in the playoffs under head coach Ben Wilson. The Sharks have reached the final four in each of Wilson’s seasons, including trips to the championship game in 2025 (lost to Blanche Ely) and 2023 (lost to Dwyer).
In Region 1-1A, Impact Christian has been special under head coach Benjamin Jones. In eight seasons of being eligible for the state series playoffs, the Lions have been to the final four in five of those under Jones, including three state runner-up finishes.
In 1-6A, Tocoi Creek earned a No. 3 seed and will have to battle its way through to get back to the state semifinals.
Regional quarterfinals
Region 1-7A
(6) Flagler Palm Coast (17-10) at (3) Atlantic Coast (20-6)
Region 1-6A
(7) Nease (20-6) at (2) Lake Howell (22-5)
(6) Oviedo (19-7) at (3) Tocoi Creek (22-4)
Region 1-5A
(8) Gainesville (15-13) at (1) Fleming Island (19-8)
(7) Mosley (18-9) at (2) Ponte Vedra (19-7)
(6) Columbia (15-11) at (3) Lincoln (20-2)
Region 1-4A
(8) Ribault (12-13) at (1) Bishop Kenny (23-3)
(5) Baker County (23-3) at (4) Pensacola (17-9)
(7) Raines (14-9) at (2) Godby (18-6)
Region 1-3A
(8) Marianna (4-22) at (1) Jackson (25-1)
(5) Bradford (17-5) at (4) Walton (21-4)
(6) Pensacola Catholic (20-8) at (3) Episcopal (21-7)
Region 1-2A
(8) Bishop Snyder (9-17) at (1) Providence (24-3)
(5) San Jose Prep (17-9) at (7) Rocky Bayou Christian (21-6)
(3) University Christian (13-10) at (6) P.K. Yonge (12-13)
Region 1-1A
(8) Meadowbrook Academy (13-12) at (1) Impact Christian (23-4)
(5) First Coast Christian (21-6) at (4) Christ’s Church Academy (19-7)
(7) L.E.A.D. Academy (15-8) at (2) NFEI (13-13)
(3) Eagle’s View (19-8) at (6) FAMU DRS (12-14)
Regional semifinals
Rural
(3) Union County (14-8) at (2) Hilliard (17-5)