JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It’s one of the biggest stretches for high school athletics in Jacksonville in decades.
The Florida High School Athletic Association’s basketball state tournament began in town last week with the Rural classification championships and continues over the next two weeks.
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This week and next, the Class 1A through 7A basketball tournament tips off at the University of North Florida. It’s the first time the state tournament has been in Jacksonville since the old Coliseum last hosted it in 1976.
Lakeland has served as the hub of the state tournament for most of the years since, save for a five-year run in Tallahassee from 1991 to ‘95.
Now, UNF takes center stage for teams traveling here around the state. Local teams will be very well represented, too. Five girls teams (Bartram Trail, Bishop Kenny, Bolles, NFEI and San Jose Prep) are in the state semifinals. Hilliard reached the Rural final four last week. And five boys teams (Bishop Kenny, Fleming Island, Impact Christian, Jackson, Providence) will be playing in their backyard.
Why is it so big?
The event attracts teams from around the state, meaning significant tourism dollars coming into the market. Lakeland had more than 16,000 tickets purchased for the state tournament last year.
Cost
Tickets are $15 per day in advance, and $18 on game day. Those can be purchased through GoFan.
Parking
Is available on site in Lot 18 at UNF. If that lot is full, there is a shuttle option as well launching from the campus at FSCJ.
Stream
Not going and want to watch a game? Find those available through the NFHS Network here.
Photo galleries
News4JAX has all the images from state basketball action at UNF. Check out these photo galleries from Tony Pullins from semifinal and championship games.
Jackson boys vs. Villages Charter
Providence wins Class 2A state championship
San Jose Prep girls vs. Miami Country Day
Bishop Kenny girls vs. Plantation American Heritage
Bishop Kenny boys vs. Port Orange Atlantic
Bolles girls vs. Lake Highland Prep
The local results
Class 5A boys state championship
Fleming Island pushed to the final seconds but couldn’t overcome Pembroke Pines Charter in a 52-48 loss at UNF on Friday night. The difference came on the glass where they were at an 18-rebound disadvantage. But Fleming Island (23-9) battled to the very end, trimming an eight-point deficit to just 48-47 with just under 40 seconds to play. Pembroke Pines did just enough to pull away and win its third state championship since 2021. Carson Crawford had 20 points to lead the Golden Eagles, who had never been past the state semifinal round before this year.
Class 6A girls semifinals
Bartram Trail was right there until the finish but couldn’t overcome a late lull. The Bears let things slip away late in a 50-43 loss to Bayside. It was Bartram’s first state semifinal appearance since 2019. The Bears (16-10) had won three road playoff games and took a 37-35 lead into the final quarter. But Bayside took advantage of a Bartram scoring lull and raced to the finish. Alyssa Donohue had 19 points to lead the Bears. Aubry Davis followed with 10.
Class 5A boys semifinals
Fleming Island is headed to its first basketball championship game. The Golden Eagles hammered Tampa Jesuit 86-58 on Wednesday afternoon to storm into the final. Fleming Island (23-8) had reached the state semis just once before and lost. The Golden Eagles will face Pembroke Pines Charter (21-6) on Friday at 8 p.m. Carson Crawford had 20 points and nine rebounds, Ryan Turner added 19 and Jalil Hill had 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Class 4A girls semifinals
The Bishop Kenny girls stormed into the state championship game, cruising past Plantation American Heritage 52-38 in the final four on Tuesday night. Kathleen Crawley had 17 points and Ella Deegan and Makala DesJarlais with 10 points apiece for the Crusaders. Kenny’s defense choked out the Patriots from the outset, racing to a 27-10 first-half lead and staying ahead until the finish. American Heritage tried to make a game of it in the second half, getting to within 10 points. But the Crusaders were too strong and moved into Thursday’s championship game against Orlando Bishop Moore. Those teams will square off at 5:30 at UNF. It will mark the eighth championship game appearance in program history for the Crusaders. Kenny won three consecutive championships from 1990-92, but has lost its last four title games, including one to American Heritage in 2019.
Class 4A boys semifinals
Bishop Kenny’s quest for a double spot in a championship game along with the girls team came up short. Port Orange Atlantic pulled away across the second and third quarters and topped the Crusaders 64-47 at UNF. The Sharks turned a close game into a big win by outscoring Kenny 39-22 across the middle quarters in the Tuesday nightcap. Atlantic scored 16 points off Kenny turnovers and led by as many as 20. Drew Jackson had 16 points to lead the Crusaders.
Class 3A boys semifinals
For the second straight season, Jackson’s season ended with an agonizing loss to Villages Charter. The Tigers led in the final quarter but dropped a 54-52 game to the Buffalo. With the game tied 52-all with 2 seconds left, Ethan Bevis missed both of his free throws. Villages came up with the loose ball and missed a shot before Bevis tapped in the ricochet for the winner. Javion Davis led Jackson with 17 points. The Tigers finished a remarkable season at 28-2. Both of their losses this year were by a combined four points.
Class 3A girls semifinals
Bolles came up short in its quest to return to the state championship game, losing to Lake Highland Prep 64-52 on Monday night at UNF. The Bulldogs never led and couldn’t withstand a 3-point barrage from the Highlanders. Valeria Munoz nailed six of Lake Highland’s 11 3-pointers and finished with 20 points. Evie Freeman had 11 points and Terrell McCoy followed with 10 for Bolles (25-5).
Class 2A boys semifinals
Luke Mayberry had 14 points and Marvin Christie threw down dunk after dunk in the second half as Providence pulled away from Northside Christian 59-43 in the state semis on Friday night. The win sends the Stallions (29-3) on to a Saturday night championship game against Miami Country Day as they seek the fourth title in program history. No local boys team has won a championship since Bolles in 2016. William Stewart followed with 12 points, including an exclamation point of a two-handed jam in the final minute to bring the pro-Providence crowd to its feet. Evan Hines drilled a 3-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer to put Providence up by eight, and it never looked back. Nolan Nelson added 10 points and eight rebounds despite sitting out a large portion of the opening half in foul trouble.
Class 2A girls semifinals
San Jose Prep pushed powerhouse Miami Country Day in the second half but couldn’t get out of a first-half hole in a 53-39 loss in their final four debut. Lena Most had 18 points for San Jose Prep (20-10) and Mia Chandler followed with 13 rebounds and 10 points for the Storm.
Class 1A girls semifinals
Reigning state champion Grandview Prep raced out to a 19-point lead in the first quarter and never looked back in a 66-36 win over North Florida Educational Institute. The Eagles (16-15) and head coach Tony Bannister faced Grandview Prep in the championship game last year but never found their footing in the final four rematch at UNF. Sawsan Kamara led NFEI with 11 points and Jennell Houston followed with nine for NFEI.
Class 1A boys semifinals
Impact Christian came up short in its quest to get back to the state championship game, watching a late lead evaporate in a 54-48 loss to Victory Christian. The Lions led by a couple points with just over two minutes to play before Victory Christian ripped off an 11-0 run to stun Impact (27-5). Ronald Clark had 16 points, and Mechack Olungu followed with 10 for Impact.
Thursday, March 5 results
Class 1A girls state semifinals: Orlando Christian Prep 57, Seacrest Country Day 49
Class 1A boys state semifinals: Sagemont Prep 76, Central Florida Christian 60
Class 1A girls state semifinals: Grandview Prep 65, North Florida Educational 36
Class 1A boys state semifinals: Victory Christian 54, Impact Christian 48
Friday, March 6 results
Class 2A girls state semifinals: Holy Trinity Episcopal 65, Evangelical Christian 45
Class 2A boys state semifinals: Miami Country Day 72, Santa Fe Catholic 53
Class 2A girls state semifinals: Miami Country Day 53, San Jose Prep 39
Class 2A boys state semifinals: Providence 59, Northside Christian 43
Saturday, March 7 results
Class 1A girls state championship, Grandview Prep 71, Orlando Christian Prep 37
Class 2A girls state championship, Miami Country Day 49, Holy Trinity Episcopal 44
Class 1A boys state championship, Sagemont 67, Victory Christian 63
Class 2A boys state championship, Providence 51, Miami Country Day 43
Monday, March 9 results
Class 3A girls state semifinals: Somerset Academy Canyons 62, Carroll School of the Sacred Heart 46
Class 3A boys state semifinals: Calvary Christian 79, NSU University School 58
Class 3A girls state semifinals: Lake Highland Prep 64, Bolles 52
Class 3A boys state semifinals: Villages Charter 54, Jackson 52
Tuesday, March 10 results
Class 4A boys state semifinals: Suncoast 63, Boca Ciega 31
Class 4A girls state semifinals: Bishop Moore 81, Booker 48
Class 4A girls state semifinals: Bishop Kenny 52, Plantation American Heritage 38
Class 4A boys state semifinals: Port Orange Atlantic 64, Bishop Kenny 47
Wednesday, March 11 results
Class 5A boys state semifinals: Pembroke Pines Charter 65, Lecanto 32
Class 5A girls state semifinals: Blanche Ely 58, St. Petersburg 38
Class 5A boys state semifinals: Fleming Island 86, Tampa Jesuit 38
Class 5A girls state semifinals: Booker T. Washington 54, Gateway 41
Class 3A girls state championship, Somerset Academy Canyons 44, Lake Highland Prep 33
Class 3A boys state championship, Calvary Christian 87, Villages Charter 51
Thursday, March 12 results
Class 6A state semifinals: St. Thomas Aquinas 73, Sickles 27
Class 6A boys state semifinals: Evans 63, Lake Howell 51
Class 6A girls state semifinals: St. Thomas Aquinas 69, George Steinbrenner 46
Class 6A girls state semifinals: Bayside 50, Bartram Trail 43
Class 4A girls state championship, Bishop Kenny 58, Bishop Moore 48
Class 4A boys state championship, Riviera Beach Suncoast 85, Port Orange Atlantic 62
Friday, March 13 results
Class 7A girls state semifinals: Winter Haven 31, Ocoee 26
Class 7A girls state semifinals: Doral Academy 71, Centennial 46
Class 7A boys state semifinals: Columbus 68, Lake Mary 42
Class 7A boys state semifinals: Sarasota 53, Oak Ridge 48
Class 5A girls state championship, Booker T. Washington 56, Blanche Ely 54
Class 5A boys state championship, Pembroke Pines Charter 52, Fleming Island 48
Saturday, March 14 results
Class 6A boys state championship, St. Thomas Aquinas 67, Evans 61
Class 6A girls state championship, St. Thomas Aquinas 65, Bayside 22
Class 7A boys state championship, Columbus 53, Sarasota 50
Class 7A girls state championship, Doral Academy 48, Winter Haven 43