GAINESVILLE – Despite their first loss of the season, the Providence (Jacksonville) Stallions remained on top of the boys’ basketball all-classification Prep Zone Power Poll.
The Stallions (24-1) lost to nationally-ranked Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville), 73-63, but still knocked off the previous #14 (Ridgeview) and #8 (Bishop Kenny) ranked teams to remain on top. However, they weren’t a unanimous selection as the top overall team as they received six of the seven first-place votes.
Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) remained second. The Green Wave (23-2) went 3-0 last week and they have now won 12 in a row.
Hawthorne has a 10-game winning streak heading into the postseason. The Hornets (24-1) received the other first-place vote and moved up one spot and into a tie for third with Leesburg (21-4), which had its 18-game winning streak snapped by Lake Minneola.
Nature Coast (Brooksville) rounds out the top five. The Sharks (21-3) have slowly moved up in the poll after beginning ranked 10th in the preseason poll.
Wolfson (Jacksonville) (21-3) is ranked sixth, followed by Palatka (21-4) and New Smyrna Beach (20-4) at 7th and 8th, respectively.
Following its second consecutive Gateway Conference Championship, Sandalwood (Jacksonville) moved up seven spots to No. 9. The Saints (21-4) have won nine in a row entering this week’s district tournament.
Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (19-6) rounds out the top 10 at No. 10.
Lake Minneola (17-6) and West Nassau (Callahan) (20-4) enter the poll for the first time at 17th and 19th, respectively, while Gainesville (17-8) re-enters the poll at No. 18 following a 3-0 week.
The Prep Zone Power Poll ranks the top 20 high school football, basketball and baseball teams (regardless of FHSAA classification) across 26 counties in North Florida (Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Citrus, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Levy, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, Sumter, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, Union & Volusia counties). It is voted on weekly by sportswriters and sportscasters.
PREP ZONE POWER POLL – BOYS BASKETBALL POLL #6 (Records through 2/3)
(School, followed by first-place votes, classification, overall record and total voting points)
1. Providence (Jacksonville) (7) (3A) (24-1) – 139
2. Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) (3A) (23-2) – 131
3T Leesburg (6A) (21-4) – 123
3T Hawthorne (1A) (24-1) – 123
5. Nature Coast (Brooksville) (5A) (21-3) – 112
6. Wolfson (Jacksonville) (6A) (21-3) – 98
7. Palatka (5A) (21-4) – 90
8. New Smyrna Beach (7A) (20-4) – 88
9. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) (8A) (21-4) – 78
10. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (19-6) – 77
11. Raines (Jacksonville) (4A) (19-6) – 72
12. Ed White (Jacksonville) (7A) (18-5) – 60
13. Forest (Ocala) (7A) (19-5) – 54
14. North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville) (2A) (13-12) – 45
15. Suwannee (Live Oak) (5A) (17-5) – 33
16. Ridgeview (Orange Park) (6A) (16-8) – 28
17. Lake Minneola (7A) (17-6) – 26
18. Gainesville (6A) (17-8) – 17
19. West Nassau (Callahan) (4A) (20-4) – 15
20. Mount Dora Bible (3A) (18-7) – 12
Also receiving votes – East Ridge (Clermont) (7A) (18-7) – 10; Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (5A) (18-5) – 9; Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (5A) (18-6) – 8; Fort White (4A) (13-4) – 7; Bradford (Starke) (4A) (15-8) – 7; Williston (4A) (17-7) – 4; Columbia (Lake City) (6A) (11-6) – 2; Terry Parker (Jacksonville) (5A) (12-7) – 1; Vanguard (Ocala) (6A) (14-9) – 1.
