Class 3A state runner-up The Villages finishes No. 1
GAINESVILLE — The 2024-25 boys basketball season came to an end with some surprises and some things that we’ve heard before.
But in the end, it was a team who just missed a state title that ends up as the No. 1 team in The Prep Zone Power Poll’s final rankings.
The Villages, which was blown out in 2023 in the FHSAA Class 4A state championship game by Mater Lakes Academy, advanced back to Lakeland after escaping a hard-fought 83-79 win over Tampa Catholic in the Region 2-3A final.
The Buffalo (26-6) then faced Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville), who was the top-ranked team in the previous all-classification rankings. They won a classic showdown, knocking off the Tigers, 57-55, to advance to the 3A state championship game.
Unfortunately, The Villages dropped the final, also by two points, to Calvary Christian (Clearwater). But that win over Andrew Jackson was enough to flip-flop the two teams and put The Villages, which received seven of the nine first-place votes, on top of the final regional rankings for 2024-25.
Andrew Jackson, which defeated The Villages, 47-43, in last year’s 4A state semifinals, dropped to second.
The Tigers (28-3) appeared in Lakeland for the sixth time in seven years, which includes four state runner-up finishes. Andrew Jackson, which is still looking for that elusive state title, received one first place vote.
Class 5A state runner-up Ponte Vedra is ranked No. 3.
The Sharks (22-9) knocked off 10th-ranked Gainesville in the region semifinals for the third straight year, then held off Leon (Tallahassee) in the Region 1-5A final to advance back to the state semifinals for the third straight year.
Ponte Vedra edged No. 11 Leesburg in triple overtime in the state semifinals before coming up short against Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach) in the state title game.
Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine), which advanced to its first state semifinal appearance, finished 4th. The Toros (27-4) lost to eventual 6A state runner-up Evans (Orlando), 60-53, in Lakeland.
Rural classification state champion Hawthorne rounds out the top five.
The Hornets (20-3), who received the other first-place vote, knocked off two-time defending state champion No. 14 Williston, 45-43, in the Region 4 final to advance back to Lakeland.
Hawthorne had no trouble in Lakeland, winning their state semifinal game against Graceville and championship game against Crossroad Academy (Quincy) by a combined 46 points.
The next three teams in the rankings all made it to the state semifinals.
Ribault (Jacksonville), which is ranked sixth, advanced to the 4A Final Four, where they were knocked off by state champion Stranahan (Fort Lauderdale).
Finishing 7th is 1A state semifinalist Impact Christian (Jacksonville). The Lions (23-7) lost in the semifinal in Lakeland to Sagemont (Weston), which won its third consecutive state title.
University Christian (Jacksonville) ended up 8th after advancing to the 2A state semifinal round.
Rounding out the top 10 are No. 9 Newberry (24-1), which lost at home in the Class 3A-Region 1 Semifinals to Florida High (Tallahassee), and No. 10 Gainesville.
Two more Final Four teams, Eustis and Leesburg, which finished just outside the top 10, are tied for 11th with Fleming Island (Orange Park).
Leesburg and Fort White, which advanced to its first final four in program history, are new to the final rankings, while Mandarin (Jacksonville) and Lecanto dropped out.
The Prep Zone Power Poll ranks the top 20 high school football, girls basketball, boys basketball, softball & 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, Madison, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, Sumter, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, Union & Volusia counties). It is voted on by sportswriters and sportscasters and it is powered by Anytime Fitness of Gainesville.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2024-25 BOYS BASKETBALL POLL #5 (FINAL POLL)
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, final 2024-25 record, and total voting points)
Teams in the Mainstreet Daily News coverage area are in bold
1. The Villages (3A) (7) (26-6) – 178
2. Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) (3A) (1) (28-3) – 166
3. Ponte Vedra (5A) (22-9) – 153
4. Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) (6A) (27-4) – 148
5. Hawthorne (Rural) (1) (20-3) – 140
6. Ribault (Jacksonville) (4A) (21-9) – 138
7. Impact Christian Academy (Jacksonville) (1A) (23-7) – 115
8. University Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (22-9) – 114
9. Newberry (3A) (24-1) – 91
10. Gainesville (5A) (21-8) – 80
11T. Eustis (4A) (21-9) – 77
11T. Fleming Island (Orange Park) (5A) (23-6) – 77
11T. Leesburg (5A) (17-8) – 77
14. Williston (Rural) (16-12) – 72
15. Creekside (St. Johns) (7A) (19-8) – 48
16. Forest (Ocala) (6A) (22-6) – 46
17. Providence (Jacksonville) (2A) (16-13) – 37
18. Fort White (Rural) (15-10) – 36
19. Atlantic (Port Orange) (4A) (22-8) – 24
20. Oakleaf (Orange Park) (6A) (18-8) – 23
Also receiving votes: Lecanto (5A) (26-4) – 13; Mandarin (Jacksonville) (6A) (18-7) – 11; New Smyrna Beach (5A) (20-8) – 7; North Marion (Citra) (4A) (18-9) – 7; Hilliard (Rural) (15-6) – 4; Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (4A) (18-11) – 3; St. Augustine (5A) (18-8) – 3; Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville) (2A) (15-13) -1; Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (6A) (21-6) – 1.
