Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) edges 2-time defending state champion Williston
GAINESVILLE — The boys high school basketball season is underway, and that brings some interesting results in The Prep Zone Power Poll.
In a split voting, Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville), last year’s FHSAA 4A state runner-up, edged two-time defending 1A state champion Williston for the top spot in the preseason all-classification regional rankings.
The Tigers have a new coach in Byron Shemwell, as James Collins stepped down after 15 seasons as Jackson’s coach.
Collins led the Tigers to four state title games in the last six seasons, but could never quite win a state title.
Jackson received four of the 10 first-place votes as they started the new season 2-0 with wins over No. 13 Impact Christian Academy (Jacksonville) and RV Bolles (Jacksonville).
Williston, which was 29-2 with their second straight state title, finished last season at the top of The Prep Zone Power Poll. Despite having one more first-place vote than the Tigers, Williston starts this season second on total points.
Right behind at No. 3 is Providence (Jacksonville), which made its second consecutive state semifinal appearance where they lost by one point to Windermere Prep.
The Stallions, who received the final first-place vote, are loaded once again for coach Jim Martin.
Ponte Vedra, another Final Four team from a year ago, starts 4th. The Sharks have made three consecutive state semifinal appearances, with a runner-up finish in 2023.
Rounding out the top five is another state semifinalist from last season in Mainland (Daytona Beach). The Bucs were also state runner-up in 2023 before advancing back to Lakeland a year ago.
Episcopal (Jacksonville) starts off the second five. The Eagles just missed the state semifinals as well last year, losing to Providence in a 2A region final game.
The Villages is 7th. The Buffalo also made their second consecutive state semifinal appearance in 2023-24, and they were the state runner-up in 2022-23.
Rounding out the top 10 is 8th-ranked Ribault (Jacksonville), their neighborhood rival Raines (Jacksonville) at No. 9, and Eustis is 10th.
Both Ribault and Raines were beaten by Andrew Jackson in the 4A state playoffs a year ago.
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 #1 (PRESEASON POLL)
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, final 2023-24 record, current 2024-25 record through 11/23, and total voting points)
1. Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) (3A) (4) (26-4) (2-0) – 193
2. Williston (Rural) (5) (29-2) (1-0) – 189
3. Providence (Jacksonville) (2A) (1) (24-6) (2-0) – 179
4. Ponte Vedra (5A) (23-8) (2-1) – 155
5. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (6A) (22-7) (1-0) – 148
6. Episcopal (Jacksonville) (3A) (24-5) (2-0) – 128
7. The Villages (3A) (20-12) (1-0) – 127
8. Ribault (Jacksonville) (4A) (21-8) (2-0) – 121
9. Raines (Jacksonville) (4A) (21-8) (1-2) – 105
10. Eustis (4A) (22-6) (2-0) – 103
11. Leesburg (5A) (18-5) (0-0) – 96
12. Hilliard (Rural) (25-3) (0-0) – 92
13. Impact Christian Academy (Jacksonville) (1A) (18-11) (1-1) – 78
14. Paxon (Jacksonville) (4A) (21-4) (1-1) – 69
15. Gainesville (5A) (18-12) (1-0) – 54
16T. Oakleaf (Orange Park) (6A) (19-7) (1-1) – 50
16T. Riverside (Jacksonville) (5A) (18-9) (2-1) – 50
18. Forest (Ocala) (6A) (20-8) (2-0) – 43
19. Fort White (Rural) (17-7) (0-0) – 24
20. University Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (17-12) (0-1) – 23
Also receiving votes: Creekside (St. Johns) (7A) (18-10) (2-1) – 15; Buchholz (Gainesville) (6A) (18-11) (0-0) – 13; Mount Dora Christian Academy (1A) (16-13) (2-0) – 8; Fleming Island (Orange Park) (5A) (15-12) (3-1) – 7; Columbia (Lake City) (5A) (15-13) (1-1) – 6; Newberry (3A) (15-9) (0-0) – 6; Hawthorne (Rural) (16-5) (0-0) – 4; Vanguard (Ocala) (5A) (15-12) (0-0) – 4; Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) (6A) (18-9) (4-0) – 3; Trenton (Rural) (14-12) (1-1) – 3; Bolles (Jacksonville) (3A) (11-12) (1-1) – 2; Atlantic (Port Orange) (4A) (14-11) (2-1) – 1; Central (Brooksville) (4A) (22-7) (2-1) – 1.
