Providence (Jacksonville) still top team in regional poll after busy week of games
GAINESVILLE — A busy week of basketball games around the Martin Luther King holiday led to some changes among the top 10 in The Prep Zone Power Poll.
But the team at the top remains the same again this week.
Providence (Jacksonville) was 4-0 last week, including a win over then-#7 Ribault (Jacksonville) and remains the #1 team for the second straight week. The Stallions (15-5) received all eight first-place votes as the first unanimous team in the power poll this season.
Moving up to #2 this week is Gainesville. The Purple Hurricanes (16-2) had another 4-0 week including wins at RV P.K. Yonge (Gainesville) and at Santa Fe (Alachua), and also won a home game against Columbia (Lake City).
One of the two undefeated teams left in the power poll this week is #3 Nature Coast Tech (Brooksville). The Sharks are 19-0 and won three more games easily last week by a combined 88 points.
Moving back up two spots this week is fourth-ranked Creekside (St. Johns). The Knights were ranked #1 earlier in the season, but dropped to sixth last week after a couple of losses. Creekside’s rise comes after wins over RV Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville) and #20 Ponte Vedra.
Rounding out the top five is Atlantic (Port Orange). The Sharks (15-3) moved up three slots this week after a 3-0 week that included a 20 point win over Boyd Anderson (Lauderdale Lakes).
Terry Parker (Jacksonville) makes the biggest move this week, up for places to #6. The Braves (16-1) had a 4-0 week, including wins over Yulee and American (Hialeah).
Another one loss team, The Villages, is 7th. The Buffalo improved to 16-1 with a 4-0 week, including wins over Trinity Catholic (Ocala) and Mount Dora.
Vanguard (Ocala) drops 6 spots from 2nd a week ago to 8th in this poll. The Knights (12-3), playing without injured point guard Phillip Ortiz, who is out for the season, lost two games at North Marion (Citra) and Santa Fe (Alachua).
Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) rises two spots into the top 10 as the 9th-ranked team. The Crusaders (16-4) have been on fire of late and also were 4-0 this past week, including a win at rival RV Bolles (Jacksonville).
Rounding out the top 10 is Hawthorne (16-3). The Hornets defeated Eastside (Gainesville), Williston, and Newberry and are up two spots this week to #10.
Fernandina Beach (17-3) lost two games and dropped six places from a week ago and now lead off the second 10. Ribault (Jacksonville) was only 1-3 last week and fell 8 places to #15.
The only other undefeated team in the regional rankings is Wildwood (17-0), ranked 17th. The Wildcats are ranked #1 for Class 1A in the FABC/Source Hoops state poll released earlier this week.
The Prep Zone Power Poll ranks the top 20 high school football, basketball, baseball & softball 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 weekly by sportswriters and sportscasters.
PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2016-17 BOYS BASKETBALL POLL #5
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, record through 1/17, and total voting points)
1. Providence (Jacksonville) (4A) (8) (15-5) – 160
2. Gainesville (7A) (16-2) – 148
3. Nature Coast Tech (Brooksville) (6A) (19-0) – 143
4. Creekside (St. Johns) (8A) (17-2) – 139
5. Atlantic (Port Orange) (7A) (15-3) – 127
6. Terry Parker (Jacksonville) (6A) (16-1) – 116
7. The Villages (5A) (18-1) – 109
8. Vanguard (Ocala) (7A) (12-4) – 93
9. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (6A) (16-4) – 89
10. Hawthorne (1A) (16-3) – 85
11. Fernandina Beach (5A) (17-3) – 83
12. First Coast (Jacksonville) (8A) (17-4) – 72
13. Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) (5A) (15-5) – 69
14. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (9A) (13-5) – 60
15. Ribault (Jacksonville) (6A) (13-6) – 55
16. Madison County (1A) (16-2) – 41
17. Wildwood (1A) (17-0) – 34
18. Bell (1A) (17-1) – 21
19. New Smyrna Beach (7A) (12-4) – 17
20. Ponte Vedra (6A) (12-5) – 8
Also receiving votes: Mount Dora Christian Academy (3A) (14-5) – 4; Trinity Christian (Deltona) (3A) (14-6) – 3; Raines (Jacksonville) (5A) (12-7) – 2; Englewood (Jacksonville) (7A) (11-7) – 1; North Marion (Citra) (6A) (10-7) – 1.
