Boys’ basketball regional rankings (Poll #4)
The top four teams change, but all are still from Duval County
Gainesville – With three of the top four teams in the Prep Zone Power Poll playing each other last week, there was some movement.
But the top four remains entirely from Duval County. And, for the first time this season, there is a new #1 team.
Bolles (Jacksonville) won at then-#1 Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville), 69-65, last week, which followed up a 63-57 win over then-#4 Providence (Jacksonville) earlier in the week. This allowed the Bulldogs (20-2) to move up from #2 to the top spot this week. Bolles has won 12 in a row since a three-point loss to #7 Jackson (Jacksonville). The Bulldogs other loss was to defending 4A state champion Godby (Tallahassee).
Wolfson (Jacksonville) won three more games last week and moved up a spot as well to #2. The Wolfpack (20-0), who are one of only two remaining undefeated teams in the poll, defeated 8A Olympia (Orlando), Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville), and Baker County (Glen St. Mary) while staying unbeaten.
Providence also moved up one spot to third. The Stallions (15-5), rebounded from the loss to Bolles earlier in the week to knock off Ponte Vedra and Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville). Bishop Kenny lost it’s first two games of the season, falling 63-54 earlier in the week to Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) before the close loss at home to Bolles. The Crusaders (18-2), were #1 in the first three polls but drop to fourth this week. Rounding out the top 5 is Spruce Creek (Port Orange). The Hawks (17-2) moved up two spots from 7th to 5th after a 3-0 week.
Gainesville (16-3) starts off the second five at #6. The Purple Hurricanes dropped one spot after a loss at then #20 Vanguard (Ocala), but rebounded to win at Santa Fe and against city rival Eastside (Gainesville). Jackson (Jacksonville) is 7th. The Tigers (15-4) moved up one spot after two easy wins last week. Deltona (17-5) lost 71-47 to Orlando Christian Prep and dropped from 6th to 8th. Creekside (St. Johns) and PK Yonge (Gainesville) are tied for 9th. The Knights (17-4) moved up two spots from 11th last week while the Blue Wave stayed put from the 9th position a week ago.
The only other undefeated team in the Power Poll, Mount Dora Christian (20-0) leads off the second ten at #11. Mount Dora Christian defeated Interlachen, Calvary Christian Academy (Ormond Beach) and Trinity Christian (Deltona) by an average of 40 points. Flagler Palm Coast (12-4) and Leesburg (17-3) are tied for 12th after both teams were undefeated last week.
The biggest move up this week belongs to Vanguard (Ocala), who rose five spots to #15. The Knights (14-6) were 3-0 a week ago, including the win over then-#4 Gainesville. Lake Minneola (14-6) entered the rankings at #20, replacing Dunnellon (12-7), who fell out after a one point loss to Mount Dora.
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 – 2015-16 BASKETBALL POLL #4
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, record through 1/16, and total voting points)
1. Bolles (Jacksonville) (4A) (6) (20-2) – 140
2. Wolfson (Jacksonville) (5A) (20-0) – 133
3. Providence (Jacksonville) (3A) (15-5) – 119
4. Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (5A) (18-2) – 118
5. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (8A) (17-2) – 116
6. Gainesville (6A) (16-3) – 100
7. Jackson (Jacksonville) (4A) (15-4) – 99
8. Deltona (6A) (17-4) – 93
T9 Creekside (St. Johns) (7A) (17-4) – 80
T9 PK Yonge (Gainesville) (3A) (15-3) – 80
11. Mount Dora Christian Academy (2A) (20-0) – 66
T12 Flagler Palm Coast (8A) (12-6) – 61
T12 Leesburg (5A) (17-3) – 61
14. Hawthorne (1A) (15-5) – 46
15. Vanguard (Ocala) (6A) (14-6) – 40
16. Nature Coast Tech (Brooksville) (5A) (15-5) – 24
17. Hamilton County (Jasper) (1A) (13-3) – 30
18. Atlantic (Port Orange) (6A) (16-2) – 24
19. Union County (Lake Butler) (1A) (16-6) – 11
20. Lake Minneola (7A) (14-6) – 7
Also receiving votes: Mount Dora (4A) (13-6) – 5; Madison County (1A) (15-5) – 4; Dunnellon (4A) (12-7) – 3; Trinity Christian (Deltona) (2A) (15-5) – 3.
