Lakeland Fl- The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) state basketball championships were packed with excitement, comebacks, and some controversial finishes for the area boys basketball teams who made it to the Final 4. University Christian (2A), Jackson (3A), Ribault (4A), Ponte Vedra (5A), Tocoi Creek (6A), all made it to Lakeland, but couldn’t land a victory.
Here’s a look at how the action unfolded across multiple classes, now that the dust has settled!
Blanche Ely Claims Ninth State Title After Ponte Vedra Loses Early Lead
In the Class 5A state championship, Blanche Ely held off Ponte Vedra in a hard-fought 44-38 victory. Ponte Vedra started strong, leading 9-5 after the first quarter and 16-12 at halftime. However, Ely turned the game around with a dominant 19-10 run in the third quarter.
Maddox Palmer led the charge for Ponte Vedra with 20 points, including two clutch three-pointers, one of which cut Ely’s lead to 37-35 in the fourth quarter. Senior David Sanchez Barrera added 14 points for the Sharks.
37-35 Ponte Vedra trails Blanche Ely but making a comeback! 2:17 to play in the 4th pic.twitter.com/bG8MsEFmr7
— Duval Sports (@DuvalSports) March 8, 2025
Blanche Ely pulled away late, securing its ninth state championship. Kaleb Corbitt led Ely with 19 points, while Jayelen Jonas (11) and Dylon Hanna (10) also contributed. Ely had previously defeated St. Petersburg in the semifinals to reach the title game.
This was Ponte Vedra’s third trip to the state championship game in four years, after falling to Dwyer in the 2022-2023 final, and to Martin County 53-49 in the 2021-2022 season final.
Stranahan Storms Back As Ribault Struggles In Second Half
The Class 4A semifinal between Ribault and Stranahan started as a close contest, with Ribault leading 22-20 after the first quarter thanks to hot shooting, including several three-pointers. However, Stranahan flipped the script, outscoring Ribault 52-33 the rest of the way to secure a 72-55 victory.
Ribault leads Stranahan 22-20 end of 1st qtr. Class 4A State Championship! Hot shooting in the beginning with 3-pointers for the Trojans! pic.twitter.com/IJFAW55XDj
— Duval Sports (@DuvalSports) March 4, 2025
Kaden Toure led Ribault with 22 points, while Jamian Jackson added 14. The team started out strong, but struggled in the second half to knock down shots. The iron was unkind to Ribault, who suffered a significant height disadvantage to Stranahan, and uncharacteristically failed to score in transition.
Stranahan had a balanced attack, with Esron Simeon dropping 21 points, Christian Yeargin scoring 20, Damari Foster chipping in 15, and David Nealy adding 12.
Stranahan would ride this momentum to a championship win over Gibbs.
Evans Rallies Past Tocoi Creek
Tocoi Creek came out strong against Evans in the Class 6A semifinal, leading 12-8 after one quarter and 25-24 at halftime. Tyson Gilbert and Mark Mitchell each had seven points at the break for Tocoi.
42-38 Tocoi Creek one quarter away from heading to its first state championship game! pic.twitter.com/SZxES7lxhf
— Duval Sports (@DuvalSports) March 6, 2025
However, Evans took control in the fourth quarter, outscoring Tocoi Creek 22-11 to claim a 60-53 victory. Arosco Dubois led the way for Evans with 24 points, while Antonio Pollard and Rahean Edmonds added 11 and 10, respectively. Tocoi Creek’s top scorers included Gilbert (13), Mitchell (12), Javares Richardson (11), and King McFadden (10).
Evans’ run would end in the state championship game, where they fell to St. Thomas Aquinas.
University Christian Battles In The Second, But Is Bested In The End
Markel Holmes scored 12 points and Ty Duncan chipped in 11 points in a losing effort as University Christian fell to Santa Fe Catholic 71-50 in the Class 2 A State semifinal. UC battled back after trailing 21-10 in the first quarter, to only trail by two points as halftime 24-22.
However, Santa Fe Catholic led by Tate Darner’s 34 points outscored UC 26-7 in the third on their way to the semifinal win. Santa Fe Catholic would fall to Riviera Prep 66-54 in the state championship game.
Jackson Falls in Controversial 3A Semifinal Against The Villages
One of the most dramatic finishes of the tournament came in the Class 3A semifinal between Jackson and The Villages Charter. Jackson held a narrow 55-54 lead with 1:45 to play after a big three-pointer from Jahari Simmons. But The Villages’ Jared Thompson responded with two massive threes, including the ultimate game-decider with 1:05 left.
55-54 Jackson going back and forth with the Villages! They lead with 1:45 to go in the semifinal game! pic.twitter.com/QTtZkXyC1i
— Duval Sports (@DuvalSports) February 28, 2025
Jackson had a final chance as Simmons drove the length of the court for a potential game-tying or game-winning shot, but after contact, he appeared to slip. A whistle blew, but the referees did not make an immediate call. After a lengthy officials’ huddle, Jackson was given the ball with one second remaining. Simmons got a final shot off, but his three-pointer bounced off the rim, sealing The Villages’ 57-55 win.
Jackson coach Byron Shemwell expressed frustration with the officiating, stating, “I know we called a timeout way before the time expired, one ref said we gave it to you when we saw it.” Many felt a foul should have been called, but ultimately, it was a heartbreaking loss for Jackson.
Jackson falls to The Villages Charter 57-55 Final!
— Duval Sports (@DuvalSports) February 28, 2025
Controversial ending explained courtesy of the NFHS Network broadcast pic.twitter.com/oTKL55nhTd
Jahari Simmons led with 20 points, while David Wilson scored 9 and Terrell Mosley chipped in with 9 points as well for Jackson. The Village’s Heels Brutus scored 22, Jared Thompson 9, and Aaron Britt 7 in the game.
The Villages would go on to lose the 3A title game to Calvary Christian, 66-64.
With thrilling finishes, dominant performances, and a few tough breaks, this year’s FHSAA state tournament was one to remember. From Blanche Ely’s continued dominance to the controversial ending in the Jackson game, the road to the championship was filled with drama. Yet in still, it was a successful year in Northeast Florida basketball as five boys basketball teams advanced to the Final 4 from Northeast Florida. Basketball fans can’t wait to see what next season brings, and if someone can finally bring the trophy back to Northeast Florida.
