For the first time since Gerald Ford was in the White House, Jacksonville is hosting the Florida High School Basketball State Championships. The FHSAA reached a three-year agreement with the University of North Florida and the Jacksonville Sports Foundation to move the tournament from its longtime home in Lakeland to CSI Companies Court at UNF Arena, a modern 5,100-seat facility that has been upgraded with a new playing surface, sound system, and hospitality suite since its 2022 renovation.
The move brings one of the premiere high school sporting events in the state to Northeast Florida for the first time in nearly 50 years. And the talent on display is worth every bit of the wait.
The tournament runs in three separate weeks. The Rural classification champions were crowned February 24 and 27. Classes 1A and 2A play March 5 through 7. Classes 3A through 7A conclude the event from March 9 through 14.
Here is your full breakdown by classification, both boys and girls, along with the favorites, the storylines, and the players you need to know.
Class 1A
BOYS
Sagemont Prep (Weston) enters with five overall state titles in program history and is a perennial contender at the 1A level. They face Impact Christian (27-4) in one semifinal, with Victory Christian (Lakeland) in the other bracket. Sagemont Prep and Victory Christian were finalists last year, and a potential rematch in the championship is a real possibility.
GIRLS
The girls 1A bracket features a rematch of last year's state championship game as Grandview Prep (Boca Raton, 24-4) takes on North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville, 16-14), who are still searching for their program's first ever state title. Grandview is chasing their fourth championship overall. NFEI would have home crowd energy playing just minutes from their school.
Favorite: Grandview Prep girls, Sagemont Prep boys.
Class 2A
BOYS
Jacksonville Providence entered as the top-ranked team in the class and is playing some of their best basketball of the season. No team scored forty points against the Stallions during the regional round. Providence faces Northside Christian (Clearwater) in the semis. On the other side, Santa Fe Catholic (Lakeland) squares off against Miami Country Day, which carries size inside with 6-foot-8 senior Kaleb Corbitt.
GIRLS
Miami Country Day is chasing their 11th overall state championship, which would be their fourth in a row. All of their titles have come since 2014. The Spartans enter as the clear favorite on the girls side.
Favorite: Providence boys, Miami Country Day girls.
Class 3A
BOYS
This is the classification everyone in the state is talking about (Fort Lauderdale) is not only the top-ranked team in 3A but the No. 2 program in the entire nation according to the MaxPreps Top 25. The Eagles are loaded with talent, headlined by 6-foot-1 junior guard Cayden Daughtry, who analysts have called possibly the best individual player in the entire state playoffs regardless of classification.
Calvary's semifinal opponent is NSU University School, a surprise entry that has played solid competition all season but has yet to face anything close to what the Eagles will bring. The other semifinal has The Villages Charter taking on Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville, 28-1), which had one of the best records in the state and is making their second Final Four appearance in three years.
GIRLS
The girls bracket features Bolles (Jacksonville, 25-4) against Lake Highland Prep (24-6) in one semifinal, with Somerset Academy Canyons and Carroll School of the Sacred Heart in the other. Bolles brings a home-state advantage with the tournament in Jacksonville and is one of the most consistent programs in Northeast Florida.
Favorite: Calvary Christian boys (heavy). Bolles girls.
Key Players to Watch:
- Cayden Daughtry, Calvary Christian (Fort Lauderdale) -- Junior guard, top national prospect
- Andrew Jackson's roster features multiple D1-caliber prospects who helped them go 28-1
Class 4A
BOYS
Lake Highland Prep (Orlando) brings a 28-1 record and a 24-game win streak. They entered the tournament as one of the hottest teams in the state. Their path to the championship goes through a loaded bracket that could include Villages Charter Buffalo, who feature LSU signee Herly Brutus, a 6-foot-5 four-star forward. The Villages also carries five-star junior point guard Aaron Britt and four-star junior Jomar Bernard.
GIRLS
Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville, 26-4) is in the 4A girls bracket alongside Plantation American Heritage, Bishop Moore, and Booker. Bishop Kenny has another chance to bring a title home to Jacksonville.
Favorite: Lake Highland boys. Bishop Kenny girls as a hometown contender.
Key D1 Signees:
- Herly Brutus (Villages Charter) -- Signed with LSU
- UCF signee Donovan Williams (Oak Ridge) -- averaging 17.2 points per game
Class 5A
BOYS
Fleming Island (22-8) out of Jacksonville represents the host region in the 5A boys bracket, facing Tampa Jesuit (24-6) in their semifinal. Fleming Island is the local favorite and one of the most well-supported programs in Clay County.
GIRLS
Booker T. Washington (Pensacola, 22-3) is back in the Final Four for the first time since 2001, ending a 25-year drought after five straight regional final losses in previous seasons. Their opponent is Gateway (Kissimmee, 26-3), which has been one of the most consistent programs in Central Florida all season. This semifinal matchup is one of the most compelling games of the entire tournament.
Favorite: Gateway girls based on record and depth. Fleming Island boys have the crowd behind them.
Class 6A
BOYS
Evans (22-7) and Lake Howell (25-5), two Orlando-area programs that won different regions, are matched up against each other in the boys 6A semifinals, guaranteeing Central Florida at least one spot in the championship game. On the other side, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, 26-4) is a returning state champion looking to defend their title. Aquinas is ranked nationally and is the clear frontrunner to come out of their side of the bracket.
GIRLS
St. Thomas Aquinas (20-8) faces George Steinbrenner (23-6) in one girls 6A semifinal, with Bartram Trail (Jacksonville, 16-9) taking on Bayside (22-8) in the other. Bartram Trail at 16-9 is the surprise team of the field, having peaked at the right time.
Favorite: St. Thomas Aquinas boys and girls.
Key Player:
- St. Thomas Aquinas has been a pipeline program with multiple D1 prospects on both the boys and girls rosters
Class 7A
BOYS
Miami Columbus is chasing their fifth consecutive 7A state championship, which would tie the all-time Florida record for consecutive titles in the largest classification. That kind of dynasty does not happen by accident. The Explorers are the most accomplished program in the field regardless of classification.
Columbus (24-6) faces Lake Mary (23-7) in their semifinal, while Oak Ridge (20-9) takes on Sarasota (24-6) on the other side.
GIRLS
The 7A girls bracket features Winter Haven (19-6) vs. Ocoee (24-5) and Doral Academy (20-8) vs. Centennial (23-6). Ocoee has been one of the more dangerous programs in Central Florida girls basketball and enters as a legitimate title threat.
Favorite: Columbus boys. Ocoee girls as the team with the best resume.
The Bigger Picture
What makes this year's tournament different is not just the new location. It is the era of player we are watching.
Villages Charter enters with six major college prospects on their roster alone. Calvary Christian's Cayden Daughtry is already drawing eyes from programs across the country. Programs like Columbus, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Lake Highland have long been pipelines for Division I talent, and that tradition is alive and well in 2026.
For parents, coaches, and recruiters, this tournament is one of the best three-week stretches to evaluate talent in the entire country. The concentration of D1 prospects competing at a single site, in a legitimate arena environment, under pressure, is exactly the kind of exposure that changes recruiting trajectories.
Jacksonville has waited 50 years for this. Based on the matchups, it was worth every one of them.
All 3A through 7A championship games take place March 9 through 14 at CSI Companies Court at UNF Arena. Tickets are available via GoFan. General admission is $15 in advance and $18 day-of.
Follow BallerTube for continued coverage of the 2026 FHSAA Basketball State Championships.
