The high school basketball regular season officially begins today, although many teams won’t begin play until next week or later.

They all have one common goal: to reach the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) girls and boys basketball state championships, which will be held on the campus of the University of North Florida (UNF) in Jacksonville in February and March.

The best girls team in the area last year was Gainesville High, which advanced to the Class 5A state championship game and made its first final four since 1987.

However, the top two scorers on that team, Jamison Cardwell and Jayden Terry, are now playing Division-I basketball at UNF and Louisiana Tech, respectively.

GHS, which finished 17-9 last year, will also have a new coach as former coach Jazlynd Rollins is now an assistant coach at Santa Fe College and Ken Mitchell, the husband of GHS volleyball coach Jerica Carter-Mitchell, enters his first season.

After back-to-back state titles, the Hawthorne girls had their 2-year run come to an end with a 60-45 loss at Williston in the Rural-Region 4 Semifinals.

Then, in June, head coach Cornelius Ingram stepped down as girls basketball head coach after winning three girls basketball state titles (2020, 2023 and 2024), compiling a 149-40 record (.788 winning percentage).

First team All Area selections De’Mya Adams and Jhalea Jackson are now at Santa Fe College, and Shereka Jackson enters her first season as head coach of the Lady Hornets, who do return senior Amarhae Hopkins (9.3 ppg, 13.1 rpg).

“She (Hopkins) is stepping into her senior year ready to own the paint,” Jackson said of Hopkins, who made second team All Area last year. “She brings power, passion, and presence to the Lady Hornets basketball team. This is her season to rise and lead the Lady Hornets legacy.”

Williston will be a team to watch in 2025-26 as Willie Powers II is back for his second season.

Powers, who coached for 21 seasons and won two state championships at P.K. Yonge, helped lead the Lady Red Devils to a 19-4 record, a district runner-up finish, and within a game of the Rural final four.

Hawthorne and Williston were in an elite district last year, which included unbeaten state champion Wildwood (25-0).

Newberry, which won its first district title in eight years last year, will still be a team to watch after winning Class 3A-District 3.

The Panthers (17-7) advanced to the second round of the 3A state playoffs with a 65-55 win against Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville), but the No. 3 seed Panthers had a 56-46 loss at No. 2 seed Rutherford (Panama City) in the Class 3A-Region 2 Semifinals.

The backcourt duo of Sarah Beaulieu and junior Brandy Whitfield topped a milestone last season when both scored over 1,000 points in their career.

Beaulieu graduated, but Whitfield (23.6 ppg & 3.5 rpg) is back, along with Jada Brown (11.6 ppg).

“Brandy is a hard worker who consistently demonstrates exceptional skills in leadership and work ethic,” said first-year coach Jessica Ross, who takes over for Dameon Hughes. “Her leadership and positive attitude makes her an invaluable asset to our program.”

Fort White won the Rural-District 6 title last year, followed by a 52-43 win against Trenton in the Rural regional semifinals before losing in overtime at No. 1 seed Hilliard, 67-64.

The Indians (16-8) have the pieces in place to make a run for the title again this year. They have three returning starters from last year in Ya’Zuri Hollie (21.6 ppg), Erickah Roberson (6 rpg), and Shaylee Lindsey.

“Ya’Zuri has been an impact player since she has been at Fort White,” said Fort White coach Bregay Harris, who is entering her third season. “I can always count on her to make plays when we need them the most.”

In boys hoops, Hawthorne (20-3) will enter the season as defending state champions after pounding Graceville, 69-44, in the FHSAA Rural state semifinals and breezing past Crossroad Academy (Quincy), 59-38, in the state championship game. They dethroned 2-time defending champion Williston in the process.

The bad news is the Hornets (20-3) lost Chasion Wilson (13.9 ppg), Decarion Debose (12.6 ppg), Leland Johnson (10.9 ppg.), and Kelvin Baker (9.3 ppg) from last year’s title team.

But head coach Greg Bowie is back for his 19th season, and three guys who contributed as role players on last year’s state title team, Kyler Ingram, Darian Bowie, and Nathan Jennings, are back to lead the Hornets.

“I know how hard they’re going to work,” Bowie said. “All three are high-effort guys who play extremely hard on the defensive end. They’ll have to pick up their scoring this year, and there are a few more guys I’ll need to step up by knocking down perimeter shots and helping out with ball handling…it’ll probably be a little sloppy early on with some players joining us late from football, but my goal is for us to look like a true basketball team by the time the district tournament begins.”

Gainesville High School lost to eventual 5A state runner-up Ponte Vedra, 60-57, in the regional semifinals.

GHS (21-8) will have two returning starters in 3-year starter Willie Brooks (8.6 PPG) and captain Craig Thomas (5.9 RPG), along with a big transfer in AJ Hall (Santa Fe), who has college interest from Southeastern and Edward Waters.

“I think all three guys that are at media day (Brooks, Thomas and Hall) will be key contributors for us,” said GHS coach Mike Barnes. “Craig Thomas is our captain. He is a leader, and the players respond when he speaks. He is one of the best defensive players I’ve ever coached.”

Barnes said this will be a much different team than last year.

“We will be faster, but a little smaller than last year’s team,” he said. “We have to learn to take pride in doing the little things well. That is my focus as coach. When we do the little things well, it’ll be a step towards ultimately accomplishing our biggest goals.”

The ‘Canes, who open at home on Tuesday against 2A regional semifinalist North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville), will once again compete in the Battle on the Island tournament at Fleming Island (Orange Park) and the Smoky Mountain Winter Classic, along with games against 6A regional semifinalist Forest (Ocala), Rural state champion Hawthorne, and 6A regional quarterfinalist Melbourne, among others.

“The schedule is always challenging, games are never easy,” Barnes said. “We are always looking to win the district and make a run in the state tournament. We have a competitive region once again, but I feel at the end of the year, we will be right there with the other top teams from our region.”

Newberry (3A) and Santa Fe (4A) joined Rural schools Fort White, Hawthorne, and Williston, who made it to the second round of their respective regionals.

Trenton lost a close one at top seed Hilliard, 57-54, in the FHSAA Rural-Region 3 Semifinals, but four starters are back in Mason VunCannon (15 PPG), Tyler Bullis (11 PPG), Noah Owens (7 RPG) and Nate Ridgell (10 PPG).

“Mason VunCannon is a true stat sheet stuffer, averaging 15 pts, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals a game as a sophomore on 54/42/73 shooting splits,” said fourth-year Trenton head coach Eric Bullis. “He is a true three-level scorer, and a great teammate and leader to boot.”

On Tuesday, find out who the top 20 teams are in the region as “The Prep Zone Power Poll” releases its preseason girls rankings. The regional poll ranks the top 20 teams across 26 counties in Florida.

The boys basketball regional poll will be released this week, too.

2025-26 high school basketball district assignments

Teams in the Mainstreet Daily News coverage area in bold

District 3-6A: Bartram Trail (St. Johns), Buchholz, Forest (Ocala), Matanzas (Palm Coast), Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine)

District 2-5A: Chiles (Tallahassee), Columbia (Lake City), Gainesville, Leon (Tallahassee), Lincoln (Tallahassee)

District 5-4A: Crystal River, Dunnellon, Eastside, Lake Weir (Ocala), North Marion (Citra), Santa Fe (Alachua)

District 2-3A: Florida High (Tallahassee), Gadsden County (Havana), Marianna, Suwannee (Live Oak)

District 3-3A (GIRLS): Baldwin, Bradford (Starke), Interlachen (Boys only), Keystone Heights, Newberry, Palatka

District 2-2A: Oak Hall School, P.K. Yonge, Saint Francis Catholic Academy, Trinity Catholic (Ocala), St. Joseph (St. Augustine)

District 4-1A: Cornerstone Academy (Boys only), Countryside Christian, Meadowbrook Academy (Ocala) (Boys only), Redeemer Christian (Ocala), Seven Rivers Christian (Lecanto), St. John Lutheran (Ocala)

District 5-Rural: Branford, Hamilton County (Jasper), Hilliard, Lafayette (Mayo), Madison County

District 6-Rural: Bell, Dixie County (Cross City), Fort White, Taylor County (Perry), Trenton, Union County (Lake Butler)

District 7-Rural: Bronson, Cedar Key (Girls only), Chiefland, Hawthorne, Wildwood, Williston