Holidays and high school hoops are synonymous at this time of the year.

There is a smorgasbord of basketball games in and around Christmas break and there are many area teams participating.

All schedules are subject to change.

Due to an expected deep run to the state championship game by the Hawthorne football team, the defending state champion Hawthorne boys basketball program delayed the start to its season. The Hornets play their season opener tonight at Chipley in the Battle of the Rurals.

GHS, which is competing tonight at Fleming Island (Orange Park) on Day 2 of the Battle on the Island following Thursday night’s win against Westminster Christian (Miami), is headed to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, after Christmas for the Smoky Mountain Winter Classic (Dec. 29-31).

“I’ve heard good things from local teams around here, kind of varying levels of competition, which I think will be good for us,” said GHS coach Mike Barnes. “We’ll have a nice long nine hours in the car together to talk about things and get closer and bond, and then just try to get better once we get up there.”

The Santa Fe and Buchholz boys are currently in Gatlinburg for the Smoky Mountain Christmas Classic (Dec. 18-20), which features 39 girls and 32 boys’ teams.

Columbia (Lake City), which lost to host Fleming Island on Day 1 of the Battle on the Island, will travel to Fort Myers during the holidays.

The Tigers will play Gateway Charter (Fort Myers) at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 27, at the Holiday Hoopfest, which runs Dec. 27-30.

“We went to it with my ‘23 team that lost to Mainland (Daytona Beach) in the regional final,” said Columbia coach Steve Faulkner. “It has moved from Golden Gate to Bishop Verot, but it’s really good competition down there. I’m kind of excited to get these guys away from town, take them to the beach, maybe for a little bit one day, and just get them together, because I think that’s another part that we’re kind of still lacking is the togetherness that you can only get by being away with each other for five days.”

There are a couple of post-Christmas tournaments in the area.

Newberry will head to Vanguard (Ocala) for the prestigious Kingdom of the Sun, which is one of the longest-running 16-team high school basketball tournaments in the nation.

The tournament, which was established in 1974 by Coach Jim Haley, runs Dec. 26-29. The Class 3A Panthers will face Atlantic (Port Orange) at 12:50 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 26.

The Class 4A Sharks return all five starters from last year’s 22-8 team, which lost at Eustis in the region final.

“The Kingdom, I’ve never gone before,” said Newberry coach Patrick Green, whose team defeated P.K. Yonge on the road this past Tuesday to stay unbeaten. “I’ve always heard great things about it, so when we got the invitation, honestly, I didn’t think we were prepared or good enough to go to it, but it’s an invitation you can’t turn down. So, we’re really excited to be able to go down there. Just to be invited is huge for us.”

The Legacy Park Multipurpose Center in Alachua will host the True Force Shootout, formerly the Hitchcock’s Challenge (Dec. 27-29).

Several area boys teams, including Bell, Bradford (Starke), Branford, P.K. Yonge, Santa Fe, Suwannee (Live Oak), The Rock, and Williston, will join seven area girls teams – Bell, Eastside, GHS, Santa Fe, The Rock, Trenton, and Williston. There will be a gray bracket and a red bracket for the boys tournament, while the girls will compete in the white bracket.

Class 2A P.K. Yonge will play Class 6A No. 10 Forest (Ocala) at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 27.

“Great opportunity for our guys to get multiple games in the area where our fans can see us,” said P.K. Yonge coach Willie Powers III. “I think it’s big-time competition. They (Forest) beat us last year, so I think it will be big for our team, and just being able to get practices in over the break, where we can really grind it out, not having to worry about school or anything like that. I think that would be huge for our team.”

Buchholz, Eastside, Fort White, Hawthorne, The Rock, and Trenton will participate in the Florida Get Down Gainesville Showcase, which will be played at Santa Fe College (Dec. 29-30) in Gainesville.

“We are super excited to be a part of the Florida Get Down in Gainesville this holiday season,” said Trenton coach Eric Bullis, whose team is currently ranked No. 1 by MaxPreps in the FHSAA Rural classification. “With it being an invite-only event and us being a rural class school, it is a great honor. I have long admired Dan Cross and this event from afar, and now we get a chance to come and compete with two good teams, Cedar Shoals from Georgia and Mount Vernon from New York. As you know, we play a very aggressive and tough schedule, and our motto is “anyone, anywhere, anytime,” so this is another chance for us to compete against much larger schools and test ourselves as we continue to push for a special season in Trenton.”

The Florida Get Down has become one of the premier basketball showcases in the state, offering players, coaches, and fans an unparalleled experience that mirrors the excitement of college-level play, including the use of a regulation shot clock.

Founded and directed by Cross, a University of Florida Basketball Hall of Fame member, the Florida Get Down continues its mission of empowering student-athletes both on and off the court.

Cross, a former Gator standout and professional athlete, leads a dedicated committee focused on delivering a first-class event for athletes, schools and the Gainesville community.

“I am excited for the opportunity to give back to the community and provide an economic impact by bringing exposure to high school teams and basketball programs worthy of invitation,” Cross said. “Our mission is to empower student-athletes to reach their highest academic and athletic potential through the game of basketball.

“Sports gave me the opportunity to receive a free education and attend the University of Florida on a basketball scholarship. It taught me life lessons that extend far beyond the court — lessons I’m passionate about sharing with today’s youth.”

This year’s showcase features 16 highly-competitive teams showcasing some of the region’s top high school recruits. Fans can expect thrilling matchups, high-level competition, and an electric atmosphere over two full days of basketball action.

“It’s an honor and a pleasure to be invited to compete in one of the best showcases in Florida,” said Buchholz coach Elliot Harris. “Dan Cross and the Florida Get Down is synonymous with quality and excellence.”

Eastside boys basketball coach Herman “Pop” Williams, who had a gymnasium named after him last year, said you can say the same thing about the Dan Cross basketball camp.

“The Dan Cross camp is an amazing experience where you are able to compete with various talent,” Williams said. “It showcases players of all skill levels. The environment is positive, motivating and fun for all – it’s definitely family-oriented and I would highly recommend it for anyone wanting to showcase their skills/ talent or just wanting to spend time around the game of basketball.”

The Florida Get Down games begin each day at 10 a.m. An adult all-day Pass is $15, a student all-day pass is $10, and a 2-day pass is $25. Tickets can be purchased online at FloridaGetDown.org, where visitors can also view the full game schedule and event updates.

Follow @FloridaGetDown on Instagram and X (Twitter) for live results, highlights, and exclusive coverage throughout the weekend.

Mainstreet Daily News will be broadcasting (audio only) a select number of games during the holidays (TBA). A total of eight boys basketball games will be broadcast in the month of January.