Marty Pallman
January is usually when the high school basketball season becomes a bit of a grind. District tournaments are still two weeks away, and teams usually play three or four games per week.
But the Providence (Jacksonville) Stallions keep rolling on.
Providence (15-5) is 6-0 so far in 2024 and 4-0 in the last two weeks, with wins over state-ranked Archbishop McCarthy (Fort Lauderdale) as well as victories over then-No. 18 Riverside (Jacksonville) and North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville). The Stallions receive six of 11 first-place votes this week to remain in the top spot.
Paxon (Jacksonville) remains at No. 2, moving out of a tie with Williston from the previous rankings. Paxon (16-2) has won eight games in a row since a loss to No. 4 Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) on Dec. 15. The Golden Eagles received two first-place votes.
Williston (19-2) also received a first-place vote despite dropping to No. 3. The Red Devils were 4-1 the last two weeks with wins over then-RV Buchholz (Gainesville) and 7A state-ranked Seminole (Sanford). Their only loss came to state-ranked 4A Mater Lakes Academy (Miami) at the Wally Keller Classic in Port Charlotte.
Andrew Jackson is at No. 4. The red-hot Tigers (16-3) have won 12 games in a row with their last loss on Dec.12 at No. 6 Ribault (Jacksonville). Jackson earns two first-place votes as well this week.Â
Mainland (Daytona Beach) rounds out the top five. The Bucs (14-5) won four out of five games the past two weeks, with wins against Spruce Creek (Port Orange), Melbourne, and IMG Academy Blue (Bradenton) and their only loss in that span came to Potters House Christian (Jacksonville).
Ribault (15-5) moves up a spot to No. 6, after a 4-0 slate the past two weeks.
The rest of the top 10 include Episcopal (Jacksonville) at No. 7, Raines (Jacksonville) at No. 8, Ponte Vedra at No. 9 and Leesburg at No. 10.Â
Among the teams in the Mainstreet Daily News area are No. 15 Newberry, 17th-ranked Fort White and Gainesville moves back into the poll at No. 20. The Hurricanes (12-8) replace Columbia (Lake City), who was at No. 20 in the previous poll.
Hawthorne is receiving votes.
The Prep Zone Power Poll ranks the top 20 high school football, girls basketball, boys basketball, softball & baseball 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 and it is powered by Anytime Fitness of Gainesville.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL BY ANYTIME FITNESS OF GAINESVILLE – 2023-24 BOYS BASKETBALL POLL #3
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, current record through 1/22, and total voting points)
Teams in bold are inside the Mainstreet Daily News coverage area
1. Providence (Jacksonville) (3A) (6) (15-5) – 210
2. Paxon (Jacksonville) (4A) (2) (16-2) – 205
3. Williston (1A) (1) (19-2) – 194
4. Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) (4A) (2) (16-3) – 191
5. Mainland (Daytona Beach) (5A) (14-5) – 170
6. Ribault (Jacksonville) (4A) (15-5) – 163
7. Episcopal (Jacksonville) (3A) (15-3) – 156
8. Raines (Jacksonville) (4A) (16-5) – 148
9. Ponte Vedra (6A) (14-6) – 132
10. Leesburg (5A) (12-3) – 112
11. Oakleaf (Orange Park) (6A) (13-5) – 104
12. Forest (Ocala) (6A) (15-5) – 94
13. Hilliard (1A) (16-2) – 74
14. Eustis (4A) (15-4) – 71
15. Newberry (1A) (13-4) – 62
16. New Smyrna Beach (6A) (15-4) – 61
17. Fort White (1A) (13-4) – 36
18. Riverside (Jacksonville) (5A) (12-7) – 19
19. Palatka (4A) (17-3) – 15
20. Gainesville (6A) (12-8) – 14Â
Also receiving votes:Â
Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) (3A) (12-5) – 13; Deltona (5A) (15-6) – 12; Hawthorne (1A) (9-4) – 10; Mount Dora Christian Academy (2A) (13-8) – 9; San Jose Prep (Jacksonville) (3A) (10-7) – 8; The Villages (4A) (11-10) – 8; Central (Brooksville) (4A) (15-4) – 7; University Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (10-8) – 4.