JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The News4JAX Super 6 boys high school basketball rankings will be published each Wednesday — except during Christmas week — through the regular season. Records are through Nov. 28.
News4JAX Super 6 boys basketball
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Rank, School, Record, Classification
1. Ribault (3-0, Class 4A)
Notable win: Riverside.
Glance: The Trojans went to the state semifinals last season during a 25-5 run under coach Charles Showers. They have the talent to get back to Lakeland, too. G Caleb Williams was an All-News4JAX selection last season and he’s been on a tear to start (25 ppg, 9 apg). Williams likely opens the year as the frontrunner for the area’s top player honor, and the Trojans will go as he goes. F Jamian Jackson (18.5 ppg) hasn’t been far back of that. The Trojans edged rival Riverside 73-69 on Tuesday night. They’ve got a big one next Thursday against No. 2 Oakleaf, a team I considered for the No. 1 spot this week.
2. Oakleaf (2-0, Class 6A)
Notable win: Bishop Kenny.
Glance: The Knights had a program-best 24-2 season last year and have followed that up with strong defense out of the gate. They’ve given up just 77 points in games against Matanzas and Kenny. Last year’s leading scorer Aaron Rivers (10.8 ppg) and F Travis Knox Jr. (6.7 ppg) are back for coach Jason Price. After last season’s breakthrough, there’s exceptionally more expected from Oakleaf.
3. Episcopal (3-0, Class 3A)
Notable wins: Lowndes (Ga.), Munroe.
Glance: The Eagles went 21-7 last season and have an excellent team back this year. G Kent Jackson will be in the conversation as the area’s top player after averaging 18 ppg and raining 3s down at nearly a 40% clip. Fs Grady Schwartz (13.4 ppg, 6 rpg) and Declan McCarthy (6.7 ppg) will see their production increase, too. Will this be the year that Episcopal can get over that regional hump? This is one of coach Chip Stroud’s best teams in his tenure, a potential district champion squad that should have what it takes to get past Providence and San Jose Prep in 3-3A.
4. Paxon (3-0, Class 4A)
Notable wins: Keenan (SC), Nease, Ponte Vedra.
Glance: The Golden Eagles went 20-6 last season for coach Kenny Elliott and have started out strong. Paxon returns Jacob Delos Santos, Brysan Yearby and Delvin Bell Jr., players who averaged 6 points per game or more last season. Three quality Ws out of the gate this season for a team that expects to be a player come playoff time.
5. Providence (1-2, Class 3A)
Notable win: Villages Charter.
Glance: Tough losses to North Broward Prep and Gateway Charter to start aren’t bad outings. Those teams were a combined 45-14 last year. On deck are games against former playoff rival Weston Sagemont and reigning 4A state champ Mater Lakes Academy. Providence went 28-3 last year and reached the state semis. Chris Arias (11.3 ppg) returns, but the team graduated Mason Lee and lost All-News4JAX player of the year Jaylen Robinson to transfer. Brady Patterson, Caleb McAbee, David Fonville and BJ Boykin are all in line for larger roles this season, but the Stallions will take some bumps against their out-of-area competition.
6. Ponte Vedra (1-1, Class 6A)
Notable win: None.
Glance: The Sharks have played for state championships the last two seasons and come up agonizingly short each time. Ben Wilson got Ponte Vedra back to the title game in his first season as coach and he’s building something special there. The philosophy there is truly next man up. Graduation losses from the 2020-21 season seemed like it would bring Ponte Vedra back to earth last year, and Wilson showed that wasn’t the case. G Sam Ritchie went from scoring 3.1 ppg as a sophomore to 11.3 last season. G David Sanchez Barrera is off to a 10-ppg start this year after averaging 2.7 last season. They’ve lost to a solid Paxon team and beaten Matanzas to start the season. The Sharks get the edge here over Creekside in the first Super 6.
On the bubble
Bishop Kenny (2-2, Class 4A); Creekside (3-0, Class 7A); Fleming Island (2-0, Class 6A); Fletcher (2-0, Class 6A); Impact Christian (1-1, Class 2A); Jackson (2-2, Class 4A); Mandarin (3-0, Class 7A); NFEI (0-2, Class 2A); Orange Park (1-0, Class 6A); Sandalwood (2-1, Class 7A); Wolfson (15-11, Class 4A).