James Collins rebuilt his alma mater at Jackson High School and now it’s time for a break.

Even by lofty area standards that include no shortage of state championships, Saturday is about as significant of a day as there’s been for area high schools.

The Jackson boys basketball team is heading to the state championship game.

A glance at the Class 4A boys basketball state semifinals in Lakeland.

Jackson, Providence, Impact Christian and Ponte Vedra all punched their tickets to the final four with regional championship wins on Friday night.

Several all-area regional final matchups are set as eight local teams advanced in the boys high school basketball playoffs on Tuesday night.

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 Jan. 23.

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 Jan. 9.

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 Jan. 2.

It’s on to the second round of the high school basketball playoffs for 10 local teams.

After splitting two meetings this season, Jackson and Ribault will play for bragging rights and the Gateway Conference championship in boys basketball on Friday night.

The News4JAX Super 6 boys basketball rankings will be published each Wednesday during the regular season. Records are through Nov. 29.

The quest for a state championship will have to wait for Jackson.

Jackson is back in familiar territory — the boys basketball state championship game.

The boys basketball state semifinals are this week in Lakeland and four teams from the area are headed down there. A glance at Jackson, which plays in the Class 4A final four on Thursday morning.

Only four boys basketball teams remain standing.

News4JAX handed out surveys in the preseason to select area high school basketball players at media day and polled them on a number of questions. A total of 44 boys players and 51 girls turned in surveys.

The News4JAX Super 6 boys basketball rankings will be published each Wednesday during the regular season with the exception of a break for the holidays. Records are through Dec. 7.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – West Nassau’s Deebo Coleman added one more award to his record-setting career. Coleman, the Warriors senior shooting guard, was named the Florida Dairy Farmers Class 4A player of the year on Thursday afternoon. On the girls side this year, Bishop Kenny’s Jasmyne Roberts, a Nassau County native, won the Class 4A player of the year honor and finished as runner-up for Miss Basketball. Coleman led West Nassau to its best season in program history, guiding the Warriors to the Class 4A state semifinals. Santa Fe beat West Nassau in a 64-63 classic, hitting a shot off the glass as time was running out.

A miserable second quarter ended the Tigers’ season in a 79-71 loss to Bishop McLaughlin Catholic on Wednesday in the Class 3A state semifinals at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. The Tigers had finished as state runner-up each of the previous two trips for coach James Collins. The Tigers (19-7) were in sync until the early minutes of the second quarter, up by eight points and settling into a rhythm. AdBy the midway point of the quarter, the Tigers were treading water and trying everything they could to hang on. Sharp had a staggering 24 of his 39 points in the second quarter alone.

Before West Nassau’s Deebo Coleman began his senior season, he declared his intentions to play college basketball at Georgia Tech. No, he had to work for them night in and night out.”AdWest Nassau guard Deebo Coleman (No. In his high school career, Collins scored 2,212 points, now good for sixth-best in area history. Back then, high school was just three grades, as freshmen spent their time at junior high school. Because it’s good for basketball.”Both Deebo Coleman and Collins agree that there comes a time in a game where the star has to assert himself, something that both Coleman and Collins have done in key spots.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Three area boys basketball teams are still standing in the state playoffs and one area boys star reached another career milestone on Friday night. Next up for Impact Christian, Jackson and West Nassau, the state semifinals. West Nassau’s dream season continued with a razor-thin 72-70 win over visiting Marianna in the Region 1-4A final. Deebo Coleman had 34 points in the win and moved into second place all-time in area scoring history. The Lions (19-8) have now reached the state final four three times since their first season of playoff eligibility in 2018.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The News4Jax Super 6 boys basketball rankings will be published each Thursday during the regular season. (NR) Episcopal (4-1, Class 3A)Notable wins: Bishop Kenny, Fernandina Beach, Fletcher. Eagles get the nod here over Kenny, Paxon, Palatka and Providence. Dropped out: Bishop Kenny (3-2, Class 4A); Paxon (3-2, Class 5A). Others: Impact Christian (2-1, Class 2A); Nease (4-1, Class 7A); Orange Park (4-1, Class 5A); Palatka (4-0, Class 4A); Parker (3-0, Class 5A); Paxon (3-2, Class 5A); Ponte Vedra (6-0, Class 5A); Providence (3-1, Class 3A); Seacoast Christian (5-1, Class 2A); West Nassau (3-3, Class 4A); Westside (2-3, Class 5A).

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Paxon basketball star Isaiah Adams didn’t win a state championship, but he got the next best thing. Adams, the Golden Eagles senior forward, was voted the state’s Mr. Basketball on Tuesday, becoming just the second area boys player to earn the honor. Current Jackson coach James Collins won the award in 1993 when he was a player with the Tigers. He averaged 23 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks per game as Paxon went 25-6 and made the Class 4A semis. Adams won the award soundly, appearing as the top vote-getter on 10 of 19 ballots.