JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Ponte Vedra boys basketball team is in the state semifinals for the fourth consecutive season. The Sharks face Leesburg on Wednesday in Lakeland. A look at the matchup.
Class 5A boys basketball state semifinals
Ponte Vedra (21-8) vs. Leesburg (17-7)
When: Wednesday, 3 p.m.
Where: RP Funding Center, Lakeland
Watch it: Game can be streamed on the NFHS Network. Cost applies for a monthly pass.
Winner gets: Blanche Ely vs. St. Petersburg in the state championship game on Friday at 7 p.m.
Road here: Ponte Vedra d. Pensacola Booker T. Washington, 67-57; d. Gainesville, 60-57; d. Tallahassee Leon, 65-51; Leesburg d. Fivay, 70-47; d. Wesley Chapel, 60-54; d. Lecanto, 61-46.
Glance: The Sharks have reached the state semifinals four consecutive seasons. They played for state championships in two of those (2022-23), losing to Martin County and Dwyer, respectively. Ponte Vedra lost to eventual state champ Pembroke Pines Charter in the semis last year. The Sharks finally clicked following early January struggled when they lost five of eight games. They haven’t lost since a 59-56 setback to Oakleaf on Jan. 20 that dropped them to 13-8. Ben Wilson has been the head coach for three of those appearances and said this year’s team put things together at the ideal spot on the calendar. “It’s getting hot at the right time. Kind of hit our stride mid-January. The boys, their confidence is high. They’ve kind of heard the same old thing the last couple years; we make it to state, we make a good run but haven’t won one yet. Since the summer, they’ve been wanting to make a statement saying we’re going to be the first team to bring it home,” he said. … The Sharks have three players at the top of the lineup. Wing Maddox Palmer (13.3 ppg, 5 rpg), G Diego Sanchez-Barrera (12.8 ppg, 4.7 apg, 4.1 rpg) and F Trace Westercamp (11.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg) give Ponte Vedra a tough trio.