The Florida Gators men’s basketball team is just hours away from competing for a National Championship against the Houston Cougars in San Antonio, and the University of Florida is hoping to gather as many members of Gator Nation as possible to celebrate the occasion.

Providence boys basketball coach Jim Martin's wife, Laura, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. The family has faced that diagnosis with a positive outlook and trying to make every day the best day possible for Laura.

The Holloman Challenge has evolved from just a thought to a smaller event into now, an actual significant tournament with major backing and a hefty payout to the winner. The third edition of the 1-on-1 showcase with a $5,000 prize arrives Saturday night at San Jose Prep (6:30 p.m.).

The American men have won gold medals at all but three Olympics (not counting the boycotted 1980 Games in Moscow), while the women have won every gold medal at an Olympics since 1996.

A few weeks ago, we wrote about what a tough decision this was going to be for USA Basketball. Sure enough, the no-win scenario is playing out.

Stay tuned for what likely be a controversial decision no matter what it ends up being.

A deep run by the Lakers in the NBA playoffs might have altered any Olympic plans for James.

The 36-year-old Curry previously turned down other opportunities to compete in the Olympics, but pledged his services for Paris.

Expect Clark to be in Paris, even if that means a deserving older professional is left home. Fair or not fair, business is business.

Both the men’s and women’s competition will have three groups of four teams, where the top two finishers and the two best third-place teams will advance to the quarterfinals.

We are eyeing five unique things of the tournament itself aside from just wins, losses and who’ll cut down the nets in Arizona.

Jacksonville’s newest professional basketball team, the Jacksonville 95ers, announced its new home and partnership with Jacksonville University.

ESPN has announced the matchups for the ACC/SEC Challenge for men’s and women’s basketball teams in each conference.

In what is believed to be a first in the area, Charlsea Clark, who took Bishop Kenny to three straight girls basketball final fours has been hired as the boys basketball coach at Atlantic Coast.

Jacksonville University has filled its women’s basketball team head coaching vacancy, announcing the hire of Special Jennings to lead its program.

The son of the former slam dunk champion embracing family legacy on the basketball court.

LSU's win was not the big talking point for many after the game.

Grandfather and grandson. The same achievement for the same school 69 years apart. But wait, this story gets even better.

He's only in seventh grade, but St. Johns Country Day guard Cam Cooper has already received four college scholarship offers. And that's only the beginning.

After a three-day pause, the madness will resume on Thursday with the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament.

Tolu Smith scored a career-high 28 points, including a go-ahead basket in overtime with 4.3 seconds left, and Mississippi State beat Florida 69-68 in the second round of the SEC Tournament.

Ribault can advance to the state championship game in boys basketball with a win on Thursday.

Seven local teams are still alive in the state high school basketball playoffs. Among them, Ribault and Bishop Kenny, who will face one another at Ribault on Friday.

Myreon Jones scored 15 points on five 3-pointers and short-handed Florida beat Mississippi 79-64 to snap a three-game losing streak.

UNF jumped out to an early 17 point lead and never trailed as the Ospreys took the first game of the River City Rumble over Jacksonville University 76-63.

It was a night this community will never forget.

Chase Hunter drove the lane and drew a foul, sinking the free throw, to help No. 24 Clemson escape with an 82-81 win over Florida State on Saturday

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.

Texas A&M trailed before the opening tip at Florida.

Chris Moore got a steal in the final seconds and Wendell Green Jr. made a layup at the buzzer to cap No. 20 Auburn’s 61-58 victory over Florida in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.

Watch the Providence Stallions take on the Nease Panthers in the third round of the Fortegra Basketball Invitational on the campus of Florida State College at Jacksonville’s South Campus on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. The Fortegra Basketball Invitational is brought to you by CSI Companies and High School 9:12.

Watch the Mandarin Mustangs take on the Orange Park Raiders in the third round of the Fortegra Basketball Invitational on the campus of Florida State College at Jacksonville’s South Campus on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. The Fortegra Basketball Invitational is brought to you by CSI Companies and High School 9:12.

The Providence Stallions have competed in three of the five Fortegra Invitational high school basketball tournaments. They've never lost a game in the event. Saturday, they handled the defending champions, previously undefeated Nease 59-40 to take home the championship.

Watch the Camden County Wildcats take on the Raines Vikings in the third round of the Fortegra Basketball Invitational on the campus of Florida State College at Jacksonville’s South Campus on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. The Fortegra Basketball Invitational is brought to you by CSI Companies and High School 9:12.

Watch the Sandalwood Saints take on the Nease Panthers in the second round of the Fortegra Basketball Invitational on the campus of Florida State College at Jacksonville’s South Campus on Friday, Dec. 9, 2022. The Fortegra Basketball Invitational is brought to you by CSI Companies and High School 9:12.

Watch the Providence Stallions take on the Oakleaf Golden Knights in the second round of the Fortegra Basketball Invitational at Florida State College of Jacksonville’s South Campus on Friday, Dec. 9, 2022. The Fortegra Basketball Invitational is brought to you by CSI Companies and High School 9:12.

The Fortegra Invitational may soon need to add Providence to the tournament’s title.

The fifth annual Fortegra High School 9:12 Basketball Invitational Presented by CSI Companies tipped off Thursday at the South Campus of FSCJ.

WNBA star Brittney Griner was freed Thursday after being detained in Russia for nearly 10 months.

If you shop online for clothes or furniture, sneakers or concert tickets, you’ve seen the option at checkout to “buy now, pay later” by breaking the cost into smaller installments over time.

Former Providence High School and Florida Gators' basketball player Patric Young is recovering after being involved in a single-car crash in Nebraska.

New Florida basketball coach Todd Golden has rounded out his staff by hiring UNLV assistant Carlin Hartman.

In case you've ever looked at an NCAA Tournament bracket and wondered, "Where the heck is that school located?," we have just the quiz for you.

March is here and so is the NCAA college basketball national championship tournament.

March is here and so is the NCAA college basketball national championship tournament.

Hassan Diarra drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 0.4 seconds left in overtime to give Texas A&M an 83-80 win over Florida in the second round of the Southeastern Conference tournament.

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

Olivier (Ollie) Rioux reached new heights by becoming a Guinness World Record holder.

Edward Waters University women’s basketball player La’Quanza Glover is a rising star on and off the basketball court.

Harris was the leading scorer and rebounder at the 1976 Olympics for the U.S., which won the silver medal.

The News4JAX Super 6 girls basketball rankings will be published each Tuesday during the regular season. Records are through Jan. 17.

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.

It is time for the River City Rumble. JU and UNF are ready to renew their annual rivalry Saturday.

It wasn’t one shot or single play that made the biggest impact on Josiah Sabino. It was a rejection.

Jahvon Quinerly and Juwan Gary scored 19 points apiece and No. 15 Alabama opened the second half with a 22-4 run en route to an 83-70 win over Florida.

The Jacksonville University women’s basketball team’s away game against the University of North Carolina has been canceled due to “COVID protocols with the Dolphins’ program,” according to a post on judolphins.com.

Fleming Island and Nease punched their tickets to the Fortegra High School 9:12 Basketball Invitational championship game with victories on Friday night.

Episcopal guard Mark Flakus, one of the best shooters in the state, will join the Birds of Trey next season. The senior signed his national letter of intent Wednesday to attend UNF.

It was a good start for the JU men's and women's basketball teams.

The Jacksonville University men’s and women’s basketball teams are a week from tipoff. There may be a few nerves, but there are lot more new faces than anything.

The Jacksonville Force are a first-year entry into the semi-pro WABA league. And that first year has gone very, very well.

The High School 9:12 basketball media day at the Riverside YMCA is one of the stops on the calendar that signal hoops season is right around the corner. Here are some of the sights and sounds from Tuesday’s event.

There is one word that comes to mind when you hear Lisa Leslie’s name: baller.

The field for the Jacksonville Classic men’s basketball tournament is set.

One of the best players in Flagler College basketball history isn’t going anywhere.

William Easton, a former Ribault High School and senior point guard on the Wilberforce University basketball team died in a car accident in town on April 9, just a day before his 22nd birthday.

The pick is in and Rennia Davis made area history.

Isaiah Adams, a Paxon graduate and true freshman forward at the University of Central Florida announced in a social media post on Wednesday that he was entering the draft.

Baylor is the national champion in college basketball.

Toby Frazier and Matt Schreiber wrapped up very distinguished careers on the high school basketball coaching circuit the same season.

Add one more honor to the career of West Nassau basketball player Deebo Coleman. Mr. Basketball.

One of Jacksonville University’s most recognizable basketball names is making a return to campus.

Forward Omar Payne entered the transfer portal Tuesday and became the fifth player to leave coach Mike White's program since the end of the season. The 6-foot-10 Payne joined shooting guard Noah Locke, backup point guard Ques Glover and reserve forward Osayi Osifo in looking to play elsewhere next season. Star point guard and leading scorer Tre Mann entered the NBA draft with plans of hiring an agent, meaning he has no intention of returning to school for his junior season. Payne, a sophomore from Kissimmee, averaged 3.8 points and 3.2 rebounds while playing close to 16 minutes a game this season. Only Keyontae Johnson remains from Florida's 2018 class, which lost talented point guard Andrew Nembhard to Gonzaga last year and now is without Locke.

The Flagler College men's basketball team reached the NCAA Division II Final Four for the first time this season. The best season in Flagler College men’s basketball history came to an end on Thursday night. The Saints never led and couldn’t slow down heavyweight Northwest Missouri State in a 77-46 loss in the NCAA Division II national semifinals. Third-seeded Flagler (18-3) had never been to the national tournament since it made the move from the NAIA to Division II in 2009. 2 in the tournament, have won Division II national championships in 2017 and ’19, and will play for their third on Saturday afternoon against top-seeded West Texas A&M.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University is filling its basketball vacancy with a coach from just down the road in Gainesville. Jordan Mincy, an assistant at the University of Florida, is the Dolphins new head basketball coach, the school announced on Thursday. Mincy, 34, spent the past six seasons as an assistant on Mike White’s coaching staff at Florida. “I can’t wait to get to work as we start writing the next chapter in Jacksonville basketball history,” Mincy said in a release. Jasick was hired in 2014 to replace Cliff Warren, the most successful coach in JU history.

Flagler College's Jaizec Lottie was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Division II All-American Team on Tuesday morning. Next stop: the NCAA Division II Final Four. Third-seeded Flagler will face second-seeded Northwest Missouri State in the Final Four on Thursday at 9 p.m. Jaizec Lottie had 29 points for Flagler, Derrick Ellis had 17 and Chris Metzger had 10, none bigger than his final two. Truman State’s final shot was a heavily contested look by Turner Scott that never had a chance.

(Photo by Trevor Brown Jr/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)The up and down basketball season for the Florida Gators ended on a harsh down note. Florida led by 11 points, but couldn’t hold the lead and lost to 15th seeded Oral Roberts 81-78. Instead, the Gators season is over. “I really would have liked to have seen Keytonae and his teammates have the opportunity to celebrate and go to the Sweet 16 in another week and see what happens from there. He finished the season averaging 16 points per game.

Flagler men's basketball, led by head coach Chad Warner (center) will play in the Elite Eight for the first time in school history after beating Alabama-Huntsville Tuesday night. For the first time in school history, Flagler is going to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight after an 89-75 win over Alabama-Huntsville. Flager is 17-2 on the season and has won 15 straight games heading into the Elite Eight in Evansville. They wound up adding six games against Division I teams, including regular-season games against Florida International, Central Michigan and UNF. He had led a similar transition at Shorter College in Rome, Georgia and he knows what it would take to win at Flagler.

4 seed Tennessee on Friday for the second game between the teams in six days. Noah Locke scored 13 points for Florida, and Tyree Appleby added 12 off the bench. Vanderbilt (9-16) lost to Florida for the third time this season and sixth straight in this series. The Commodores, who won only three league games in the regular season, had their chances for a second SEC win within 24 hours. Florida appeared ready to cruise to a sixth straight win in this series up 34-22 at halftime after the Gators scored the final eight of the half.

Tyree Appleby had 17 points on 7-of-14 shooting and Colin Castleton added 11 points for Florida (13-9, 9-7). 13 seed Vanderbilt in Thursday's second round. After being outrebounded 18-16 in the first half, Tennessee was plus-11 on the glass in the second. Florida had just 21 points after the break, its lowest-scoring half of the season. The Gators went into the game leading the SEC in free-throw percentage (.760, 37th NCAA), field-goal percentage (.472, 42nd NCAA) and 3-point field-goal percentage (.359, 78th NCAA).

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.

(AP Photo/James Crisp)LEXINGTON, Ky. – Tre Mann scored 14 of his 21 points in the second half and Florida pulled out a 71-67 victory over Kentucky on Saturday, winning its third straight game and avenging a blowout loss to the Wildcats. Neither team scored again until Mann's baseline jumper with 1:49 to go. Florida, which lost to Kentucky 76-58 on Jan. 9, picked up just the fifth season split in the series' history, the last coming in 1998. The win was just the 11th for Florida at Lexington versus 52 losses. Florida is home against Missouri on Wednesday before concluding its regular season at Tennessee on March 7.

(AP Photo/Wade Payne, File)Florida’s basketball game on Saturday has been postponed due to COVID-19 issues within the Gators program. “The Florida at LSU men’s basketball game of February 6 has been postponed due to a combination of positive tests, contact tracing and subsequent quarantining of individuals within the Florida basketball program, consistent with Southeastern Conference COVID-19 management requirements. The Gators had their four-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday night by South Carolina. The Gators are the second team in the News4Jax coverage region to postpone a game this week due to COVID-19. The University of North Florida had to postpone its games Friday and Saturday at Liberty due to COVID-19 protocols.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – University of North Florida’s basketball games on Friday and Saturday have been postponed due to COVID-19 issues. The Atlantic Sun Conference announced the news late Thursday afternoon, wiping out UNF’s games at Liberty. “The ASUN Conference office announced the North Florida at Liberty Men’s Basketball games scheduled for Feb. 5-6 have been postponed indefinitely due to positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing. The conference office is evaluating schedule options for the final three weeks of the regular season,” the ASun said in a statement. “The conference said ASUN Conference Men’s Basketball student-athletes, coaches and staff are tested on Monday and Wednesday every week prior to contests on Friday and Saturday.

Finally, good news on Florida basketball player Keyontae Johnson. “Keyontae is in stable condition today, breathing on his own and speaking with us and with his doctors here at UF Health. Like many of his Florida teammates, Johnson tested positive for COVID-19 during the summer. Although the cause of Johnson’s collapse has not been revealed, the coronavirus can lead to myocarditis, a viral infection of the heart muscle. At its most severe, myocarditis can lead to sudden cardiac arrest and has been a documented cause of death for young, otherwise healthy athletes.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida’s game on Wednesday night at Florida has been postponed, the schools announced on Tuesday. The game would have been the Gators’ first since forward Keyontae Johnson collapsed in the fist half of last Saturday’s game at Florida State. Johnson’s parents said Tuesday afternoon that he was in stable condition and continued to make improvements. “Wednesday’s Florida vs. North Florida men’s basketball game has been postponed with a makeup date to be determined,” Florida said in a news release. “Florida basketball and the UAA wish to thank UNF’s coaching staff, administration and team for their flexibility and willingness to make this schedule change.”Johnson was transported to UF Health in Gainesville on Monday.

University of Florida men’s basketball player Keyontae Johnson is in a medically induced coma following his collapse on the court during a Saturday game against FSU, USA Today reported. According to he report, Johnson’s grandfather, Larry DeJarnett, told USA Today that doctors hoped to try and bring him out of the coma Monday. Florida said in a statement that Johnson had been successfully transferred to UF Health in Gainesville. Johnson had just dunked in transition before he crumpled to the floor as the team broke its huddle. Johnson, a 6-foot-5 junior from Norfolk, Virginia, averaged a team-high 14 points last season to go along with 7.1 rebounds.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It’s almost go time for the third annual Fortegra High School 9:12 Invitational basketball tournament. On Thursday at Fletcher High School, the eight-team boys basketball tournament cranks up. The Fortegra High School 9:12 Invitational boys basketball tournament begins Thursday at Fletcher. (News4Jax)“Each year the tournament gets better and this year is no exception,” said Alan Verlander, Founder and CEO of High School 9:12. “Thanks to our sponsors and partners, we are able to provide an early season showcase that elevates high school basketball throughout our area.

Lee's Alex Fudge (3) and Tarence Guinyard at the High School 9:12 basketball media day on Tuesday at the Riverside YMCA. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – High school basketball is right around the corner and Tuesday’s High School 9:12 media day drove that point home. Media day, however different it looked and felt with masks and fist bumps, was a little slice of normalcy in a wild and erratic year. “… It does give hope that we’ll have a full season for these kids.”Field for Fortegra event announcedThe Fortegra High School 9:12 Basketball Invitational makes its third appearance this December at Episcopal. But the return of media day, Paden said, was a sign that the season is close.

NEW YORK – Basketball star Maya Moore has married Jonathan Irons, the Missouri man she helped work to free from prison after a 22-year-old wrongful conviction. Moore and Irons appeared together on ABC's “Good Morning America” on Wednesday to discuss their social justice efforts — and their relationship. Moore revealed that the two married this year, shortly after Irons was released on July 1. After Moore learned of his case and helped take up his cause, she and Irons developed a friendship on frequent visits to the prison. “I am trying to really just breathe from this long, long battle,” Moore said.

On Sunday the Florida gators basketball team will return to campus. This will be the first time the team has been together since March. We have challenged them to do the right things and be safe and stay healthy for themselves and their families. Right now, there are questions about how basketball season will look and if it will start on time. White says right now he is preparing as the season will start on time.

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)NEW YORK Thirty baseball teams from 28 cities, trying to play 60 games each amid a coronavirus pandemic that seemingly hasnt peaked in the United States. It could be a disaster.Public health experts have mixed feelings about baseballs hopes to open its season July 23. Unlike the NBA and NHL, Major League Baseball teams won't be sequestered into bubbles they'll be traveling all around the country. MLB has provided teams with a 113-page operations manual detailing protocols for its pandemic-shortened 60-game regular season. I do think that they do provide substantial benefit and decrease the risk of transmission, Adalja said of baseball's off-field protocols.

PHOENIX Major League Baseball's COVID-19 testing sweep appears to be having some success even as large swaths of the United States continue to struggle with containing the fast-spreading virus. In addition to five players, one staff member tested positive. The solution here is really to make sure that we expand testing, Adalja told The Associated Press. Testing results will be watched closely as players and coaches disperse around the country, travel on buses and planes, and stay in hotels. Freeman and and pitcher Touki Toussaint who also previously tested positive for the virus worked out at Truist Park on Friday.

Taking a cue from two European soccer leagues, Major League Baseball will play crowd noise from its official video game through ballpark sound systems during games. England's Premier League and Spains La Liga were the first to return to action with crowd sound from video games. Brewers infielder Eric Sogard said Thursday that the crowd noise did help step up the competition for some guys during intrasquad games. The Korean baseball league pipes in crowd noise at stadiums so they are not completely silent but it is barely audible during games aired on ESPN. Some fans and broadcasters are leery of artificial crowd noise because it takes away a unique opportunity to hear players' conversations during games this season.

In this photo provided by the Dallas Stars NHL hockey team, interim head coach Rick Bowness watches practice in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, July 14, 2020. You get out there and you miss it, the Dallas Stars coach said. You realize how much you enjoy being out there.The NHLs oldest head coach still worries about COVID-19 but not enough to stop doing his job. Im going to have to adjust to it, there is no question. The average age of the 24 head coaches in the playoffs is just under 54, the second-oldest behind the NBA among North Americas four major professional sports leagues.

News outlets including The Associated Press headed to court Wednesday seeking to unseal court records involving the mental competency of billionaire Tom Benson when he rewrote his will to give his third wife ownership of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans sports franchises. Attorneys for Benson oppose the request to unseal the proceedings, contending Benson's privacy concerns continue even after his 2018 death. Reese dismissed the lawsuit following eight days of testimony, ruling Benson was mentally sound when he ousted his estranged daughter and grandchildren from ownership positions with his teams. Gayle Benson, a devout Catholic with close ties to Archbishop Gregory Aymond, inherited Benson's business empire and has defended the Saint's public relations work on behalf of the cash-strapped archdiocese, which recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The team and church leaders have opposed a request by the AP to release thousands of internal emails documenting the public relations work.

Tuskegee Airmen Inc. said it would be honored and pleased to work with the organization if thats Washingtons new name. Former Washington linebacker Will Compton voiced his support for Red Wolves by saying he liked that name so much hed want to return for a day. Its going to take time to come back to the heyday of Washington winning and having full stadiums and people really supporting them, Derdenger said. Its going to take a long time for this new branded team to get to that point, but its certainly possible. And you know what helps them get to that point quicker is if they win.___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

(AP Photo/John Raoux)KISSIMMEE, Fla. Nearly 200 players took the field for an 8-minute, 46-second moment of silence to protest racial injustice before Major League Soccers return to action Wednesday night. Players wore black T-shirts, black gloves and black facemasks emblazoned with Black Lives Matter. The shirts had varying slogans that included Black And Proud, Silence Is Violence and Black All The Time. The group was formerly called the Black Players Coalition of MLS but changed its name this week to Black Players for Change. MLS players had weeks to decide what to do prior to the MLS is Back tournament at ESPNs Wide World of Sports complex at Disney World.

Stanford was already facing some difficult financial choices as it tried to support one of the nation's largest athletics departments. Stanford also is eliminating 20 support staff positions. As you can imagine this has been a heartbreaking day for all of us, especially with those student-athletes and coaches involved, athletic director Bernard Muir said. Stanford originally projected a deficit of $12 million for the 2021 fiscal year, a number that more doubled as it faced fewer donations, sponsorships and ticket sales. Muir said the $25 million deficit for 2021 would likely double if the football season is canceled.

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell says shortstop Luis Urias and pitcher Angel Perdomo tested positive for COVID-19 before the intake process. This marks the second setback for Urias since the Brewers acquired him from San Diego in November. Major League Baseball and the players association announced Friday that 31 players and seven staff members tested positive for COVID-19 during intake for the resumption of training, a rate of 1.2%. Players and staff were tested Friday, and general manager Mike Rizzo says the team still hasnt received its results. The WNBA hopes to start training camp later this week, with the regular season set to begin around July 24.