Boys basketball playoffs: Jackson tops Ribault; Raines, Providence win thrillers
The Jaylen Dopson quarter struck again.
Last time, the Jackson senior erupted in the fourth period. On Tuesday night, it was the third, when Dopson broke out for 12 points to spark the Tigers past Northside rival Ribault 56-46 in the Florida High School Athletic Association Region 1-4A playoff semifinal.
Dopson's dozen in the quarter, part of his 18 on the night, pulled the Tigers clear from a two-point halftime edge into double figures, in the latest edition of a boys basketball rivalry to remember.
Ribault (21-8) charged back in the fourth quarter to cut the Jackson lead to five, but three TayVion Lawson baskets helped slam the door.
Caleb Williams scored 16 points in the final game of his illustrious Trojans career, while Jamian Jackson led Ribault with 17.
Nine times, the Northside schools have faced off since November 2022. Ribault went 3-1 on the way to the final four last year, but the Tigers (24-3), ranked first in Class 4A by the FHSAA, are now one game away from the final four at Lakeland's RP Funding Center.
Jackson next lands another Northside matchup Friday night at home against Raines, which won a back-and-forth 48-46 thriller at Paxon (21-4). The schools played a similar nail-biter at last month's Gateway Conference tournament, when Raines erased an 11-point Paxon lead in the last four minutes.
The Vikings (21-7) hit free throws down the stretch and a half-court buzzer-beating attempt by Paxon drifted off target.
![Jackson forward Ronald Durham (21) dribbles as Ribault guard Caleb Williams (3) defends during the FHSAA Region 1-4A high school boys basketball playoff on February 20, 2024. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/KzR7gvnINGpEA2idnam4wg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-florida-times-union/7da4cb3caff5d21a851c9b6a3aefeff9)
REGION 1-6A
Ponte Vedra's Sharks are chomping back to the elite eight.
Seizing command in the fourth quarter, the Sharks won 58-44 against visiting Gainesville (18-12) in a rematch of last season's regional final.
Sam Ritchie scored 14 points to lead 2023 state finalist Ponte Vedra, followed by Tyler Cowan with 12, Ryan Speace with 11 and David Sanchez Barrera with 9.
Ponte Vedra (22-7) next travels Friday to Wiregrass Ranch, which eliminated Gainesville Buchholz 71-62.
REGION 1-5A
A fourth-quarter advantage slipped away for Riverside, when Tallahassee Rickards (23-6) outscored them 15-6 in the final period to down the Generals 39-36.
Riverside (18-9) led by six entering the final quarter before Rickards launched a 9-0 run highlighted by consecutive Travis Morris baskets to recapture the lead. Tae'shaun Gelsey brought Riverside back within a score in the closing minute but the Raiders closed out the game.
REGION 1-3A
Brady Patterson's running jump shot with 12 seconds remaining in overtime led Providence to a 43-41 victory against visiting Florida High (18-11), a rematch of last year's regional final.
The Seminoles launched a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but the top-seeded Stallions (23-5) survived.
They will play an all-Jacksonville regional final at home Friday night against Episcopal (24-4). Grady Schwartz scored 16 points, while Kent Jackson tallied 13 and Will Moore got 10 in a come-from-behind 50-47 victory against Marianna (26-3).
REGION 1-2A
University Christian downed reigning regional champion North Florida Educational in an overtime thriller, 49-48. Odaine Clahar launched a jumper at the buzzer for NFEI (10-14), but UC center Adalbert Allotey swatted it away.
Calvin Carter and King Sanders led with nine points apiece for UC (17-11), which advances to Friday's regional championship at Impact Christian.
Impact Christian needed to hold off a fourth-quarter rally to survive 54-52 against visiting Quincy Munroe (17-9). The Lions (17-10) will host an all-Jacksonville regional final on Friday. Leith Kenon (17 points) and Karlton Knight (13 points) led Munroe.
REGION 3-1A
Make way for the Flashes in the final four.
Overcoming a shaky start, Hilliard pulled away after halftime for a 64-51 victory against visiting Fort White (17-7) in Tuesday's regional final. C.J. Hall scored 20 points to lead the Red Flashes, while senior Kevin Thomas delivered a double-double (19 points, 17 rebounds) and Malcolm Warthen scored 15 points.
Hilliard (24-2) moves on to a March 1 state semifinal at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland, where they'll play against Quincy Crossroad Academy.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Boys basketball playoffs 2024: Jacksonville second-round wrap
