South Florida teams dominated the FHSAA state boys basketball landscape last season, with five teams from Broward capturing state championships and two from Dade-County rounding out the 7A-1A competitions.

St. Thomas Aquinas (6A), Blanche Ely (Class 5A), Stranahan (4A), Calvary Christian Academy (3A), and Sagemont Prep (1A) all returned to Broward County with hardware in place. Miami-Dade County teams Miami Columbus (7A) and Riviera Prep (2A) also captured state titles. It was the most titles in a season in state history by Broward or Palm Beach County teams, with the previous number being four, done multiple times.

Rebuilding, reloading? No, retooling

For the most part, St. Thomas Aquinas stood pat, except for the graduation of Sun Sentinel 7A-5A player of the year Dwayne Wimbley Jr.

The Raiders, who won the program’s second state title, are virtually intact after that, led by the Sandis — coach Julius, and sons DJ, a senior guard and American University commit, and Kellson, a junior guard. Leading scorer Clarence Westbrook (17.3 ppg), a junior, also returns, along with fellow juniors Nate Accius and Zane Elliott.

Three-time defending champion Sagemont is gunning for a fourth consecutive state title, but it also got hit hard by graduation, losing Patrick Liburd (Michigan), Matthew Able (NC State) and Anthony Knowles (FAMU). The Lions also lost 6-7 senior forward, and LSU commit Kevin Thomas, who transferred to Montverde.

Senior guard David Nealy (12.3 points) transferred in from Stranahan. Sagemont also has youth on its side with sophomores Ezra Gelin and Branden Sharpe. They also picked up five total transfers and have senior Obinna Ekufu, a standout from London.

Stranahan, which captured its fourth state and third since 2019, returns its two leaders in seniors Isaiah Brown (7 ppg, 10 RB) and Christian Yeargin  (15 ppg). They also bring back junior Damari Foster (12 ppg).

Blanche Ely won their first state title since 2019 and their ninth overall. They struggled out of the gate, going winless in their first three games under new coach BJ Hicks, a longtime assistant under former coach Melvin Randall. The Tigers graduated their top four scorers, and last year’s boys coach, JR McNabb, is coaching AAU girls.

Westminster Academy, which fell to three-time defending state champion Riviera Prep in the regional semifinals, graduated Alex Lloyd (27.9 points), who is at UF, and lost senior Georgetown commit Alexander Constanza (29.4 points), who left for Spire Prep (Ohio). The Lions do return junior Dwight “DJ” Gaines (12.3), who holds offers from five D-1 schools, including FAU, and have freshman guard Desean Clayton.

Daunting district

If you are looking for the toughest district in the state, look no further than District 12-3A, which contains defending state champion Calvary Christian, former state champion St. Andrew’s, and perennial postseason power North Broward Prep.

Calvary Christian graduated Shon Abaev (Cincinnati), but returns top guards in junior Cayden Daughtry (16 points) and senior KJ Francis (8.3 points). The Eagles (22-1) won their fourth state championship and first since 2022. Top forward Collin Paul, who recently signed with FSU, is out with a knee injury and could return by February.

They also have a lot of new faces, including senior guard Jacob Zhu, a member of China’s junior national team, along with transfers Chauncey Stewart (Westminster Academy), Aiden Bolden (Providence Christian, Tenn.), and junior Jadus Sorhaindo (Tampa Berkeley Prep).

North Broward Prep got off to a 4-0 start this year with the return of senior wing Francesco Borio (averaging 12 ppg) after missing most of last season with an injury. Seniors Ryan Baxley and Sam Cano are also contributing, averaging 33 ppg between the two of them. Among the victories is a 61-21 win over defending state champ Blanche Ely.

St. Andrew’s veteran coach John O’Connell, who enters his 41st season with 766 career victories, expects opponents to be seeing double, as in senior twins Xander and Brendan Gerard and senior forward Lukas Buinevicius.

Broward Sleeper teams to watch

Cardinal Gibbons (25-5) made a run at a state championship last season only to fall in the state semifinals to eventual champion Calvary Christian. Two starters return in senior guard AJ Ambrose (15.1 points) and its top scorer Justus Herbert (16 points, 8 boards). Also back are senior Evan Wyche and junior Juan Fernandez, along with senior transfers DeMarcus Deroche and Mason Rowan.

South Plantation, coming off its third straight 20-win season, returns three starters led by senior guard Travis Chin. The team also loaded up on four transfers – juniors James Williams III (Pembroke Pines Charter), Aiden Davis (Piper), Tyler Bennett (Sagemont) and sophomore Aiden Hamilton (Somerset Key).

Senior forward Rowan Hoffman, a double-double machine last year (17.5 points, 14.7 rebounds), heads up a talented cast at Pine Crest. They will have to figure out a way to replace senior forward Ethan Mott, who transferred to Grandview Prep.

Anytime a school has an athletic senior guard like Jasen Lopez, who has committed to FSU for both basketball and football, you can contend. Lopez, a Super 11 selection in addition to a Fab 5 pick for Chaminade-Madonna, averaged 25 points last season for the 23-6 regional semifinalist.

Pembroke Pines Charter, winner of state titles in 2022 and 2024, is led by senior center Robert Guishard and senior guards Jacob Trenchfield and Roman Hughes.

Coral Glades is led by Kyler Theophile, a Kennesaw State signee, who lit it up during the summer club season. He has some good pieces around him in fellow seniors Brandon Pitts and Jamari Bolden.

Palm powers to keep an eye on

Dwyer, the last Palm Beach County team to win a state title (2023), has captured a county-high four state championships, and as long as you have a backcourt consisting of seniors Jordan Quince and Tamari Reed, you will always be in the postseason discussion.

The Panthers did lose senior guard Anthony Gatlin to Suncoast, one of three transfers to bolt to the Chargers this summer – the other two being Kyree McKelton (Palm Beach Lakes) and Victor Diaz (Somerset Academy-Canyons). They will go along with senior guard Jamarey Harris. Suncoast also has senior guard Aaron Horton.

Wellington (22-5) is expected to make a push into the postseason behind senior point guard Rashard Reinhardt, one of the few returners from a 2024 edition that graduated a host of seniors, many who are playing in college, including 7A-5A Sun Sentinel player of the year Tor-El Robinson.

Jupiter has had three straight seasons of 20 wins or more and features junior guard Brandon Collum, along with seniors Zach Bombardier and Zach Fleming.

Palm Beach Central (19-7) added senior Tariq McLeod from Lake Worth and has talented freshman guard Xavier Police in the fold.

Grandview Prep finished 18-6 last season and added sophomore sharp shooter Ethan Mott. Pride coach Joe Dawson called Mott “one of the most talented sophomores he’s coached.”

Inlet Grove had its second-best season in school history last year, finishing 18-6, and junior guard Robert Brown (18 ppg, 3 RB) is expected to carry the offensive load again.

Key dates

Feb. 3, 5, 7, 2026: District tournaments; Feb. 14: Class 7A-1A regional quarterfinals, Class Rural regional semifinals; Feb. 21: Class 7A-1A regional semifinals, Class Rural regional finals; Feb. 24-27: Rural state tournament; Feb. 28: Class 7A-1A regional finals; March 5-7 and March 9-14: 7A-1A state tournament in Jacksonville.

2024-25 state champions

Class 7A: Miami Columbus; Class 6A: St. Thomas Aquinas; Class 5A: Blanche Ely; Class 4A: Stranahan; Class 3A: Calvary Christian; Class 2A: Riviera Prep; Class 1A: Sagemont Prep; Rural: Hawthorne.