Florida boys basketball Class Rural semifinal previews, prediction

High School on SI will be previewing all seven semifinal and championship games as well as making predictions to see who will play for a state championship.

Hawthorne Chasion Wilson (4) drives against Williston De'Andre Harvey (5) at Williston High School in Williston, FL on Friday, January 17, 2025. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun] / Alan Youngblood / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Rural classification boys basketball final four teams are set in the state of Florida and the classification did not disappoint. We've seen plenty of upsets as well as some thrilling finishes over the last couple of weeks.

Heading into Wednesday's state semifinal games, both matchups should be intriguing as we feature a couple of first-time semifinalists.

Rural Class Semifinal #1: Wednesday, February 26 at 3:00 p.m.

Graceville (17-12) vs Hawthorne (18-3)

The Graceville Tigers have surprised a lot of people under Head Coach Mike Gates who will lead his team onto a 7-hour trip to Lakeland heading into Wednesday's final four against the No. 1 ranked team in the rural classification Hawthorne Hornets.

The Tigers have made an improbable run to reach the Final Four where they defeated Bethlehem and Chipley on the road to reach this stage.

The Tigers were on the outside looking into the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) rural classification playoffs just three weeks ago and now they are just two wins away from capturing the school's first state championship in school history.

The Tigers will be led by 6'3 senior small forward Bryson Reynolds who is the team's leading scorer, averaging 15.7 points per game this season. 6'1 freshman point guard MJ Yeager is also having a stellar season where he is averaging 9.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game this season for the Tigers.

The Hawthorne Hornets are back in the Final Four for the second time in the last three seasons, where they needed a 45-43 win over Williston in the regional finals to secure their ticket.

There were several questions about this year's Hornets squad when they lost four-star small forward CJ Ingram who transferred to Montverde Academy before the season.

Stepping up in place of Ingram has been 6'6 senior small forward Chasion Wilson, who is averaging 13.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game this season.

Another veteran has stepped up this season for the Hornets in 6'1 senior guard Dacarion Debose who finished with 14 points and six steals in the regional final over Williston back on February 17.

Prediction: Hawthorne

Rural Class Semifinal #2: Wednesday, February 26- 7:00 p.m.

Fort White (15-9) vs Crossroad Academy (16-9)

The Fort White Indians under 4th-year head coach Elven Sheppard have reached the Final Four for the first time in program history.

The Indians defeated Madison County, 46-44 and Hilliard, 62-59 to reach the Final Four where they have needed some clutch performances by 6'2 senior guard Tafari Moe who enters this round as the team's leading scorer averaging 18.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

The Indians were 4-9 on the season after a 72-31 loss to Newberry back on January 16 where they got a taste of their own medicine following that game. Since that loss, the Indians have won 11 straight games and are now currently 15-9 overall.

Another name who has stepped up on this winning streak for the Indians has been 6'1 junior guard Jayden Jackson who is a 3-star football recruit but also gets the job done on the basketball court where he is averaging 16.6 points and 2.8 rebounds per game this season.

The Crossroad Academy Scorpions are no stranger to the Final Four where they have reached this stage for the second consecutive season.

The Scorpions currently carry a 5-game winning streak into the Final Four, dating back to January 29 where they lost to Marianna 61-49.

Keep an eye on 5'9 junior guard Forrest Dudley who can impact the game in a variety of ways whether it's his scoring or playmaking touch. Dudley is averaging nearly 16 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game this season.

Also keep an eye on 6'2 junior guard Jabari Boahen who is averaging nearly 10 points per game this season for the Scorpions.

Prediction: Fort White

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