Florida high school boys basketball Class 5A Semifinals preview, 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.

Ponte Vedra's Trace Westercamp (20) drives to the basket against Nease's Zach Buttacavoli (2) during the first quarter of a regular season high school basketball matchup Friday, Feb. 2, 2024 at Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. The Ponte Vedra Sharks defeated the Nease Panthers 52-46. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

The FHSAA Class 5A 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 to watch as we feature a couple of first-time semifinalists.

In our first semifinal, the No. 3 seed Leesburg Yellow Jackets take on the No. 2 seed Ponte Vedra Sharks, who are making their fourth consecutive trip to the Final Four. In the other semifinal, the No. 4 seed St. Petersburg Green Devils will take on the top-seeded Blanche Ely Tigers.

Class 5A Semifinal #1: Wednesday, March 5 at 3:00 p.m.

Leesburg (17-7) vs Ponte Vedra (21-8)

The Leesburg Yellow Jackets are back in the Final Four for the first time since 2018, where they defeated Rickards 71-62 to win the Class 6A Championship.

The Yellow Jackets come into Wednesday's final four matchup on a six-game winning streak dating back to January 24 where they lost to 4A semifinalist Eustis, 41-40.

The Yellow Jackets have three players who average double figures in scoring, led by 6'6 junior wing Angelo Moton who is averaging 17.1 points per game.

The Yellow Jackets reached the Final Four by defeating Lecanto, 61-46 in the regional final back on February 20.

The Ponte Vedra Sharks are back in the Final Four for the fourth consecutive year, looking to get back to the state championship game for the first time since 2023.

The Sharks come into the Final Four riding an eight-game winning streak dating back to January 20 when they lost to Oakleaf, 59-56.

The Sharks also have three players who average in double figures, where they are led by 6'6 junior guard Maddox Palmer who averages 13.3 points and five rebounds per game.

Also, keep an eye on 6'2 senior guard David Sanchez-Barrera, the team's leader in assists, averaging 4.7 assists per game this season. Another name to keep an eye on will be 6'9 junior forward Trace Westercamp, who is averaging 11.2 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds per game this season.

Prediction: Ponte Vedra

Class 5A Semifinal #2: Wednesday, March 5 at 7:00 p.m.

St. Petersburg (18-11) vs Blanche Ely (18-9)

The St. Petersburg Green Devils are back in the Final Four for the first time since 2022, where they lost to Stranahan in the Class 5A title game.

The Green Devils like Ribault in Class 4A reached the Final Four despite being a district runner-up defeated Cape Coral, Port Charlotte, and Countryside to reach this stage.

The Green Devils are led by a two-headed monster duo in 6'5 freshman guard Nijaun Harris who is averaging a team-high 27.1 points per game and 5'10 junior guard Emir Gainer who is averaging 14.1 points per game this season.

The Tigers come into Wednesday's matchup on a five-game winning streak dating back to January 29 when they lost to 6A semifinalist St. Thomas Aquinas, 54-51 in overtime.

The Tigers have three players averaging in double figures heading into the Final Four, led by 6'2 senior guard Dylon Hanna who is averaging 16.4 points per game this season.

Also, keep an eye on 6'5 senior wing Jayelen Jonas, who is averaging 11.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game this season for the Tigers.

The Tigers are looking to get back into the state championship game for the first time since 2019, when they defeated Lakewood Ranch in the Class 8A title game.

Prediction: Blanche Ely