Northeast Florida 1st Half of Season Standouts

The first 6 weeks of the high school basketball season in the Jacksonville area has delivered plenty of standout performances, breakout stars, and teams beginning to separate themselves from the pack. From dynamic scorers and elite playmakers to dominant forwards and impact defenders, the area is full of college prospects. Here's a look at the players that have stood out so far.    The Presbyterian signee leaded the 11-1 Tigers with 15.4 points and 7.4 points per game. Hackworth is a late blooming, versatile big man who can score on the block, in the midrange and has the ability to stretch the floor out to 3. He is a productive rebounder and an above average athlete who continues to improved.     One of the top scorers in the state at 24.0 ppg, Young is a fast, athletic, scoring guard who can play with or without the ball. The unsigned senior is a very good finisher at the rim, has good strength and is a solid open shot maker. Young is one of the best available guards in the state's 2026 class.     Hackworth's teammate, Davis is a fast rising prospect in the 2026 class. The 6'0 combo guard is incredibly difficult to stay in front of and keep out of the lane. He is a strong finisher in the paint and can create shot opportunities for his teammates. At the defensive end, Davis can guard multiple positions, is a good on-ball defender and plays at a very fast pace. College coaches are starting to monitor the Tiger senior.     One of the area's top shooters, Jativa is a skilled guard scoring nearly 22 points per game on the season. The senior has made 47 three point field goals on the season at an over 40% clip. Not just a shotmaker, Jativa can create some space using the dribble and is a slightly better than average athlete when attacking the rim.     One of the top guards in Florida's sophomore class, McFadden is scoring 20+ ppg this season for Tocoi Creek. He is one of the most versatile guards in the area who is being tracked by mid/high major Division I programs. McFadden continues to improve his shot making from the perimeter and is capable of creating his own offense off the bounce for one of the top teams in District 3-6A.     Lindsay was a relative unknown to our staff prior to his breakout season where he is scoring over 19 points per game for the Panters and Head Coach Josh Bailen. Lindsay is a skilled, sharp shooting guard with a high basketball IQ. Also a high academic prospect, Lindsay should be a popular name with college coaches from around the country this spring and summer.     The Providence School wing and Jacksonville State signee has been consistently productive in his first year with the Stallions averaging 13.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest. Christie is an ultra athletic, attacking wing who continues to trend up. His motor always seems to run high, he can get downhill off the bounce and his perimeter jump shot is much improved. He is able to guard multiple positions, which should give him a chance to see the floor early for the Gamecocks next fall.     Christie's teammate and the leading scorer (15.9 ppg) for the traditional Jacksonville area power and Head Coach Jim Martin, Stewart is a smooth, slashing wing with high level athleticism. He has versatility on both ends of the floor, which enables him to have an impact at both ends of the floor. The sophomore is trending towards being one of the state's top prospect in the 2028 class.

The first 6 weeks of the high school basketball season in the Jacksonville area has delivered plenty of standout performances, breakout stars, and teams beginning to separate themselves from the pack. From dynamic scorers and elite playmakers to dominant forwards and impact defenders, the area is full of college prospects. Here's a look at the players that have stood out so far.