JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — For the fifth time in the last six seasons, the Andrew Jackson boys' basketball team is headed to Lakeland, FL, to compete in the State Final Four.
The Tigers have reached the state title game three times in those five semifinal appearances but are still seeking their first state championship since 1993.
The seniors on this team remember the title game loss in 2022 and have learned from that experience, now mentally ready for the big stage.
"I keep myself calm because I realized that I've been there. And as a team, I try to tell the boys we all went, we all got to push each other every day so when we get to these moments, we're ready for it," said Tigers' guard Ronald Durham. "It starts in practice. It starts with the little games that we had. We've got to push each other. We've been practicing the whole year for this stage right here, and we're ready for it."
"We prepare the same way as every game. It's just a bigger stage with a bigger cost that we have to win. So, we just have to go out there and play," said guard/forward Albert Laguerre.
"We have faced a lot through this whole year, so it's a big accomplishment for us, and we're going to try to go down there and get the job done," said guard/forward Jaylen Dopson.
Andrew Jackson will face Villages Charter in the 4A bracket on Thursday, Feb. 29, at 3 p.m. in Lakeland, FL.