It’s Time For Battle!

The 11th annual Battle at The Villages, hosted by the Buffalo Stampeders Youth Sports Club, takes place Dec. 26-28 inside the VHS Gymnasium on the campus of The Villages High School in Middleton.

A collection of six teams from across the Sunshine State will descend upon the Sumter County campus, while a pair of out-of-state squads — both hailing from Georgia — will bring a total of eight participants to the three-day event.

Tickets are can be purchased online by clicking here and will be available at the door for $20 each day.

2024 TEAMS

• The Villages (Middleton, Fla.) seeks its elusive first Battle championship after coming up empty in 10 previous tries. The Buffalo finished 20-12 overall last winter and made an appearance in the Class 4A Final Four in Lakeland.
• Berkeley Prep (Tampa, Fla.) makes its third trip to the Battle at The Villages, having previously played in the 2018 and 2022 editions, respectively. The Buccaneers finished 23-7 overall last season and made an appearance in the Class 3A Final Four in Lakeland.
• Impact Christian (Jacksonville, Fla.) makes its second trip to the tournament, previously participating in the 2020 edition. The Lions finished 18-11 overall last winter and made an appearance in the Class 2A Final Four in Lakeland.
• Windermere (Windermere, Fla.) makes its first appearance at the event. The Wolverines finished 20-9 last season and advanced to the Class 7A regional semifinals.
• Santa Fe Catholic (Lakeland, Fla.) makes its first Battle at The Villages appearance. The Hawks finished with a 24-6 overall record last season and advanced to the Class 3A regional semifinals.
• Cypress Bay (Weston, Fla.) makes its first tournament appearance. The Lightning went 16-11 last winter and advanced to the Class 7A regional quarterfinals.
• Hillgrove (Powder Springs, Ga.) makes its first-ever trip to the Battle at The Villages. The Hawks finished 16-11 overall last season and advanced to the Georgia Class 7A regional quarterfinals.
• Mt. Bethel Christian (Marietta, Ga.) makes its first Battle appearance. The Eagles went 15-7 last winter and failed to make the Georgia state playoffs.

“I’m excited for the 11th annual Battle at The Villages, featuring six of the best teams from Florida and two Atlanta-area powerhouse programs. Basketball fans can expect to see 12 of the best high school games this year in the VHS Gymnasium. I can’t wait to add another exciting chapter to the Battle and seeing these eight teams compete here in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown.”
– Marty Dzuro, BATV Tournament Committee Chairman