Middleton, Fla. — The eight-team tournament field for the 13th annual Battle at The Villages was officially announced Tuesday.
The three-day event will feature four out-of-state squads and four teams hailing from the Sunshine State – along with four visitors making return trips – for the tournament held Dec. 28-30 at The Villages High School in Middleton.
The host VHS, which finished as BATV runner-up last December after winning it all in 2024, welcomes Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.), Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.), Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Covington Catholic (Park Hills, Ky.) to the Sunshine State. Those squads will be joined by a trio of in-state participants in Providence (Jacksonville), PK Yonge (Gainesville) and Windermere to round out the bracketed event.
The official tournament bracket will be released in October. Games are scheduled for 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on all three days of the event.
Advanced ticket purchase opportunities for the tournament, held inside the 1,200-seat VHS Gymnasium, will also be made available at a later date.
I am excited for this year’s Battle at The Villages, which features a balanced field of Florida and out-of-state teams, two Top 50 (nationally ranked) teams, multiple Division I prospects, and an exciting slate of 12 highly competitive basketball games. Welcoming back three past event champions, legendary coaches in Carl Kremer and Jim Martin, and three tournament newcomers should create an exciting atmosphere. Our competition committee truly believes any one of the eight teams could be crowned Battle champions.
Marty dzuro jr. (batv tournament director)
Nickname: Buffalo
Location: Middleton, Florida
Last Season Record: 24-8
Last Season Finish: Lost in FHSAA Class 3A state championship
Note: The host Buffalo, who won the 2024 Battle, have advanced to back-to-back state title games and made four straight FHSAA Final Four appearances.
Nickname: Crusaders
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Last Season Record: 18-6
Last Season Finish: Lost in OHSAA Division I district final
Note: Archbishop Moeller, led by Carl Kremer and his 718 career victories, is making its third trip to the Battle at The Villages after previously winning the tournament back in 2016.
Nickname: Colonels
Location: Park Hills, Kentucky
Last Season Record: 31-3
Last Season Finish: Lost in first round of UK Healthcare Sweet 16 Tournament
Note: No visiting team has made more tournament appearances than Covington Catholic, as the 2019 champion returns to participate for a fifth time.
Nickname: Pumas
Location: Gilbert, Arizona
Last Season Record: 13-17
Last Season Finish: Lost in AIA 6A state championship
Note: The Pumas make their first Battle appearance after seeing their run of four straight state championships end with a runner-up finish last March.
Nickname: Blue Wave
Location: Gainesville, Florida
Last Season Record: 13-14
Last Season Finish: Lost in FHSAA Class 2A region semifinal
Note: The Blue Wave enter the Battle for the very first time and on a bit of an upswing, making the Class 2A playoffs after a 10-win season the year prior.
Nickname: Stallions
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Last Season Record: 29-3
Last Season Finish: Won FHSAA Class 2A state championship
Note: Under legendary head coach Jim Martin, the Stallions return to The Villages for a third time after capturing the FHSAA Class 2A state title last winter.
Nickname: Vikings
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Last Season Record: 28-2
Last Season Finish: Won AIA Open Division state championship
Note: The Vikings make their BATV debut after capturing Arizona’s Open Division title last winter en route to earning a No. 5 national ranking (MaxPreps).
Nickname: Wolverines
Location: Windermere, Florida
Last Season Record: 15-4
Last Season Finish: Lost in FHSAA Class 7A region semifinals
Note: Windermere is back to the Battle at The Villages for the second time, after previously posting a runner-up finish to host VHS back in 2024.