Middleton, Fla. — The Villages High School boys basketball team, a state Final Four participant each of the past three years, released its 2025-26 season schedule Monday.

The Buffalo will play a total of 12 home dates — plus two preseason exhibition games in Middleton — as part of its 25-game schedule, which also includes six special events throughout the upcoming winter campaign.

VHS will host The First Academy (Orlando) and The Rock (Gainesville) in the Refs 'R' Us Tipoff Classic, a preseason event set for Nov. 11 and Nov. 13 in Middleton, before officially opening its regular season Nov. 17 at South Lake in Groveland. The Buffalo are 4-0 against the Eagles in series history, with the last meeting coming in 2016.

The Villages will play an out-of-state contest for the third time in four years on Nov. 24, as the Buffalo travel north to take on Rickards (Tallahassee) at the Lowndes County Showcase in Valdosta, Georgia.

For the first time in program history, VHS will participate in the main bracket of the City of Palms Classic from Dec. 18-23 at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers. The 48th annual event traditionally hosts the nation's top high school boys basketball teams each year.

After winning the Battle at The Villages for the first time last December, the Buffalo will look to defend their crown in the 12th annual three-day event from Dec. 29-31 in Middleton. The eight-team tournament bracket will be released next month.

The Buffalo will then consecutively play a trio of road games against some of the Orlando metro's finest programs, as VHS travels to Montverde Academy (Jan. 9), Olympia (Jan. 13) and Oak Ridge (Jan. 15) over a span of six days.

A return to the Wally Keller Classic at Charlotte High School is set for Jan. 16-17 in Punta Gorda, before VHS hosts the Iverson Classic Blackout Series on Jan. 23-24 in Middleton. That two-day event will feature more than two dozen teams from multiple states across the country.

VHS welcomes Santa Fe Catholic as its Senior Night opponent on Jan. 29 and the regular-season finale is slated for Jan. 31 in the Mosaic Stinger Classic in Bartow.

The Villages is looking to build upon a 26-6 record and a state runner-up finish last season, as the Buffalo return four starters and a total of nine players from the roster a year ago.

To view the full 2025-26 schedule, click here: https://athletics.tvcs.org/sports/boys-bball/schedule. Tickets will go on sale for home games on October 1, 2025 at 9:00AM on GoFan.





Cody Hills can be reached for questions or comment via email at cody.hills@tvcs.org.