Jacksonville Ortega Open Gym: 2026 and 2027 Standouts

A lot of players are working out at the YMCA, attending camps, or attending open-gym sessions. I attended a few open-gym sessions in Jacksonville and the players listed below stood out. Many are from the 2026 and 2027 classes and are players you should become familiar with.   [player_tooltip player_id='823456' first='Trinity' last='Hodge'] /2027 / SG / Fletcher Middle School The athleticism of Hodge just stands out. She was one of the most impressive-looking athletes in the gym. Every move and motion just looks so fluid. Hodge has some games as well. Her midrange shot is where she really stood out, and she even knocked down a long-range jumper. Hodges also has some nice handles for a young player. She will be a player to follow this year.   Riley Muldoon /2026 / G / Bishop Kenny   Muldoon has good length and moves fluidly on the court. She has a nice shooting form and connected on a few long-range jumpers during the scrimmages. Muldoon runs the court well and was very active on defense. She communicates well with teammates. Her basketball IQ stood out and she seemed to always be a step ahead.   [player_tooltip player_id='400813' first='Asiana' last='McCreary'] / 2027 / 5'11 SF / Freedom Crossing Academy   McCreary has a good height and was really impressive in the open gym setting. She ran the floor well and finished at the rim on the left and right. She is long and is very active in the paint. She rebounds well and blocked her share of shots. She had a strong presence in the paint, on offense offensive, and on defense.   Alex Haynes / 2026 / 6'0 PF / Raines   Haynes was the most impressive player at the open gym session. She was simply dominant. In the 3 on 3, Haynes was dominant. She played through physical contact and had some impressive finishes on the left and right side of the goal. Haynes actually initiates the contact. Haynes showed soft hands and good footwork in the paint. She will definitely be a player to watch this upcoming season.   Annie Ament / 2026 / 5'11 F / Beachside   Ament has great length at 5'11. She can score the ball from all three levels - attacking the rim, shooting in the midrange, and knocking down the three point shot. Ament also rebounds well and is a solid defender. Ament looks like a special player and she will be one to watch this upcoming season.   [player_tooltip player_id='248551' first='Alanna' last='Tatum'] / 2026 / 5'6 PG / University Christian   Tatum looked good as always in the open gym. Tatum has been on an impressive journey in the last year. She started on Varsity as an 8th grader and made it to the Final 4 in the State Championship. Following the trip to Lakeland, Tatum played up a class and shined all summer long on ECU Family 2025. At the open gym session, she looked an inch taller and looked like a veteran on the courts. She was fluid as ever and stood out as always.   [player_tooltip player_id='400811' first='Elle' last='Deegan'] / 2027 / 5'8 SG / Saint Paul's Catholic School   Deegan looked impressive in the 3-on-3 drills and the 4-on-4 drills. Her jumper was smooth and she made some nice shots from behind the arc. Deegan played well over the summer and was really efficient in shooting the ball. The high school will have to wait as the talented lefty still has one more year of middle school ball.   [player_tooltip player_id='400785' first='Audrey' last='Beyer'] 2026 / 5'10 SG / Bartram   Beyer looked Varsity-ready during the open gym. She handled the ball well and made some good reads on the court. She shot it well from all levels, including a few long bombs from behind the arc. Beyer was also solid in distributing the ball to the open player.   [player_tooltip player_id='400786' first='Imani' last='Henderson'] / 2026 / 6'0 C / Atlantic Coast   Henderson played with a lot of confidence during the scrimmages. She is definitely a force on the defensive end and makes others think twice about challenging her on the inside. Henderson is a very good shot blocker who has great timing. She is only a Freshman and already draws a comparison to Nia Brown who played at Orange Park High School. Henderson can also score in the painted area. She is poised to have a good year at Atlantic Coast and be one to follow during the season.

A lot of players are working out at the YMCA, attending camps, or attending open-gym sessions. I attended a few open-gym sessions in Jacksonville and the players listed below stood out. Many are from the 2026 and 2027 classes and are players you should become familiar with.