First Coast Prospects Emerging from Under the Radar

Prep Girls Hoops features athlete flying under the radar.

Hunter Keith January 16, 2023 @ 10:41 AM

As high school basketball moves past the mid-season mark, several players on the First Coast are emerging as very important pieces to the success of their teams. These players have flown under the radar for the first half of the season, but the contributions they have made in the past few weeks bring them to the forefront and from under the radar.   Kendyl Ryan / 2023 / 5'7 PF / Nease   Ryan is the emotional leader of the Nease Panthers and plays with great passion. With that being said, she also is effective on the basketball court. At the power forward position, the Senior forward is usually matched against a taller player. Ryan defends well and plays bigger than she is. She often makes contested shots on the inside and she handles the ball well enough to get out of trouble and keep the offense running smoothly.   Charlee Evoniuk /2023 / 5'10 SG / Stanton   Evoniuk showed last week that she is one of the best three-point shooters on the First Coast. Evoniuk knocked down 6 threes against Mandarin. She was able to connect off the catch and off of the dribble. Evoniuk is definitely a player under the radar. She's been shooting the long ball since her middle school days.   [player_tooltip player_id='470456' first='Irvieona' last='Gantt'] / 2024 / 5'8 SG / Mandarin   Gantt showed a lot during the Gateway Tournament this past week. If there was an offensive putback it was likely Gantt grabbing the rebound and putting it back in. She also ran the floor well and scored crucial baskets in transition. She was also effective at scoring at the midrange level and from behind the arc. Gantt is slowly emerging from under the radar and is proving to be a very big part of her team's success.   Nayala Jones /2024 / 6'0 PF / Mandarin   Jones has played well and has been very instrumental in Mandarin's success in the last few weeks. Jones rebounds well and gets quality shots in the paint. Jones will occasionally put the ball down and get to the rim. She plays with aggression and doesn't back down from a challenge.   Charlotte Peverly / 2024 / 5'11 PF / Ponte Vedra     Peverly played very well against Nease this past week. She showed she can score inside the paint and also play outside on the wing in the motion offense. Peverly scored most of her points on the inside, but she does have the ability to step outside and knock down the midrange shot and the three-point shot as well. She also did a good job on the rebounds. Peverly is a versatile player who can play multiple positions and gives quality minutes on both sides of the court. She is a vital part of her team's success, especially when playing against opponents who have size on the inside.   Victoria Noble / 2025 / 5'7 SG / Fleming Island   Noble has been known for a while as a dangerous three-point shooter and she has continued to shoot the three very well this season. At the midway juncture of her Sophomore year, the shooting guard is showing a lot of versatility in her game. Noble is getting out in transition and also scoring more in the paint. This past week, Noble averaged over 14 points per game.   Alex Gross / 2025 / 5'7 SG / Ribault   Gross is a young player that hasn't been talked about much, but as the season progresses, she is coming into crystal clear focus. The young guard can shoot from the outside, she flourishes in transition, and she is a solid defensive player who causes havoc on the ball and in the full-court press. Gross is also an athletic player who plays with a lot of intelligence on the court. She played well last week in the Gateway Conference semifinals and finals. She is one of the most talented Sophomores on the First Coast and is a player to keep an eye on.

As high school basketball moves past the mid-season mark, several players on the First Coast are emerging as very important pieces to the success of their teams. These players have flown under the radar for the first half of the season, but the contributions they have made in the past few weeks bring them to the forefront and from under the radar.