First Coast Media Day: Top Five Observations
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The First Coast Basketball Media Day was held and now the season is “officially” here. After seeing the teams, talking to the players, talking to the coaches, and gathering information, we walked away with many observations. There are a lot…
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Continue ReadingThe First Coast Basketball Media Day was held and now the season is “officially” here. After seeing the teams, talking to the players, talking to the coaches, and gathering information, we walked away with many observations. There are a lot of players to talk about and a lot of scenarios to look at: top Districts, top teams in the Districts, top teams in the Gateway. top prospects by class and top prospects by position. In this article, we highlight 5 observations that were surmised from this year’s annual Media Day event.
Observation 1: Bishop Kenny looks to be the number 1 team in the area. They are all of that and a “bag of chips.” Ranking BK as the number 1 team on the First Coast didn’t require me to have a degree from FSU. It only required seeing BK’s three seniors walk in the room: ( Clare Coyle Clare Coyle 6'1" | PF Bishop Kenny | 2024 State FL , Sydney Roundtree Sydney Roundtree 6'0" | PF Bishop Kenny | 2024 State FL , and Riley Talbert Riley Talbert 5'9" | SG Bishop Kenny HS | 2024 State FL ). These three have gone to Lakeland all of their high school career and have been “this close” to winning it all. These three players have all committed to D1 schools: Roundtree (Air Force Academy); Coyle (Furman); and Talbert (University of Alabama Birmingham). This alone doesn’t give BK the nod. There are other factors that support this claim. The Lady Crusaders only lost one starter from last year’s team (Sofia Rueppell), and they returned almost everyone else. That equals the top team on the First Coast – again.
Observation 2: Bolles will be a very good team this season. Abby Knauff Abby Knauff 5'9" | SG Bolles | 2025 State FL , one of the top Juniors in the State was at Media Day and she is ready to play some basketball. Knauff was joined by Hilary Englert Hilary Englert 5'10" | SF Bolles | 2024 State FL and Ella Stakem Ella Stakem 5'7" | SG Bolles HS | 2024 State FL , two of the top seniors in the area. The Bulldogs had some pep in their steps and that might be because of the “young dogs” who didn’t come to the Media Day event. Evelyn Freeman Evelyn Freeman 5'8" | PG Bolles | 2026 State FL , Presley Norman, and their new Freshman Center, Terrell McCoy Terrell McCoy 6'0" | PF Bolles | 2026 State FL who could have a major impact on the First Coast. Many feel the Dogs will be the biggest competition for the BK Crusaders.
Observation 3: The Battle of the Gateway will be crazy competitive this year and that makes for its own PGH article. The top contenders, judging by Media Day: Defending Gateway Champions, Mandarin was in the building and is poised to make a run for Gateway title again. In attendance was Senior forward Nykeria Thomas Nykeria Thomas 5'10" | CG Mandarin | 2024 State FL , Senior point guard Kiyana Hunter Kiyana Hunter 5'3" | PG Mandarin | 2024 State FL , and sophomore forward Mia Chandler Mia Chandler 6'0" | PF Mandarin | 2026 State FL . Chandler is one of the best young forwards in the area and Hunter and Thomas are one of the top Senior duos in the area. The Lady Trojans from Ribault will have a lot to say as they might be the early favorite to win the Gateway tournament this year. Senior guard Kayla Massey Kayla Massey 5'4" | PG Jean Ribault | 2024 State FL and Junior Forward Destiny Donaldson Destiny Donaldson 5'9" | SF Ribault | 2025 State FL were in the building representing Ribault. Ribault is loaded with talent and may have the top 2025 class on the First Coast and probably one of the top 5 Junior classes in the State. Ed White looks to be a major player in the Gateway this year and they’ve got a very talented roster to work with. Two of their talented players were in the building ( Leandrea McCloud Leandrea McCloud 6'2" | PF Ed White | 2025 State FL and guard, Alaysha Williams Alaysha Williams 5'6" | SG Ed White | 2025 State FL ), and they left as much talent at school on Media Day.
Observation 4: The Battle for Supremacy in Clay County is going to be a good one. That will also be another article (Who is Top-Dog in Clay County). My Top 4 teams are ranked as follows:
#1. Orange Park
The Lady Raiders have one of the best-underrated point guards in the area in Piera Alexander Piera Alexander 5'6" | PG Orange Park | 2024 State FL and one of the top three-point shooters in the area in Hailey Revak Hailey Revak 5'4" | SG Orange Park | 2024 State FL .
Key Players: Piera Alexander Piera Alexander 5'6" | PG Orange Park | 2024 State FL , Hailey Revak Hailey Revak 5'4" | SG Orange Park | 2024 State FL , Autumn Nesmith Autumn Nesmith 5'6" | SG Orange Park | 2024 State FL , Mychaela Parker Mychaela Parker 6'2" | C Orange Park | 2024 State FL
#2 Ridgeview
Ridgeview has one of the top Front courts in the area in Nia Blocton Nia Blocton 6'0" | PF Ridgeview | 2024 State FL and Nacoya Blocton Nacoya Blocton 6'0" | PF Ridgeview | 2025 State FL , but the loss of Paetyn Miller will be felt. It’s hard replacing a four-year starter at guard.
Key players: Nia Blocton Nia Blocton 6'0" | PF Ridgeview | 2024 State FL , Nacoya Blocton Nacoya Blocton 6'0" | PF Ridgeview | 2025 State FL , Narissa Blocton Narissa Blocton 5'9" | PG Ridgeview | 2026 State FL , Aniyah Campbell Aniyah Campbell 5'10" | PF Ridgeview | 2024 State FL
#3 Oakleaf
Oakleaf returns
Trista Brown
Trista
Brown
5'6" | SG
Oakleaf | 2025
State
FL
, a talented Junior, but it’s almost impossible to replace Fantasia James and Kaylah Turner.
Key Players:
Trista Brown
Trista
Brown
5'6" | SG
Oakleaf | 2025
State
FL
and
Ja’nease Bender
Ja’nease
Bender
5'10" | SF
Oakleaf | 2024
State
FL
#4 Fleming Island
Fleming Island has one of the most exciting players on their roster in
London Jenkins
London
Jenkins
5'4" | PG
Fleming Island | 2024
State
FL
. The Eagles will need some muscle down low and the paint holds the key to county supremacy.
Key Players:
London Jenkins
London
Jenkins
5'4" | PG
Fleming Island | 2024
State
FL
and
Victoria Noble
Victoria
Noble
5'6" | SG
Fleming Island | 2025
State
FL
Observation 5: Who is the top team in St Johns County? My top 5 are ranked as follows:
#1. Ponte Vedra gets the nod because of two things: their experience and their talent. They have made the playoffs for the past two years and should be the favorite to win their tough District again this season.
Key Players: Morgan Gavazzi Morgan Gavazzi 5'6" | PG Ponte Vedra | 2024 State FL , Kennedy Rosendahl Kennedy Rosendahl 5'6" | SG Ponte Vedra | 2024 State FL , Maya Richards Maya Richards 5'9" | SG Ponte Vedra | 2024 State FL
#2 Beachside has one of the top young rosters on the First Coast. The key word is young, but they will give Ponte Vedra everything they can handle
Key Players: Madilyn Ray Madilyn Ray 6'2" | C Beachside | 2026 State FL , Kendall Kane Kendall Kane 6'0" | SF Beachside | 2025 State FL , Morgan Cremen Morgan Cremen 5'8" | PG Beachside | 2026 State FL , and Arianna Walker Arianna Walker 5'8" | CG Beachside | 2026 State FL
#3 Pedro Menendez is poised to have a special season and comes in at number three in the county. Menendez has some athletic players who are going to put a lot of pressure on their opponents with their athleticism.
Key Players: Sophia Scibelli Sophia Scibelli 5'10" | SG Pedro Menendez | 2026 State FL and Kali Harris Kali Harris 5'9" | SF Pedro Menendez | 2024 State FL
#4 Creekside is another talented young team that is poised to make waves on the First Coast. They also have a lot of young talent after losing 5 to 6 players from last year’s squad.
Key Players: Jadynn Spivey Jadynn Spivey 5'9" | SG Creekside | 2025 State FL , Brie McCoy Brie McCoy 6'1" | PF Creekside | 2026 State FL , Cami Waters Cami Waters 5'9" | SF Creekside | 2026 State FL
#5 Tocoi Creek comes in ranked fourth in the county. They have a lot of young talent and will be an exciting team to watch.
Key Players: Gabrielle Iturralde, Audrey Beyer Audrey Beyer 5'10" | SG Tocoi Creek | 2026 State FL , and Kaitlynn Weaver Kaitlynn Weaver 6'0" | SF Tocoi Creek | 2024 State FL