Ocala/Gainesville Area 2024 Ranked Standouts

<p>Prep Hoops recently released their 2024 Rankings for the State of Florida, and the 352 is more than well represented. Boasting TWO players in the Top 5, the Marion/Alachua county area seems to be on the rise. Here are some of the newly ranked 2024 standouts from the Ocala and Gainesville area:</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1055724" first="Ryan" last="Jones"], 6-9, F, The Rock, Ranking: #1</strong></p> <p>Jones, recently off a Gold Medal with the FIBA U16 basketball team, is more than deserving of the #1 spot in the state. The 6-9 forward is as strong as they come and has the argument of being the best shooter in the entire state, despite being only shortly removed from his freshman season. The scary part is, he’s just getting better. His athleticism and mobility have improved since last year, and he should take more of The Rock’s offensive load with the graduation of [player_tooltip player_id="818656" first="Kyle" last="Duke"]. He’s poised to have a breakout season after a summer of growing with the FIBA team and living in the gym this summer.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1055768" first="X’Zavion" last="McCoy"], 6-0, Forest, Ranking: #178</strong></p> <p>McCoy should take on a pretty big role at Ocala’s Forest this year with the departure of their big time prospect Brennen Lorient as well as transfers from [player_tooltip player_id="829394" first="Jeremiah" last="Russell"] and [player_tooltip player_id="829385" first="Elijah" last="Russell"], who comprised most of the Wildcats’ offensive arsenal last season. He should be PG #1 for them this year, and will be relied on to contribute mostly from distance, as Forest really doesn’t have a consistent jump shooter. McCoy will have some ground to cover to overcome his size disadvantage, but he’s a high IQ guard who is unafraid to go at whoever is forced to guard him. He should make a big jump this year with the ball in his hands more and will be one of Ocala’s best players.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1163420" first="Kameren" last="Wright"], 6-4, The Rock, Ranking: #56</strong></p> <p>Wright is one of the best new guards in the Gainesville area. He has a great feel around the basket and has long arms to manipulate finishes. He’s a decent shooter, which could be a dangerous trait to pair with teammates RJ Jones and TJ Hurley, two of the state’s better shooters. His length also contributes to his defensive prowess, which makes him a great player on both sides of the ball. He should play a pretty big role in The Rock’s new roster and should be a guy to watch for college coaches. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p>