Meet The News-Press 2024 All-Area Boys Basketball Team sponsored by Babcock Ranch
At the end of each season, The News-Press and Naples Daily News select All-Area teams honoring the best athletes for every sport. Coaches from area schools are sent nomination forms and are asked to nominate and rate their athletes as well as those from other teams. That data combined with our research led to the selection of the All-Area team.
FIRST TEAM
Tavian Cook
School: Gateway
Year: Senior
Highlights: The combo guard enjoyed his best season on the Eagles' run to winning their third district title and reaching the regional final in Class 4A for the second year in a row. Cook averaged 24 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 assists a game.
Pat Johnson
School: Gateway Charter
Year: Junior
Highlights: The 6-foot-8 big man posted 22 double-doubles averaging 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Griffins this season. His prowess helped Gateway Charter go 22-8, winning the Class 3A-12 title and making the program's first regional final.
Marcus Kelley Jr.
School: Mariner
Year: Senior
Highlights: Kelley was the steady engine behind the Tritons' run to the Final Four in Class 5A this season. Incredibly productive on both ends of the floor, he averaged 17 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals.
Leroy Roker
School: Bishop Verot
Year: Senior
Highlights: The Vikings' point guard averaged 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, helping the team's turnaround 22-7 season. A respected defender and skilled athlete, he scored 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting and nearly led Verot's comeback in their playoff loss to Tampa Catholic.
Gabriel Timmons
School: Gateway Charter
Year: Senior
Highlights: Timmons was Mr. Do-It-All for the Griffins this season, averaging 11 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. The 6-foot-1 guard stepped up in the playoffs where he provided key scoring bursts for Charter, including a 30-point, 11-rebound performance in the regional semifinals.
SECOND TEAM
Jerry Ashley, Bishop Verot
Giordan Easley, Cypress Lake
Brady Knutson, Estero
Justin Lewis, Mariner
Gavin Williams, Bishop Verot
THIRD TEAM
Trey Fogle, Gateway Charter
Corey Hunter, Mariner
Kelvin Jimenez, Mariner
Myles Jones, Gateway Charter
Isaiah Newson, North Fort Myers
HONORABLE MENTION
Bishop Verot: Eddie Gore, Tyler Reeder
Bonita Springs: Luke Kalsow, Matthias Reynolds
Cape Coral: Austin Arringdale-Klein, Elijah Felix
Cypress Lake: Jayden Jones, Obang Ochan
East Lee County: Maxwell Jean-Louis
Evangelical Christian: TJ Ehindero, Logan McClaran
Estero: Drew Arrington, Lee Eckman
Fort Myers: Marquielle Tory, Marvin Tory
Gateway: Christopher Davis, Tyler Diaz
Gateway Charter: Noah Cutler, EJ Monteagudo
Ida Baker: Alex Dingerson, Logan Rams
Island Coast: Jose Bido, Terrell Hill
LaBelle: Giovanni Beaver, Alan King Jr.
Lehigh: Justin Gollop, Angel Pagan Jr.
Mariner: Sam Guth, Asher Hercek
North Fort Myers: Khalid Bourne, Alberto Riviera
Oasis: Javarius Jackson, Brendan Overbaugh
Riverdale: Jamar Underwood, Konnor VonHagen
SFCA: Asa Rogosich, Jake Trottier
South Fort Myers: Ja'mahdi Ward, Avery Thomas
COACH OF THE YEAR
Ryan Hercek
School: Mariner
Highlights: Guiding a group of seniors who stayed together all four years, Hercek and the Tritons stepped up for the last hurrah. Mariner went 20-10 and reached the Final Four for the first time in 28 years while playing the toughest schedule of any team in Southwest Florida.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: The News-Press 2024 All-Area Boys Basketball Team
