For most elite high school basketball players, the fall represents a time for renewal.
Many wait patiently for a new season after a summer of intense training.
CJ Ingram operates differently.
The junior spent his 2023 fall throwing for over 2,600 yards, 38 TDs and leading Hawthorne to back-to-back state championships.
Just eight days after that title game in Tallahassee, the son of Hornets royalty took to the hardwood.
His exploits in basketball?
Just as impressive.
Ingram led Class 1A in points, steals and free throws and ranked in the top 10 in blocks, field goals and rebounds.
Those accomplishments? Yeah, it’ll get you noticed.
Ingram is the 2023-24 Gainesville Sun All-Area Small School Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
The son of Hawthorne football and girls basketball coach Cornelius Ingram, CJ takes home this prize for the fourth time in his career. He was POY in boys’ basketball the last two years and football last season.
Ingram has yet to say what sport he’ll focus on in college, or whether he’ll be like his father and focus on both. The junior’s gotten offers for both, including a football offer from Florida.
For now, one thought will be on Ingram’s mind entering next season:
Repeating.
Below is the full All-Gainesville Area Small School Boys Basketball team. The first and second team, with five players each, comes from seven schools across Classes 2A and 1A. In case you missed it, the big school team, Classes 3A-6A, was released last week.
Congrats to all the players!
First Team
Guard: Henry Mathias, Newberry, Sophomore – 70 3FGs (71st in Florida, 2nd in 1A), 104 FGs (36th in 1A), 45 FTs (37th in 1A), 14.0 PPG (24th in 1A)
Guard: Aramys Rodriguez, Williston, Senior – 6.5 APG (17th in Florida, 1st in 1A), 96 FGs (39th in 1A), 39 FTs (45th in 1A), 10.4 PPG (50th in 1A), 4.8 RPG (65th in 1A)
Guard/Forward: CJ Ingram, Hawthorne, Junior – 24.0 PPG (24th in Florida, 1st in 1A), 3.7 SPG (36th in Florida, 1st in 1A), 121 FTs (37th in Florida, 1st in 1A), 1.9 BPG (5th in 1A), 8 double doubles (6th in 1A), 181 FGs (91st in Florida, 2nd in 1A), 8.5 RPG (10th in 1A), 22 3FGs (56th in 1A), 3.7 APG (13th in 1A)
Forward: Kyler Lamb, Williston, Senior – 2.0 BPG (94th in Florida, 4th in 1A), 171 FGs (3rd in 1A), 8.8 RPG (8th in 1A), 47 3FGs (9th in 1A), 58 FTs (22nd in 1A), 16.6 PPG (12th in 1A)
Forward: Amarie Fleming, Lafayette, Senior – 16.9 PPG (10th in 1A), 10.4 RPG (61st in Florida, 2nd in 1A), 11 double doubles (58th in Florida, 1st in 1A), 78 FTs (7th in 1A), 127 FGs (19th in 1A), 1.2 SPG
Second Team
Guard: Juwan Scippio, Newberry, Sophomore – 37 3FGs (16th in 1A), 111 FGs (32nd in 1A), 66 FTs (15th in 1A), 14.1 PPG (23rd in 1A), 2.2 RPG
Guard: Tafari Moe, Fort White, Junior – 16.3 PPG (13th in 1A), 5.6 RPG (47th in 1A), 27 3FGs (38th in 1A), 138 FGs (11th in 1A), 73 FTs (9th in 1A)
Guard/Forward: Andrew Powell, Oak Hall, Senior – 16.2 PPG (48th in 2A), 7.6 RPG (45th in 2A), 69 3FGs (75th in Florida, 12th in 2A), 1.6 BPG (23rd in 2A), 113 FGs (71st in 2A)
Forward: Brandon DeMartino, Fort White, Senior – 1.7 BPG (10th in 1A), 51 3FGs (7th in 1A), 1.6 APG, 12.6 PPG (35th in 1A), 7.4 RPG (19th in 1A), 98 FGs, 42 FTs
Forward: Reggie Adams, Chiefland, Junior – 14.2 PPG (22nd in 1A), 10.9 RPG (47th in Florida, 1st in 1A), 1.9 APG, 0.6 APG, 140 FGs (10th in 1A)
Coach of the Year: Jim Ervin, Williston
Pressure was high in Williston this season after the Red Devils won their first state title last season and returned much of their nucleus.
Some wondered how the team might handle that, especially given the arduous schedule Ervin gave them.
Williston quieted all doubters and finished with a 29-2 final record, going wire-to-wire as Class 1A's best and beating Hilliard in early March to win its second straight state title.
This makes Ervin an easy choice for All-Area Coach of the Year.
Noah Ram covers Gainesville-area high school sports and University of Florida athletics for The Gainesville Sun. Contact him at Nram@gannett.com and follow him @Noah_ram1 on Twitter.
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