Saturday, November 14, 2026
Sophomore Jordan Rodden battles underneath.
Junior Jacob Watts plays tough defense.
Senior John Lewis looks for an open man.
Head Coach Jim Watt checks the scoreboard during a timeout.
Sophomore Nick Sadler checks with the MIA bench.
Senior Grayson Jones hits the floor after passing between two defenders.
A Rays cheerleader gives her all.
Head Coach Jim Watt couldn’t hide his pride after his young Marco Island Rays basketball team pulled off a 64-56 win over Abundant Life Christian Academy on Tuesday, November 28, in their home opener.
The game was closer than the final score indicates, as the game was nip and tuck before the Rays pulled away at the end.
"We're a young team,” Watt said after the game. “A lot of sophomores starting. We work a lot on speed, a lot on our defense, as we have in the past. The boys are good with sharing the basketball. They're very unselfish. We work on it every single day at practice.”
The Rays are 3-0, with wins at Naples Classical, 68-55, on November 27 and Mason Classical, 68-30, on November 30.
The Rays have shown balanced scoring, with multiple players in doubles figures scoring each night. Against Abundant Life, sophomore Nick Sadler led the way with 25 points. Jacob Watt, the coach’s son, was MIA’s leading scorer against Naples Classical with 19. Sadler led the Rays with 20 points in the win over Mason Classical as 10 Rays got in the scoring column. So far, Sadler and senior Grayson Jones have scored in double figures every game.
"We share the basketball and the scoring leaders change,” Watt said. "It's so good for us because it's hard for another team to target us.”
This is perhaps the tallest Rays team ever, with Mathis Fontes the tallest.
"Mathis is out,” Watt said. “He’s our biggest guy. He’s on the bench with back issues. He played against Naples Classical. Jordan Rodden stepped in and played our number five slot and did a fantastic job. He did great. He's a pretty good ballplayer.”
Watt is excited about the height - and the youth - on the team.
“They're all sophomores,” Watt said. “They could even get bigger. So we're excited. I'm really excited about this season.”
Watt was proud of the way his team continued to turn back Abundant Life throughout the game.
"Tight the whole time,” Watt said. “There's easier ways to win.”
Watt says his team is determined to recapture the Paradise Coast Athletic Conference championship they lost last year to Donahue Catholic.
“Our goal is to get that PCAC back home,” Watt said.
MIA hosted The Village School of Naples on Monday, December 4, after the Coastal Breeze News deadline, then travel to Donahue Catholic on Thursday, December 7, and then host Seacrest on Friday, December 9.
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