High School

RJ Jones Named Head Boys Basketball Coach at Evangelical Christian in Fort Myers

After six successful seasons at Gateway Charter, Jones brings a proven track record and playoff pedigree to the Sentinels program

Ross Van De Griek

Gateway Charter head coach RJ Jones watches his players during their game against Cardinal Mooney on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, in Fort Myers.
Gateway Charter head coach RJ Jones watches his players during their game against Cardinal Mooney on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, in Fort Myers. / Amanda Inscore/The News-Press USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK

Evangelical Christian Tabs RJ Jones as New Head Coach

Evangelical Christian School in Fort Myers, Florida, has hired RJ Jones as its new head boys basketball coach, the school announced Thursday on social media. Jones, a well-respected figure in Southwest Florida high school basketball, takes over the Sentinels program after a successful six-year run at Gateway Charter, where he became one of the area’s top coaching names.

Built a Contender at Gateway Charter

Jones is no stranger to the Southwest Florida area. Over the last six seasons at Gateway Charter he compildd a record of 100-69 (.690 winning percentage) and led the Griffins to three regional playoff appearances, two district championships, and a regional final berth in 2023 for the school's longest playoff run in program history.

2024-25: A Strong Final Campaign at Gateway

Gateway Charter finished the 2024-2025 season with a 20-9 record and reached the regional semifinals before their season came to an end against Saint Andrew's (Boca Raton) back on February 17. The Griffins also participated in the City of Palms Classic national bracket this past season for the first time in program history, where they played Millennium (Arizona), Long Island Lutheran (New York), and Archbishop Carroll (Pennsylvania).

Transition at Evangelical Christian

Jones will be replacing Scott Guttery, who coached the Sentinels for the last eight seasons before stepping down from his head coaching position back at the end of March. Guttery went 116-104 during his tenure with the program. Prior to Evangelical Christian, Guttery served as the head boys basketball coach at Fort Myers High School, where he coached from 2007 to 2017.

The Sentinels finished the 2024-2025 season with a 13-13 record and had their season come to an end during the district quarterfinals against Canterbury (Fort Myers) and failed to qualify for the regional playoffs.

From Windermere Prep to Coaching Rise

Before going to Gateway Charter, Jones played his high school basketball at Windermere Prep from 2008 to 2012 where he played under current Ponte Vedra head coach Ben Wilson. He also served as an assistant coach at Community School of Naples from 2017 to 2019 where he coached under Greg Donahue, who is still the school's head coach to this day.

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Ross Van De Griek
ROSS VAN DE GRIEK

Ross Van De Griek has been a high school sports writer covering the state of Florida since 2021. Ross also has been scouting high school basketball and Grassroots Basketball across the Southeast Region since 2022. Ross has been covering basketball and recruiting for High School on SI since August 2024. He has collaborated with Next Up Sports, Prep Hoops, and On The Radar Hoops throughout his scouting career. You can follow him on X @rossvdg14 or reach him via email rossvdg14@gmail.com for story ideas.

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