RaiQuan Gray said the deciding factor was his comfort level in Tallahassee.
A week after cutting a list of 30-plus scholarship offers to six, the 6-foot-8 Dillard High forward committed to Florida State on Monday afternoon.
“It’s a good family feel,” Gray said of the FSU program. “They feel I’ll fit right in the system and I’ll produce right away.”
Gray is the second known commitment in the Class of 2017 for coach Leonard Hamilton, joining guard Bryan Trimble out of Wichita, Kan.
The versatile Gray is coming off a big summer capped by an impressive performance at the Las Vegas Fab 48. His strong play helped propel the Florida Vipers to the final four of the 17-and-under national AAU tournament.
“He’s been able to boost his stock as a top-100 player in the country,” Vipers coach Brandon McThay said.
The Dillard senior, ranked No. 119 nationally by 247Sports and No. 127 by Rivals.com, competed in both the NBA Top 100 and Under Armour All-American camps this summer.
Gray, whose nickname is Turk, cut his list to six — FSU along with Baylor, Maryland, Memphis, Ole Miss and Virginia Tech — on Aug. 1. He said Baylor and Memphis, in that order, finished behind FSU in the end.
The 2015-16 Sun Sentinel Fab Five selection helped Dillard to a 28-5 season and a Class 6A state championship as a junior. Gray, who notched nine points and 10 rebounds in the 66-55 state final victory over Largo in March, averaged a double-double last season with 16 points and 11 boards.
Dillard coach Darryl Burrows this season will return all five starters off of that championship squad.
Gray said his goals for his senior season are simple.
“To win states again and make nationals,” he said.
Sagemont’s Polley narrows list
Tyler Polley, who recently announced he’ll be taking his first two official visits to UConn and Tennessee in September, cut his list to five finalists Sunday.
The 6-8 Sagemont forward will choose between UConn, Dayton, Oklahoma State, Pitt and Tennessee.
Led by a talented group of juniors, Sagemont went 22-8 a season ago and earned a berth in the Class 3A regional semifinals.