Jake’s Top 10 (Mid-Season)
Jack and I have seen a ton of games thus far this high school season. There has been so much talent out there and it certainly isn’t easy putting together a top 10 list here at the midway point. Regardless,…
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Continue ReadingJack and I have seen a ton of games thus far this high school season. There has been so much talent out there and it certainly isn’t easy putting together a top 10 list here at the midway point. Regardless, here it is.
MVP: Kevin Knox (Tampa Catholic)
I’ve seen Tampa Catholic play three times this season and Kevin Knox has improved in each game. The senior forward is averaging 28.9 points and 10.8 rebounds per game for the Crusaders (13-3). Knox scored 30 in two of those games and 27 in the other one while posting a double double in all three. His dunks wow the crowd, but his jump shot has improved tremendously and he is definitely the best player I’ve seen so far.
Best offensive player: R.J. Barrett (Montverde)
I watched Montverde forward R.J. Barrett explode at the City of Palms Classic last December. Now a sophomore, Barrett is even better. He had performances of 30, 21 and 15 as the Eagles captured the COP title. Barrett can really attack when he finds open space and he has a knockdown ability that can’t be unseen. At 6’7″, his body is only going to fill out more and he’s only going to improve, which is scary.
Best defensive player: RaiQuan Gray (Dillard)
Raiquan Gray found himself in foul trouble when I saw him at the City of Palms last month. But, the FSU commit fought through it to finish with 14 points and 16 rebounds in a win over Sarasota Riverview. At 6’8″, 235 lbs., Gray could easily be a successful football player, but he is a very good defender and will be a nice presence at the next level.
Best intangibles: Emmitt Williams (IMG)
There’s no one that tries harder that I’ve seen thus far then IMG’s Emmitt Williams. I saw him play a bunch previously at Lehigh, but now alongside some of the top talent in the state, Williams is showing off. Only a junior, Williams has a non-stop motor that is fun to watch. He gets up on dunks and was flat out awesome to watch at the City of Palms dunk contest. The 6’8″ forward averaged 16.5 points per game, while adding three double double performances in five tournament games.
Best under-the-radar player: Kaine McColley (Nature Coast)
Kaine McColley showed up in a big way for Nature Coast during the team’s tournament on campus before the new year. The senior had outings of 22 and 17 as the Sharks won the Bracket A title. McColley only had nine points in the championship win over Alonso, but he kept hustling and showed up on defense. He has no offers yet, but McColley would be an impact player in Division-II. Nature Coast is currently 18-0.
Best catch and shoot guy: Daniel Love (Dr. Phillips)
I got a chance to see Dr. Phillips junior guard Daniel Love for the first time two weeks at the Spectrum Sports Shootout at Clearwater High. The 6’2″, 165-pounder opened up the matchup against Wharton on absolute fire with three 3-pointers in the first half. He finished with a game-high 18 points and really paced his offense. Love has no offers or interest and that needs to change immediately.
Best underclassman: Andrew Nembhard (Montverde)
When you hear about Montverde it is mainly about Barrett, Rechon “Leaky” Black (UNC commit), Sean Mobley (VCU commit) or Marcus Carr (Pittsburgh commit). Well, there is another kid who has tons of upside for the Eagles. Sophomore guard Andrew Nembhard came down from Canada to join his buddy Barrett. He averaged seven points (20.3 MPG) in three City of Palms Classic games of the bench. Nembhard is a tremendous passer.
Most entertaining team: Fletcher
I hadn’t seen Fletcher play until the Nature Coast Tournament late last month. The Senators are so much fun to watch. A team full of football players, Tyron Bond and Anthony Evelyn made so many athletic plays. Bond can really shoot and is a good dunker while Evelyn is a sneaky fast point guard. James Laws, Jeremiah Payton and Mike Young are solid pieces as well. This team has so much energy even with a small bench.
Best game environment: IMG-Montverde (City of Palms Classic)
Amazingly, one of the City of Palms Classic semifinal matchups takes the crown rather than the championship game. IMG and Montverde went back and forth exchanging leads 10 different times as the Eagles hung on for a 70-66. There weren’t many open seats available at the brand new Sun Coast Credit Union Arena at Florida Southwestern State College. You can’t ask for much more, two skilled squads in front of a packed house at an awesome venue.
Best Quote: DeAndre Osuigwe (IMG)
Osuigwe on his lone City of Palms Classic appearance – “The City of Palms was a great tournament and man I wish I had one more year so I could come back and play again next year.”
ICYMI: Jack’s Top 10