Top Performers: South Florida
Chris Perez, Braddock
Perez morphed into a veritable Mr. Everything during Braddock’s recent win over Palm Beach Central. He pulled down a 15 rebounds to go with 13 points and five assists. Perez had plenty of help on the glass and an interior brother in arms in Alex Valdez, who also had 15 boards.
The forward has been sustaining the high level of play and grit he closed out the first half of the season with. During a 72-60 loss to Coral Gables back on Dec. 20, Perez had 23 points and 11 rebounds to pace Braddock.
Issad Solano, Slam Miami
During the opening game of the Lake Mary Prep New Year’s Classic, Solano was the central component of Slam’s best offensive performances of the young season. The 6-foot-2, Class of 2018 guard scored a team-high 22 points and kicked in four assists as Slam Miami rolled to a convincing 89-51 thrashing of Freedom High during the opening game of the Lake Mary Prep New Year’s Classic.
Kentron Poitier, Slam Miami
Paralleling Slam Miami’s ascension as a basketball school and the evolution of their hoops culture has been the emergence of Class of 2020 forward Kentron Poitier. A hard-nosed chest to chest defensive presence and all around athlete, Poitier averaged 18 points, nine boards, three steals, and two blocks en route to earning MVP honors of the UA Classic tournament.
Poitier again turned in an efficient account of himself during the opening game of the Lake Mary Prep New Year’s Classic, scoring 17 points and grabbing seven boards.
Richard Nunez, North Miami Beach
During North Miami Beach’s 75-69 defeat of East Lake High in the opening round of the Lake Mary Prep New Year’s Classic, Nunez scored a game-best 26 points to lead the victor. At 6-foot-8 and capable of handling the ball and popping shots at all three level, Nunez is lethal for his versatility. He’s a surefire bet to keep his fingerprints in every statistical category, a trait that’s made him ultra special for NMB this season.
David Perez-Miralles, Riviera
While the heady combo guard is averaging 20.2 points while scoring the ball in a variety of ways, he’s an adept passer and playmaker. With a wittiness and heady nature to his game, Perez-Miralles can make that tricky pass and fireball assist that catches the defense off guard.
Japhet Medor, Lake Worth High
Natural playmaking point guard is pure passer and creator. His oil-smooth game is underscored by his yo-yo handle, which enables him to get into the driving lanes and score and also free himself up for space on a pull-up jumper or a stepback.
The Wellington native had 13 points, seven assists, five rebounds, three steals, and three blocked shots en route to propelling Lake Worth to a 47-35 win over Gadsen County last month. One of the best immeasurable facets of Medor’s game is his spurt-ability and instinctive nature. He’s shown an ability to get hot at the right time, piecing together timely scoring sprees when needed the most.
Chance Dixon, Santaluces High
Dixon has played the role of 3-point ace for Santaluces. A quick catch-and-stick option, Dixon has deep range and floor-spreading ability. He’s also known for his spurt-ability when he catches the hot hand.
The Class of 2020 guard will have a major barometer in the upcoming Charger Classic at Suncoast Community High School this weekend. Santaluces will play Potter’s House Christian of the uber competitive Florida-SIAA conference in one of Friday’s marquee matchups.