Underappreciated Seniors: 10 prospects that deserve more attention (Part 3)
The regular season is over and with that, a ton of seniors played their final high school games.
So many 2018 prospects have been overlooked by college programs.
Here is part three of 10 seniors (2018 players) that are underappreciated.
ICYMI:
Christian Miller-Cardwell (Gainesville)
A 6’5″ forward, Miller-Cardwell led Gainesville with 16.8 PPG and 5.0 RPG this season. He is a gifted athlete who can attack early and often in games. On top of basketball, Miller-Cardwell excels as a receiver for the Hurricanes football team. He deserves a chance at the next level based off of his hops alone.
Ronald Boyd (Plant)
Talk about someone who took it upon himself to carry his offense. Boyd was superb for a revamped Plant squad, averaging 11.8 PPG, 7.6 APG and 6.8 RPG. The 6’1″ guard has advanced ball skills, seems to always hit key shots and helps everyone around him. Boyd is a high IQ point guard.
Jaiden Lee (Palm Glades)
Attacking and scoring points is Lee’s specialty. The 6’3″ senior whipped up a 23.0 PPG and 9.9 RPG average for Palm Glades. He dropped 32 points at the inaugural Prep Hoops Sun Bash in January. Lee had the crowd going and I expect him to do that in college this fall wherever he lands.
Zhahidi Robinson (Largo)
A 5’11” guard, Robinson is a smooth and methodical player. He averaged 11.5 PPG for Largo this season and quite frankly set the tone for everyone around him. Robinson’s focus is there game in and game out and he has a ton of room to grow.
Nick Jiles (Lake Gibson)
Lake Gibson has been fortunate to have Jiles on its side over the past few seasons. The 5’11” guard averaged 15.2 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 4.7 APG for a very sound Braves unit. He gets to the cup with his pure speed and finds his way into really good spots on the floor whether he’s on offense or defense.
Isaiah Islam (Newsome)
A 6’3″ combo guard, Islam is a natural with a basketball in his hands and pushing his team in tempo. He had a nice senior campaign for the Wolves, a team that wasn’t as deep as year’s past. Islam plays with a purpose.
Corey Friar (Ida Baker)
Looking more like a big running back or defensive end, Friar is a load at 6’2″, 225 lbs. He averaged 15.9 PPG and 7.4 RPG for Ida Baker. He is a good shooter and has an impressive explosiveness and strength about him that helps him get into the paint.
Jordan Curtis (Booker)
Booker made the most out of a deep athletic group this season. Curtis, a 6’2″ guard proved to be a core leader once again with his outside shooting touch. He averaged 13.0 PPG as the Tornadoes fell by one point in the Class 6A semifinal to eventual champion Leesburg. Curtis dives for loose balls and isn’t afraid to hurt you with his polished jumper.
Robert McAfee (Nature Coast)
At Nature Coast, McAfee grew into an alpha role. He showed flashes of that as a junior, but this year the 6’1″ guard was tasked with taking crucial shots and playing hard-nosed defense. McAfee would help any college program looking for a true team player.
Jack Kelley (Lakewood Ranch)
Kelley played basketball the right way on a deep Lakewood Ranch squad. The 6’5″ forward averaged 10.4 PPG and 6.7 RPG. Kelley put it all on the line in his final high school game, a 24-point performance while battling the flu in a 64-61 region quarterfinal loss to Riverdale.