2019 ASA Team Camp: Stranahan goes 6-0, earns title

<p>Stranahan picked right up where it left off in March in Lakeland.</p> <p>The FHSAA Class 6A state champions went 6-0 over two days to win the 2019 ASA Silver Storm Team Camp at Bucky Dent in Hialeah.</p> <p>The Dragons defeated Nova High, 47-34, in Sunday evening's championship game.</p> <p>2020s <strong>Daquion Vickers</strong> and <strong>Jayden Fye</strong> led the way with 10 points apiece. Fye transferred to Stranahan from 8A state champ Blanche Ely. Fellow rising seniors <strong>Inady Legiste</strong> and<strong> Chayse Culpepper</strong> added 5 points each.</p> <p>2021 <strong>Brennen Whyte</strong> led Nova with 10 points. The 6-2 Whyte was impressive all day. He defends, has good hands and can get to the rim offensively. Whyte showed his hops with three impressive dunks in a 60-32 whipping of Miami Beach.</p> <p><strong>STARTING FROM SCRATCH</strong></p> <p><strong>Alex Groothuis</strong> is the new head coach at Nova High. He has instilled some much-needed energy in Davie.</p> <p>Nova has struggled in recent years but Groothuis led the squad to a 4-2 camp, with both losses coming at the hands of Stranahan.</p> <p>"Absolutely have to change the whole mind-set of the program," Groothuis said. "Every aspect from top to bottom has to be completely changed. A complete 180. It's process. The same thing happened when I came to Coral Springs Charter. They were a two-win team and we were able to turn it around in our fourth year and go to state. It's going to take a lot of work. Too many things to name individually."</p> <p>Whyte and 2020 <strong>Akeem Boland</strong> give Groothuis a couple of pieces to work with early. <strong>Christian Tani</strong> also had 7 points vs. Stranahan in the title game.</p> <p><strong>LIGHT LOAD FOR HERARD</strong></p> <p>Stranahan starter <strong>Dave Herard</strong> was used sparingly. Herard is a Division I football prospect.</p> <p>The 6-2 2020 said he would be attending three upcoming football camps: June 6 at FIU: June 8-9 at the University of Florida; and June 13-16 at Syracuse.</p> <p><strong>HARDY AT THE HELM OF WESTERN</strong></p> <p><strong>Alen Hardy</strong>, who was part of a state championship as a player at Fort Lauderdale Dillard in 2008, is in his first year as Western's coach.</p> <p>Western only had one loss on the weekend -- also to Stranahan.</p> <p>"First off, coach<strong> [Ken] Kelly</strong> and coach <strong>Raja [Bell]</strong> did a great job before me," Hardy said. "So the kids were definitely in good hands, and I'm picking up for those guys and want to make sure to continue the winning culture. </p> <p>"Obviously it's just different putting my stamp on ... getting them to learn the things I do. Different ways I do things. But once that is all said and done, I think we have a chance to be really, really good this year."</p> <p><strong>STARKS IMPRESSES</strong></p> <p>Miami Beach went 3-2 on the weekend. 6-7 2021<strong> Craig Starks</strong> continues to impress. </p> <p>"Plays hard all the time ... very active," assistant coach <strong>Anthony Davis</strong> said. "Now he's starting to get his skill set."</p> <p>Starks averaged a double-double as a sophomore. Miami Beach will need him ... it lost nine seniors off the 2018-19 squad. Miami Beach is going to camp at Georgia Tech next weekend.</p> <p><em>If you have high school basketball news, you can reach Pat Lammer via e-mail at PatALammer@Gmail.com</em></p>