Kreul Classic: (Day Two Standouts) – Part Two

I took in four games on day two of the 30th annual Kreul Classic, which brings in 40 of the top boys’ basketball teams from nine states across the nation to Coral Springs, FL. The second half of games I saw featured the Dillard Panthers (Fort Lauderdale, FL) vs. West Nassau (Callahan, FL) and Stranahan (Fort Lauderdale, FL) vs. Albany Academy (Albany, NY).

Here are the scores and observations from each:

Dillard 52

West Nassau 27

In the Under Armour challenge bracket, the Dillard Panthers breezed past the West Nassau Warriors 52-27. Offensively, the Warriors best quarter came in the first with ten points. Over the final three quarters, West Nassau mustered together just 17 points. It was an all-around great defensive effort for the Panthers, who have quick guards in senior 2020 Ivan Reynolds and Chandler Mack. Reynolds finished with nine points, opening up his scoring going two-for-two on 3-pointers while Mack scored ten points along with a couple of steals. The front-court of six-foot-eight 2020 forward Jalen Haynes and six-foot-nine 2020 forward J'vonni Roblejo made it difficult for any scoring production inside for the Warriors. On many occasions, West Nassau had to settle for one possession opportunities as Haynes and Roblejo protected the inside. 2021 guard Dallen Coleman led West Nassau with 12 points including the teams lone 3-pointer. Nobody else on the Warriors had more than six points.

Top Peformers:

Jalen Haynes - Dillard: Haynes was a monster inside for the Panthers, finishing with 15 points and six rebounds. Simply put, nobody on West Nassau could match-up with Haynes size, who is "listed" at 215-pounds but plays bigger. The senior had his way around the rim, which included a baseline dunk along with other jams. For a big man, I was impressed with his free-throw shooting, as he knocked down five on the night. As of now, Haynes has offers from schools such as Mississippi State, Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth, Central Florida, South Florida among others.

Dallen Coleman - West Nassau: While not a dominating peformance, Coleman was the best player on the floor for the Warriors. The six-foot-four guard did most of the offensive damage on an otherwise difficult night shooting for West Nassau. Coleman, who is ranked as the 38th best player in his class by 247 sports, has offers from schools such as Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest among others. Interesting to note I saw Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton observing this one.

In the Kreul 100 challenge bracket, the Stranahan Mighty Dragons defeated the Albany Academy (NY) Cadets 63-50. The contest featured the Mighty Dragons, last years 5A state champion in Florida, against the Cadets, last years Class A champions in New York. Albany Academy has won four titles over the last seven seasons in the Empire State. The Mighty Dragons got off to a blistering start in this one led by 2020 senior forward Daquion Vickers. Vickers helped Stranahan to a 18-5 first quarter lead and finished with all of his nine points in the first half. The six-foot-two forward opened his scoring with a 3-pointer and hit a nice jumper on the wing for the Mighty Dragons. This was a game of runs, with the Cadets outscoring Stranahan 25-18 in the middle quarters. Whenever the Cadets looked like they were inching closer, Stranahan would answer to hold off the impeding surge by the Cadets. Albany Academy was carried by 2020 six-foot-nine Andre Jackson for most of the night. The final quarter saw a few defensive breakdowns for the Cadets leading to fast break buckets for the Mighty Dragons. Stranahan scored 26 points in the final quarter.

Top Performers:

Andre Jackson - Albany Academy (NY): Even in the loss, Jackson was the best player on the floor in this match-up. Off the opening tip, you could tell the six-foot-nine senior had another gear in his step. Jackson finished with a 26 points, four of which game via the free-throw line. A UConn commit for Dan Hurley, Jackson hit four 3-pointers to the Mighty Dragons three. On the glass, the senior added ten rebounds. Rated as the 3rd best player in the state of New York and 70th best player in his class by 247 sports, Jackson has a good handle for a kid his size and jump out the gym athleticism. On one play, Jackson caught up on a Stranahan steal for a vicious trailing block. He is going to be a fantastic player next year in Storrs, CT.

Marcus Jackson - Albany Academy (NY): The little brother of Andre, Marcus chipped in with 12 points on the night including six points off free-throws. The six-foot-three 2021 guard has drawn interest from schools such as Marist, Albany, Vermont and Sienna. I thought Jackson got off to a quiet start but picked up his offensive pace in the later quarters, enabling him to contribute on the free-throw line.

Dave Herard - Stranahan: Herard, who recently committed to the University of Virginia at cornerback, finished with 12 points for the Mighty Dragons. The six-foot-two 2020 guard/forward was one of three players with 12 points, joining 2020 forward Inady Legiste and 2021 guard/forward Thaddeus Squire.  I choose Herard because he looked very good running the floor and has tremendous athleticism. The senior is explosive at the rim and also hit a 3-pointer from the outside.

Chayse Culpepper - Stranahan: While the numbers might not jump out at you, I thought Culpepper played a solid game running the point position for the Dragons. Culpepper finished with five points, including a driving bucket to the rim for an and-one. What impressed me most in this game was his intangibles. The six-foot-one senior was strong driving to the basket, drawing a help defender before dishing it off to his teammates, one of which led to a bucket by Legiste. On another play, Culpepper poked the ball in traffic to Legiste for an impending dunk. The senior had the tall task of defending the Jackson brothers at times and I thought he did so beautifully. I think he is one of the better on-ball defenders in the region and is a leader for the Mighty Dragons.

For any South Florida prep hoops news or information, please contact Michael Costeines on instagram @Steins_23 or follow him on twitter @Mungertown_Mike23