Standouts: Gulliver Prep Raiders @ Chaminade-Madonna Lions
Over in Hollywood, the Chaminade-Madonna Lions (15-7) used a 21-11 third quarter to defeat the Gulliver Prep Raiders (16-6) 82-66. The Lions, winners of six of their last seven games, trailed by two at halftime after opening up a double-digit…
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Continue ReadingOver in Hollywood, the Chaminade-Madonna Lions (15-7) used a 21-11 third quarter to defeat the Gulliver Prep Raiders (16-6) 82-66. The Lions, winners of six of their last seven games, trailed by two at halftime after opening up a double-digit first quarter lead. A 31-point second quarter by Gulliver Prep did not carry over in the second half as the Raiders scored just 11 points in the third quarter. The loss snaps the Raiders 4-game winning streak, who were without the services of Diego LaMonica and Niki Aixala due to illnesses.
Here are the standouts:
Gabe Taylor – Gulliver Prep: In defeat, the 2020 point guard finished a huge game for Gulliver Prep with 34 points while going a perfect 15-for-15 from the free-throw line. Taylor, who was also a cornerback on the Raiders football team this past season, is an explosive athlete getting to the rim and can finish with either hand. Against the Lions, I loved his aggressiveness at attacking the basket. When he wasn’t displaying gridiron toughness driving into traffic, the senior was pulling up for three of Gulliver Prep’s six 3-pointers on the night. Overall, it was an impressive all-around showing for Taylor who has the collegiate option of football or basketball on his radar.
Andre Weir – Chaminade-Madonna: Weir polished off an efficient game for the Lions finishing with 20 points while going 8-for-12 from the field. The 2020 6-foot-10 center is nearly automatic when he gets down low around the rim and helped the Lions score 46 points in the paint. From my observation, the Raiders were limited to many one-shot possessions in-part to Weir’s 16 rebounds. In addition, the big man stepped up on the free-throw line, knocking down four-of-five. It was an impressive performance from Weir considering he was going up against Texas A&M football commit Donnell Harris in the paint, who appears to be in great shape as he heads to College Station next year to play for Jimbo Fisher. Speaking of the SEC, a representative from Georgia was in attendance to speak to Weir after the game.
Justin Allen – Chaminade-Madonna: I am with previous reports that Allen is one of the more underrated players in South Florida. Quite frankly, there was nothing underrated about him in the first quarter against Gulliver Prep when he jumped out with ten points. While some of the other players on the court are getting D-1 attention, I thought Allen was the best player for either team out of the gate as he helped the Lions to a 28-16 first quarter lead. Overall, the 2020 6-foot-3 guard finished with 21 points on 9-for-17 from the field. The senior can guard multiple positions and has good hands, evident when he took a steal away from the Raiders for a transition layup early in the third quarter. If the Lions want to win a 3A championship, Allen is going to be a huge factor.
Tony Sanders – Gulliver Prep: A 2020 shooting guard, Sanders finished with 20 points for Gulliver Prep while collecting six rebounds. At 6-foot-7, I love his size at the position and his ability to stretch over a defense for a jump shot. Like Taylor, Sanders was also aggressive getting to the basket and knocked down six of his seven free-throws. To sum it up, Sanders combination of size and athleticism at the shooting guard position is something very few kids have. Along with Devin Carter, he is one of the best senior prospects in Miami-Dade.
Johnny O’Neil – Chaminade-Madonna: An American University commit, the 2020 6-foot-eight wing knocked down three of the Lions seven 3-pointers to finish with a team-high 22 points on 8-for-13 from the field. Of all the players I have seen in the area, O’Neil is one of the best at having an inside-out game. Not only can he shoot efficiently, but the senior has the size to score around the basket as well. With that being said, opponents are going to have a tough time matching up with him defensively. While Weir vacuumed up most of the rebounds, O’Neil added seven of his own in the victory.
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