Hoop Exchange Fall Festival Notebook (Part I)

<p>This weekend I attended the Hoop Exchange at the Big House sports complex in Taveres. Teams from all over the state came to compete and the fear of missing out was at an all-time high with multiple games being played simultaneously. It seemed as if every single game featured at least one prospect that had a legitimate chance of earning a college basketball scholarship. NBA players such as Nasir Little, Michael Stewart, and Mareese Speights were all in attendance as well as current Florida Gator Tre Mann who came to watch his younger brother with [player_tooltip player_id="549082" first="Nasir" last="Mann"].</p> <p>These are some notes that I took on Bishop Snyder, and Tampa Catholic:</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville)</strong></p> <p>Bishop Snyder is absolutely loaded this year with at least five or six guys who will most likely play at the Division I or II level. In addition to being talented, the kids all seem to like each other, and hold winning instead of personal accolades as the main priority. The scoring column seemed very balanced in both games. These are a few players that really caught my eye:</p> <p>PG [player_tooltip player_id="546242" first="Jalen" last="Gilmore"] 6-3 Class: 2022</p> <p>The one thing that stands out the most about the lead guard is his ability to see the floor. In the two games that I watched, Gilmore impressed with his knack for facilitating the offense, finding open teammates for scoring opportunities. Although I wasn’t keeping track, I can confidently say in each game he had at least five assists, many of them very impressive no-look, thread the needle passes. While facilitating is his main strength that’s not to say he can’t score the ball. In a win over Tampa Catholic, he finished with 18 points scoring off of strong drives, runners and jump shots. He’s not a knock down 3-point shooter but he can certainly shoot at a high enough rate for defenses to respect it. There’s an awful lot to like about Gilmore’s game and Division I schools are taking notice.</p> <p>SF [player_tooltip player_id="956766" first="Moise" last="Balungu"] 6-5 Class: 2022</p> <p>The best part of Balungu’s game is his ability to anticipate on both offense and defense. Several of his points came from back door cuts, or cheating into passing lanes to get steals leading to points in transition. With a quick second jump Balungu is able to snatch rebounds both offensively and defensively and block shots. A strong body enables him to guard multiple positions, and also mix it up on the interior for points in the paint. As the wing continues to improve his ability to handle the ball his list of suitors that already includes low and mid-major Division I schools will only get longer.</p> <p>SG Austin Lewis 6-3 Class: 2021</p> <p>In my second tournament watching Lewis play, I came away even more impressed with his basketball IQ and the way he coaches on the floor. He isn’t a guy who is going to create posters dunking over defenders, or ankle breaking highlights. He will however, do all of the little things that will his team win. The guard’s efficiency is something that all college and high school coaches can appreciate as he rarely takes bad shots or turns the ball over. In the four games that I’ve seen Lewis play, he has shown the ability to knock down 3-pointers coming off of screens, or off the dribble as well as hitting the mid-range dribble pull up. The hard-nosed wing also takes pride on the defensive side of the ball with great instincts and an alpha mentality. This is a guard that Peach Belt, and Sunshine Conference schools should take a hard look at.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Tampa Catholic </strong></p> <p>Tradition never graduates for perennial power Tampa Catholic. For most teams losing the majority of their starting lineup to graduation could mean tough times are ahead. Not for Tampa Catholic, they simply reload and should again be one of the better teams in the Tampa Bay area despite being very young. A big reason for this is a trio of backcourt players.</p> <p>PG [player_tooltip player_id="962571" first="Eddrin" last="Bronson"] 6-1(2023),G [player_tooltip player_id="1055791" first="Karter" last="Knox"] 6-4 (2024), G/F [player_tooltip player_id="814543" first="Karmello" last="Bran"]ch 6-3 (2023)</p> <p>Bronson seems to be next in line of Division I guards to come out of Tampa Catholic. Through two games it was evident that he has the ability to create his own shot with a mix of crafty handles and quickness. A true three level scorer the lead guard also showed that he can get his teammates involved. He should only get better with time as he matures physically.</p> <p>As for Knox (the brother of current New York Knicks forward Kevin Knox) will likely end up being one of the best freshmen in the state. A guard who is physically more mature than the rest of his class, he has the athleticism to match. In the first game against Impact Christian, I saw him dunk hard on a break away over a much older 6-6 forward.</p> <p>Branch compliments the two young teammates well as he is a great rebounder for his position and is also more than capable of knocking down the 3-point shot. The wing makes solid reads, finds the open man, and is good for a few extra hustle points each game.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>