Practice Breakdown: The Sagemont School

In my second installment of my practice tour, I headed out to Weston to visit The Sagemont School. The remnants of Tropical Storm Eta made the journey a little more difficult, but I managed to get there. Weston feels like the tropical Kansas of Broward then what I'm normally used to. I have been in Florida almost two years and have yet to see the Everglades, but I was pretty close.

All jokes aside, the Lions have a spectacular gymnasium and academic campus. The Sagemont School is a premier destination for a student-athlete to attend.

Let's jump into my player breakdown...

2024 Braylon Burbridge Braylon Burbridge 6'2" | PG Miami Palmetto | 2024 State FL is a player that jumped out at me. The 5-foot-10 guard looked poised running drills and showed good court awareness. In addition, I thought his decision making/ability to limit mistakes was on display. All of those qualities are strong attributes, especially from a freshman. Furthermore, Burbridge stood in on defense against bigger players and showed active hands. On the offensive side, Burbridge exhibited a strong handle and attacked the basket when he saw an opening. I thought Burbridge created space as he ascended towards the rim and had the body control to shield off his defender. Overall, Burbridge played above his size and still has room to grow. Look for him to come off the bench this season for the Lions and provide quality minutes.

2022 Rickey Ballard Rickey Ballard 6'6" | CG Westminster | 2022 State FL looked like an Andre Iguodala out on the practice floor. The 6-foot-6 guard/forward can do a bit of everything and was one of the more athletic players on the court. When he was in transition, Ballard finished at the rim or was getting fouled. At one point, Ballard threw down a tomahawk style dunk. I was impressed with his passing ability when he drove from the wing areas of the floor. Ballard set up his teammates for easy lay-ins on numerous occasions thanks to his vision. I think coaches are going to like his versatility at the next level. Ballard can land on a D-1 tier because of it.

The depth of Sagemont really shows in its frontcourt. The Lions have international flare starting with 2021 Sergey Grishaev. The 6-foot-9 Russian forward stretched the floor and displayed a pretty outside stroke. If Grishaev puts the ball on the floor, he should be looking for a rack attack. On defense, Grishaev deflected and blocked shots due to his wingspan. If you're an opponent, good luck getting a shot over him if you fall-away. The major thing I would like to see from him would be to put on more muscle in the weight room. Unfortunately, Covid-19 has stagnated his progression in this instance. Andrei Kirilenko is a player that came to mind when I watched him.

2022 forward Nedas Zukauskas Nedas Zukauskas 6'8" | PF Sagemont | 2022 State FL is another piece in the Lions international arsenal. The 6-foot-8 Lithuanian knocked down outside shots and looked good from a physical standpoint. Like Grishaev, Zukauskas flashed disruptive length on the defensive end. The scary part is Zukauskas is not done growing. In all likelihood, Zukauskas will be a 7-footer. His father was a well known player over in Lithuania and is 7-foot-2. 

2021 Milos Kovacevic Milos Kovacevic 6'8" | PF Sagemont | 2021 State FL rounds out the frontcourt artillery for Sagemont. The 6-foot-8 forward looked the best out of the three from a physical standpoint. However, I think the trio can all benefit from added size. Kovacevic was a little loose with the ball around the paint, but should be a nightmare around the block if he stays aggressive. The Serb is another stretch four Sagemont can use in game situations.

2021 Raphael Houssou Raphael Houssou 6'2" | CG Sagemont | 2021 State FL appears to be one of the generals on the floor for Sagemont. Houssou showcased all the tools of a premier backcourt leader. The 6-foot-1 Frenchman looked superb with his stutter step/change-of-pace ability as he attacked the basket. Houssou also displayed pure acceleration to get to the rim and finish. I like him in late game situations with the ball in his hands. 

2024 Dominic Issa Dominic Issa 6'6" | SF Sagemont | 2024 State FL looked good finishing around the rim and hitting from outside. The 6-foot-4 guard should provide the Lions with much needed minutes coming off the bench. Issa and Burbridge cannot be underestimated on this team.

Overall Breakdown: The Lions have a ton of quality pieces that head coach David Roe can work with. The guard play is strong and versatile led by Ballard and Houssou. The skyscrapers they have on the floor will be a difficult match-up for any opponent. Sagemont has about nine to 12 practices to repetition game speed and work on communication. The Lions should continue to develop as the season progresses.

For any South Florida Prep Hoops news or information...please contact Michael Costeines @Steins_23 on Instagram or follow him on Twitter @Mungertown_Mike23.