Practice Breakdown: Stranahan Mighty Dragons

<p>71 wins the last three seasons and two-time state champions. The <strong>Stranahan Mighty Dragons</strong> have been the brass of Broward County in recent years. However, the 2020-2021 Dragons bring a new identity as they look to three-peat up in Lakeland. Head Coach <strong>Edward Schuler</strong> is now in charge of the new unit behind the bench.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="828054" first="Chayse" last="Culpepper"]</strong> is at <strong>Ava Maria, </strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="827954" first="Inady" last="Legiste"]</strong> at <strong>Tusculum</strong> and <strong>Dave Herard</strong> is playing football at <strong>Virginia</strong>. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="828125" first="Daquion" last="Vickers"]</strong> and <strong>Savier McCall</strong> are both at <strong>Johnson University</strong>. That is a hefty amount of production and leadership playing in college. The legacy they left is now the responsibility of the new group. One thing that won’t change is the Mighty Dragons will be hunted by other programs as the top dogs on the block.</p> <p>Let’s look into Stranahan...</p> <p>2022 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="829402" first="Houston" last="Culpepper"] </strong>was effective scoring in the lane and elevating in the paint for buckets. The 6-foot-3 forward has a physical frame and broad shoulders at roughly 225 pounds. Culpepper played vital minutes in the Dragons 4A state championship victory over <strong>Tampa Catholic</strong> last season. His championship experience should filter down to the younger players. Culpepper has been their before and knows what it takes to continue the Dragons dynasty. Look for him to have a high workload and defend multiple positions this season. He is a scrappy player going after rebounds and plays with a high motor. Culpepper will look to carry his brother’s leadership as team captain. He is the son of former <strong>UCF Knight</strong> and NFL Quarterback <strong>Daunte Culpepper</strong>.  </p> <p> 2023 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="963313" first="Hykeem" last="Williams"]</strong> is a prospect we have hinted on to watch here at Prep Hoops. The 6-foot-4 power forward plays above the rim and runs the floor like a deer. Williams will dunk on you in transition or put one on your head if you negate to box him out. His athleticism should be a factor on the outside and his powerful frame should be effective around the rim. Williams duels his talent as a wide receiver on the Dragons football team. Stranahan has a great athlete with a high ceiling in either sport. </p> <p>2021 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="818719" first="Thaddeus" last="Squire"]</strong> is the Dragons top returnee in terms of point production. The 6-foot-3 wing averaged 7.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists as a junior. Moreover, Squire recorded eight games with five or more assists and five games with five or more boards. The Dragons have a multi-faceted weapon to use in transition. Squire has the length and athleticism to be effective in this category.</p> <p>2021 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="953109" first="Mario" last="Bynes"]</strong> is currently dealing with a turf toe injury from football. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard averaged 5.9 points and 1.4 rebounds as junior. Bynes was a good spot-up shooter from outside when I watched him last year. His availability for the <strong>Kreul Classic</strong> might be on a limited or day-to-day basis. Once he gets into the lineup you can bet he will hit multiple 3-pointers.</p> <p>2021<strong> [player_tooltip player_id="818692" first="London" last="Previlon"]</strong> is likely to start this weekend. The 6-foot-5 forward/center has long arms and runs the floor well for a big. Previlon averaged 3.9 points per game last season via MaxPreps. I am counting on him to be aggressive on the glass and help Stranahan push the ball in transition. </p> <p>2022 <strong>Jaquan Adams </strong>was mentioned as a high-flyer. The 6-foot-3 guard is dealing with a groin injury but still ran the floor well. You can tell Adams is athletic based on his stride and natural movement. He might be this year’s Dave Herard or better. The current Cavalier lived above the rim so that kind of comparison is impressive. Adams also teased a nice shot in practice that could come in handy. </p> <p>2022 <strong>Kha’Lani Bush</strong> is a transfer from <strong>Miami Norland</strong>. The 6-foot-3 small forward will likely be asked to provide minutes off the bench. Bush is a player that could provide value at different positions. You can never have enough role players on a team looking to win a championship. The grind of a long season during a pandemic makes bench play even more apparent.</p> <p>2023 <strong>Joshua Vedrine</strong> is a transfer from <strong>Monarch High School</strong>. The 6-foot-4 wing/forward appears to have versatility on both ends of the floor. Vedrine still has plenty of time to develop on his new team. I like a player like Vedrine that can plug-in at different spots on the floor.</p> <p>2022 <strong>Tamarrion Thorpe</strong> should provide Stranahan with shooting efficiency. The 6-foot-1 guard can hit from outside and connected on a few mid-range buckets in practice. Thorpe could round-out his shooting skill with more buckets around the inside circle. Regardless, I think Thorpe will hit timely buckets for Stranahan this season.</p> <p>2021 combo guard <strong>Christopher Robinson </strong>adds varsity experience off last year’s championship team. The 5-foot-11 Robinson averaged 3.3 points across 19 contests. He will be in the starting lineup for Stranahan in the <strong>Kreul Classic</strong> tournament.</p> <p>2024 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1055732" first="Reece" last="Randolph"]</strong> is an intriguing young player. The 5-foot-6 point guard has the chance to be a big name in due time. Randolph has a strong handle and ran through drills fairly smooth during practice. He will have to earn his stripes on this team but the future could be bright. Randolph just needs to put his head down and work. This is a perfect spot for him to develop his craft.</p> <p> 2022 <strong>Deandre Williams</strong> is the Dragons biggest player. The 6-foot-6 forward/center impressed me with his size and long arms. Williams could be a factor in the frontcourt. He is still a junior and his frame is something I am more than happy to work with. 2021’s <strong>Clifford Cadet</strong> and <strong>Byron Lewis</strong> should also contribute. </p> <p>Overall Breakdown: The Dragons are going to establish an up-tempo style and score points in transition.The full court conditioning drills they were running in practice is a good indicator of what they are trying to emulate in games. Stranahan will pride itself on playing tough defense and being active in passing lanes. I think you will see them stretch the floor a bit more offensively in certain sets. I want to see their guard play be strong off the dribble and their frontcourt players continue to polish out. The new pieces should gel and develop an identity over the course of the season. Communication and poise should be a sticking point out of the gate.</p> <p><strong>For any South Florida Prep Hoops news or information...please contact Michael Costeines @Steins_23 on Instagram or follow him on Twitter @Mungertown_Mike23. </strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>