Sun Bash Tampa Notebook (Part 2)

This past weekend I made the trip down I-4 to St Petersburg to check out the Prep Hoops Sun Bash tournament. With a field loaded with top talent, I got a look at some players I haven’t seen before, and names I already knew from the summer. These are some of the players who stood out:

Calvary Christian (Clearwater)

 East Lake L 75-71

Clearwater L76-69

G Tristan Gross Tristan Gross 6'4" | CG St. Pete | 2023 State #194 Nation FL 6-4 (2023)

 Gross started the weekend off slowly in the first half against East Lake but got his offense going in the second half to finish with 22 points. Like most high school sophomores adding weight/ strength is a main priority however the guard showed a lot of promise scoring the basketball. He shot the ball at a high percentage from behind the 3-point line in both games had some nice moves attacking the basket including a spin move and finished some floaters. The young guard displayed a solid feel for the game making some nice reeds resulting in assists. Right now SMU is his only reported offer but I see his recruitment picking up especially as he develops physically.

G Griffin Barasa Griffin Barasa 6'1" | CG Clearwater Calvary Christian | 2021 State FL 6-0 (2021) & G Trevor Parks Trevor Parks 6'4" | CG Clearwater Calvary Christian | 2022 State FL 6-3 (2022)

 Two other players who caught my eye for the Warriors were Barasa and Parks. Barasa is an explosive guard who locks down defensively and sees the floor well. With great leaping ability he rebounds at a high rate for a point guard both offensively and defensively, and also blocked a few shots. The senior was the Sun Bash Player of the game for Calvary Christian after scoring 16 points against Clearwater. Recruiting wise Division III Dean College has offered Barasa the opportunity to continue his playing career.

Parks has good size standing at 6-3 with a college ready body that looks like he is no stranger to the weight room. The guard has a beautiful release on his jumper and has enough athleticism to attack bad closeouts. On the weekend, Parks averaged 17 PPG and led the Warriors with a team-high 23 against East Lake.

IMG Blue

 W over Clearwater Central Catholic 56-25

 C Jahzare Jackson 7-0 (2023)

 Jackson has clearly been working on his game over the past several months. Not only does the big man look lighter, he also displayed quit a bit of skill in the post. His footwork looked very much improved since the last time I’ve seen him, and he has figured out how to use his massive frame. In the game against Clearwater Central Catholic, he sealed his man several times to score, drop stepped, and had a spin move. Jackson also dominated the glass both offensively and defensively grabbing rebounds and blocking shots. The old school center is worth tracking over these next few years as he works on getting himself into better shape and continues to polish his game. On Saturday, Jackson led all scorers with 23 points…….6-4 SG Dawson Mohr (2023) was another player who stood out for IMG Blue. The High IQ wing can really shoot the ball from deep, has a college ready body, and is athletic enough to attack the basket and finish through contact.

Clearwater Central Catholic

 PF Trey Johnson Trey Johnson 6'7" | PF Clearwater Central Catholic | 2021 State FL 6-8 (2021)

 One of the Tampa Bay areas top uncommitted seniors, Johnson is a very intriguing prospect. While Saturday was not his best game, it was evident the forward is highly skilled, and is capable of shooting the ball from long and midrange with a nice touch. Scoring 17 of his teams 25 points, Johnson has a motor and was very active all game long. Recruiting wise Johnson is currently hearing from a number of Division II schools and a few Division I’s.

Booker

 W over Brooks DeBartolo 69-58

 PG King Winkfield King Winkfield 5'11" | CG Booker | 2021 State FL 5-11 (2021)

 Winkfield was a name I learned on my trip down to St. Petersburg. The quick athletic point guard loved to push the pace and get out in transition where he thrived scoring the ball. Finishing with 24 points against Brooks DeBartolo, he hit a couple 3-pointers both off the dribble and catch and shoot and finished an impressive acrobatic layup. Winkfield is absolutely a college basketball player at some level and is worthy of more attention. ….. Teammates 6-3 Paul McLeod Paul McLeod 6'2" | CG Booker | 2021 State FL (2021) and 6-7 Treyvon Hinson Treyvon Hinson 6'7" | PF Booker | 2021 State FL (2021) also made some impressive moments throughout the game.

Brookes DeBartolo

 F/C Trae Martin Trae Martin 6'8" | PF Brooks DeBartolo | 2021 State FL 6-8 (2021)

 Martin was fighting double teams all game long. The big man still was able to finish with 15 points scoring in close and also stepped out to hit some mid range shots. Defensively, he blocked quite a few shots, and was in double-digit rebounding territory. Barry (Division II) represent Martin’s lone offer and several high academic Division III and some Division II schools have shown interest.

Naples

 W over Sickles 90-65

 SF Tony Green Tony Green 6'6" | CG Naples | 2021 State FL 6-6 (2021)

 In what perhaps was the best individual performance of the tournament Green went for 43 points 12 rebounds and five assists against Sickles. The wing was doing it all offensively draining 3-pointers off the catch, curled off screens to score from mid range, and got to the basket often. It appears that he has also grown since AAU season, he looked to be awfully close to 6-7. At times, he plays the game a little to vertically and could improve his handles, but his upside is undeniable. Division I, and Division II schools have him on their radar and Green simply has too much potential for them to pass up.

Sickles

 CG Dom Gooden 6-0 (2021)

 In a loss to Naples, Gooden was a bright spot for Sickles scoring the ball on a lot of baseline drives and in transition. The guard handles the ball well and has a knack for getting into the lane. On Saturday Gooden finished with a team-high 20 points.

Clearwater

 W over Calvary Christian (Clearwater) 76-69

 SG C.J. Lee 6-1 (2022) & PG A.J. Wright 5-10 (2022)

 In a win over a good Calvary Christian team, CJ Lee CJ Lee 6'2" | CG Clearwater | 2022 State FL and A.J. Wright were impressive. The guard’s games compliment the Tornadoes fast-paced playing style well. Lee is a fast twitch athlete who is very quick off of his feet which allows him to thrive in the open court, he finished with 21 points and five rebounds. Wright is a shifty guard with quick hands who loves to get into the lane where he creates offense either for himself or his teammates. Wright finished the game with 11 points and six assists.