Players to Watch: District Playoffs (South Florida)

<p>Playoff week is finally here. That means area South Florida teams will battle it out and look to build momentum towards <strong>Lakeland</strong>. Continue to follow us on social media for updates on games this week.</p> <p>For now, let’s look at some players to watch across the region.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="829495" first="Kareem" last="Barnett"]</strong> - <em>Mater Lakes</em></p> <p>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="829495" first="Kareem" last="Barnett"] might have the best end-to-end speed of any player I have ever seen. He basically functions as a Ferrari in-between the lines. I say that with complete seriousness and confidence. <span style="font-size: 1rem; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Moreover, his explosiveness when he gets near the basket is ridiculous. It could be poster time if an opponent isn’t ready. </span><span style="font-size: 1rem; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">The 6-foot-4 wing has the size mixed in to make him a dangerous force in space. He will punish you in the open floor if you fail to get a body on him. The more he plays in control, the better he will be. Barnett is currently averaging 11.1 points and 2.8 rebounds per game for Mater Lakes. However, he has scored 92 points (23 Ppg) over his last four games. Against </span><strong style="font-size: 1rem; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Norland</strong><span style="font-size: 1rem; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">, Barnett scored 26 points on 11-of-22 from the field.</span></p> <p><strong>Malik Abdullahi </strong> - <em>Columbus</em></p> <p>2024 Malik Abdullahi is off to a fast start in his rookie season with the Explorers. The 6-foot-6 small forward is averaging 8.7 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. Moreover, Abdullahi has grabbed 10 or more rebounds 15 times this season. He has also shown ability to defend the rim with 32 blocks on the year. You can credit his length and positioning towards that statistic. His 39 percent shooting from outside in limited volume is something to keep an eye on. He recorded a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds in a recent game against Coral Gables. Abdullahi should continue to grow and develop as he moves along in his high school career. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="818705" first="Taderrius" last="Davis"]</strong> - <em>Miami High</em></p> <p>Few players have done more for their team than Davis. The 6-foot-7 wing is averaging 18.5 points, 14 rebounds, 5.4 blocks and three steals per game. Moreover, Davis is shooting 55 percent from the field and 38 percent from deep. <em>All </em>of those numbers lead the Stingarees. He is a playmaker anywhere you put him the floor. Davis can bring the ball up the floor and is averaging 4.8 assists per game. College coaches should be in contact. </p> <p><strong>Kamari Haston</strong><em> - Martin County</em></p> <p>I can’t do a piece without mentioning Martin County. The Tigers are 17-0 behind 2021 <strong>Nathan Mikkelson</strong> and 2022 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="829398" first="Ryan" last="Davis"]</strong>. The team holds impressive wins over <strong>St. Andrew’s</strong> and <strong>Forest Hill</strong>, to name a few. Another player to look out for is Kamari Haston. The 6-foot-1 guard is averaging 9.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game on 53 percent shooting from the field. His ability to rebound from his position is an asset. Haston has scored in double-figures in six games and has a strong IQ in the Tigers system. 2022 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1065497" first="Braydin" last="Samuels"] </strong>joins him in averaging just over nine points per game. Samuels can hit from outside at a decent clip and shouldn’t be doubted. </p> <p><strong>Michael Cooper</strong> - <em>Forest Hill</em></p> <p>The Falcons are a solid team behind 2021’s <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="818698" first="Donovan" last="Draper"]</strong> and <strong>Jalen</strong> <strong>Jeter</strong>. Behind them is a versatile shooter in Michael Cooper. The 6-foot combo guard is averaging 11.9 points and 2.4 rebounds per game on 46 percent from the field. Moreover, Cooper can shoot the ball from the outside. Against <strong>Martin County</strong>, he scored 13 points and knocked down a pair of 3-pointers. He also scored 18 points against <strong>Lake Worth</strong> and 16 points against <strong>Dwyer</strong>. In addition, his work on the defensive end has resulted in four games with three or more steals. He is a nice X-Factor on a team that should make some noise up in Lakeland. The Falcons reached the Class 7A state semifinals last season.</p> <p><em><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></em>.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>