Class 3A State Championship Finals Standouts

<p>The Class 3A State Finals were the first in the series of 7 finals games over the next two days at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. The game featured a heavy hitter matchup between two of Florida’s arguably best teams, Calvary Christian Academy (Fort Lauderdale) and Bishop McLaughlin (Spring Hill). Here’s how the game played out:</p> <p><em>Bishop McLaughlin </em>v. <em>Calvary Christian Academy</em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">,</span> Calvary wins 85-76</p> <p>Here were the standouts for the game: </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="546182" first="Emanuel" last="Sharp"], Bishop McLaughlin, 6’4", 2023</strong></p> <p>His team didn’t capture the state championship like I’m sure he wanted, but Sharp definitely caught the eyes of more than just the spectators at the RP Funding Center. The guard finished with 33 points, giving him an average of 36 a game while in Lakeland this year. He was firing off triples like crazy and seemed unstoppable in the 3rd and 4th quarters. He cooled off and couldn’t get the job done in OT, but overall his performance was jaw dropping. The guard made his case as potentially the best scorer in Florida and is a super high D1 recruit that should be getting offers from all over the country as he progresses throughout his next season. He’s a relentless threat from everywhere on the floor and definitely stood out amongst all players in the entire tournament.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="709215" first="Marvel" last="Allen"], Calvary Christian, 6’5", 2023</strong></p> <p>Allen is one of the absolute best guards I’ve watched this year, and is my personal #1 player in the Class of 2023. The shifty guard was knocking down midranges and didn’t stop going directly at the Hurricanes defense for the entire game. Even with a rough game shooting from the line and distance, Allen was able to produce on offense and led his team in scoring with 21 points. He also added 5 rebounds and 3 assists to his stat line and had 3 steals on the defensive end. Allen will continue to develop his already polished skillset and will be a scary sight for teams in the Ft. Lauderdale area over the next few years. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="712107" first="Taylor" last="Hendricks"], Calvary Christian, 6’10", 2022</strong></p> <p>The junior big man is one of the most skilled post players I’ve ever watched. His ability to stroke the midrange jumper and score face up makes him an even tougher defensive assignment than his 6’10" frame already does. He is also a capable rebounder and an elite shot blocker. His athleticism inside makes it hard for defenders to get easy shots off near him, making him a repellent for guards in the painted area. Hendricks proved his abilities in a big way, scoring 13 points and grabbing 8 boards to go with 3 blocks in the championship effort. He will continue to rack up D1 offers as his high school career continues and will make a case for best player in Florida during his senior campaign. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="814931" first="Matthew" last="Webster"], Bishop McLaughlin, 6’8", 2022</strong></p> <p>Webster hasn’t impressed me as much this year as his fellow Hurricanes like [player_tooltip player_id="546182" first="Emanuel" last="Sharp"] and [player_tooltip player_id="814898" first="Dillon" last="Mitchell"] have. But when it came time to compete, Webster stepped up to the challenge. He got McLaughlin on their early run and was able to get some big momentum buckets, including a huge 3 to tie the game up in the 4th quarter. Webster showed his prowess from outside the paint in this game, knocking down a pair of triples and some midrange jumpers to boost his 14 point performance. Webster definitely has some areas of his game to develop (his hands are one that comes to mind) but when he does, he will be a great threat for the Hurricanes and could potentially be a high level collegiate talent.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="709228" first="Carl" last="Cherenfant"], Calvary Christian, 6’5", 2023</strong></p> <p>Cherenfant impresses me every time he is on the floor. The electric guard is a bench player for Calvary but plays like he is the star of the show every time he has the ball. He was massive down the stretch, and was the man who got the big foul call to get to the line and tie the game up before overtime. Cherenfant shot 75% from the floor and was a menace going to the basket. He tallied 18 points and will, alongside [player_tooltip player_id="709215" first="Marvel" last="Allen"], create one of the best backcourts that Florida has seen in recent history.</p> <p>Congratulations to the Calvary Christian Eagles on their state championship and also to Bishop McLaughlin for their valiant effort!  </p>