Class 6A State Championship Finals Standouts

<p>The 6A State Championship Game was a bit more lopsided than anticipated. The local favorite Bartow (Lakeland) faced off against a strong Mater Academy (Hialeah Gardens). The game went like this:</p> <p><em>Bartow </em>v. <em>Mater Academy</em>, Class 6A Finals, 72-45 Bartow wins</p> <p>Here were the standouts from the game:</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="962495" first="Kjei" last="Parker"], Bartow, 6’, 2023</strong></p> <p>Parker was definitely one of the most intriguing sophomore prospects of the tournament. He’s a quick and skilled guard that is willing to get a quick shot off and get in the weeds of defenses. He knocked down a pair of three pointers and was electric going to the rim in his 15 point outing for the Yellow Jackets. With the crowd cheering loudly behind him, Parker was able to shine in the bright lights and lead the Jackets to their second consecutive state championship. If Parker can continue to play at this level, he could potentially pick up a few more rings before he graduates in 2023.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="818651" first="Walter" last="Clayton"], Bartow, 6’3", 2021, Iona commit</strong></p> <p>Clayton is one of the most complete guards in Florida right now. He is a high level slasher who makes finishing around the rim look very easy. He can also expand his range and knock down jumpers if he needs to. He is also an avid rebounder and floor general who can run an incredibly good Bartow offense. He had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Yellow Jackets in the championship game and will close out his impressive high school career with another piece of jewelry for his collection.</p> <p><strong>Jamil Lane, Mater Academy, 6’4", 2022</strong></p> <p>The junior small forward has been incredible for Mater Academy all season. The lanky guard was showing his midrange prowess in the championship game, knocking down 4 tough baskets against a gritty defensive Bartow squad. He’s a long guard who can finish around the rim and can jump enough to contest shots and assist in finishing. He is working on his softer skills, like ballhandling, which will complete his offensive repertoire as a player. He is one of the best players in South Florida for his class, and will continue to draw some attention from college coaches throughout his senior season.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="818855" first="Daithan" last="Davis"], Bartow, 6’5", 2021</strong></p> <p>Davis was super impressive against the Forest big men on Thursday, but showed even more prowess against a much smaller Mater Academy team. He forced Mater to foul him and send him to the line, where he shot 6/8. He also was aggressive on the rebounds, pulling down 11 of them to add to his 12 points. Davis showed his offensive and defensive prowess, contesting shots and making Mater work for everything down low. He’s a great big who was a very valuable addition to his now championship winning team. </p>