Best Tandems: South Florida (Part 1)
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It takes more than a one-man show to beat great teams. Who are the best one-two players in South Florida? For this list, I left out graduating seniors as their high school careers have now ended. Many of these prospects…
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Continue ReadingIt takes more than a one-man show to beat great teams.
Who are the best one-two players in South Florida?
For this list, I left out graduating seniors as their high school careers have now ended. Many of these prospects play for teams that are annually in contention for district and state championships.
Let’s go into my picks…
Jaylen Carey Jaylen Carey 6'8" | PF Westminster Academy | 2023 State #129 Nation FL / Aidan Abell Aidan Abell 6'6" | SG Westminster Academy | 2022 State FL – Westminster Academy
I don’t think the loss of 2022 Ben Middlebrooks to Calvary Christian Academy hurts the Lions as much as some might think. Middlebrooks is a great player and a surefire D-1 prospect. Of course, I rather have him on my team than not, but I don’t think his departure changes the reason why Westminster Academy went 9-9 last season. The Lions still have a D-1 prospect in their frontcourt in 6-foot-10 Jaylen Carey Jaylen Carey 6'8" | PF Westminster Academy | 2023 State #129 Nation FL who has an evolving offensive game. The 235-pound forward can play in the post and adequately stretch the floor. A partial amount of the rebounds collected by Middlebrooks should transfer over to him as well. Therefore, I think Carey will have more opportunities to play in space and diversify his game. His cardio and stamina to play extended minutes was on display this past season. He should be able to handle more of work load because of his off-season conditioning. With Abell, you have a prospect that shoots 47% from behind the 3-point line. He also has plenty of athletic ability to attack the rim if you play him too close. His size (6’5’) gives him an edge at the rim when contact might arrive. I think his loss would have been much more damaging to the team overall. Westminster Academy can play inside-out (or vice versa) with the two players.
Justin Abson Justin Abson 6'9" | PF North Broward Prep | 2022 State #230 Nation FL / Maximus Fuentes Maximus Fuentes 6'2" | CG North Broward Prep | 2022 State FL – North Broward Prep
North Broward Prep has two high I.Q. players in Abson and Fuentes. The pair combined to average 29.5 points, 15.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game this season. The 6-foot-9 Abson is an interchangeable forward on both ends of the floor. Abson has a strong jump hook and can score with either hand in the post. In addition, he can face up his defender and knock down a high number of shots in the mid-range. He also has great vision to find open teammates while playing in traffic. Abson is a strong rim protector and uses his length to block a high volume of shots. Fuentes is a confident shooter and strong perimeter defender. The 6-foot-2 shooting guard shot 51 percent from the field and 33 percent from behind the 3-point line this season. His 6’9 wingspan is also a huge advantage in the backcourt on both ends.
Amen Thompson/Ausar Thompson – Pine Crest
Obviously the Thompson twins can be on any list I create. Pine Crest has two 6-foot-6 guards that have unique size and athleticism in the backcourt. They play very well with one another and know each other’s games. That brotherly intellect and chemistry comes in handy. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen them hurt teams with backdoor cuts and alley-oops at the rim. They make you pay the price if you’re not defensively sound and in constant communication.
Marvel Allen Marvel Allen 6'4" | SG Ft. Lauderdale Calvary Christian | 2023 State #46 Nation FL / Carl Cherenfant Carl Cherenfant 6'4" | CG Ft. Lauderdale Calvary Christian | 2023 State #68 Nation FL – Calvary Christian Academy
Calvary Christian is a prime example of a team that you can pick a bunch of tandems with. However, I will spotlight the backcourt as its driving engine. I think the play of Allen and Cherenfant will be a big factor in the Eagles’ dream of making it to GEICO Nationals next season. You have two D-1 prospects that have enough length and playmaking ability to be effective at the rim. Allen is particularly aggressive and can create his own space when attacking the basket. Cherenfant is coming off a nice run in the state tournament that should carry over into next season. Both players are lethal in transition and play well off turnovers. You cannot Calvary Christian extra possessions, and it starts in the backcourt.
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