Florida Top 250 Expo: Surefire Standouts

<p>The annual Prep Hoops Top 250 Expo series took place in Winter Haven, Florida on Saturday with 243 prospects participating in the loaded event. </p> <p>Here is a glimpse at just some of the top standouts that were on display in the gym.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="955800" first="James" last="Morrow"] - 6-7 - F - Andrew Jackson (2022)</strong></p> <p>Part of a successful Andrew Jackson program, Morrow was able to put a lot on tape on the day with his aggression, attacking ability and offensive prowess at the showcase. College coaches were watching him in all three games and I loved the way Morrow battles on each possession on defense as well. He is an under-the-radar player for some reason who is going to have a monster senior campaign. Look for Morrow to continue to progress and be a nightly double double up in Jacksonville. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="956830" first="Jayden" last="Williams"] - 6-5 - G/F - Windermere Prep (2022)</strong></p> <p>Fresh off of a visit to Dartmouth earlier Saturday, Williams showed up at the Top 250 and didn’t look tired one bit. He was basically the best all-around scorer in the gym with his 3-point shot hitting with ease and his driving ability on display. Williams has made a huge jump over the last year and a half, growing in height and maturing from an athlete who can slam dunks often to a true threat on both ends of the floor. Whichever college program brings in Williams will be wise.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1055726" first="Sammie" last="Yeanay"] - 6-7 - F - North Marion (2024)</strong></p> <p>Right out of the gates, Yeanay made his name known. Every coach I talked to and even players were saying, "that Sammie kid is real." Coming into this, I was well aware of Yeanay’s abilities despite just two years of basketball experience. He has very good handles inside the circle and can win down low often with his power and length. He punched a one-handed dunk on a defender in the opening game and it was filthy. Yeanay is going to mature further this fall at North Marion.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1161394" first="Alex" last="Steen"] - 6-7 - F - Arnold (2022)</strong></p> <p>Steen was one of the biggest head turners in the gym with his ups and scoring ability at the cup. He went toe to toe with Morrow in the final game of the day and boy was that fun to watch. Steen battled with the fellow big man and the two dug deep in a friendly battle. There is a lot to like here from the Arnold senior forward and he is someone that will make a college program look really smart for bringing him in.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1161399" first="Reece" last="Bloomberg"] - 6-3 - G - Gulf Breeze (2022)</strong></p> <p>Netting 21 straight points in the second game of the day, everyone on Court 2 was aware Bloomberg was balling out well before he reached that number. A consistent double digit scorer in every matchup, he came from the panhandle with a clear plan, to ball out in front of college coaches and media. Bloomberg deserves much more attention at the next level. He’s a rock solid guard who can shoot, drive and pass and he doesn’t get rattled much. Look for him to have a major senior year at Gulf Breeze.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1055750" first="Isaac" last="Celiscar"] - 6-6 - G/F - Winter Haven (2024)</strong></p> <p>Every time I watch Celiscar play basketball, I see more and more from the young lengthy versatile athlete. He can lead an offense as the main ballhandler and also play off the ball moving around and finding openings. Celiscar took over games with his attacking ability and defenses had a hard time slowing him down. Once his body fills out more, the Winter Haven sophomore will be an even more real threat. Celiscar’s upside is evident.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="962495" first="Kjei" last="Parker"] - 6-1 - G - Bartow (2023)</strong></p> <p>The next man up at Bartow, Parker had bright moments alongside now Iona freshman guard [player_tooltip player_id="818651" first="Walter" last="Clayton"] Jr. as he helped his program win back to back Class 6A state titles. Parker proved on Saturday that he is ready to handle the load and it should help his squad make another push in the postseason. His jumper is smooth, his passing is smooth and his push in transition is steady. Look for Parker to be a clear breakout candidate this season as a junior.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="814550" first="Dylan" last="James"] - 6-8 - F - Winter Haven (2023)</strong></p> <p>A true riser over the summer with a plethora of Division I offers, the long bodied James is a guard trapped in a big body. He can back down defenders, block shots with tenacity defensively, but his ability to handle the rock and create is legitimate. James is always active and is continues to put in the work. He is in for a very big junior campaign for Winter Haven.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1060163" first="Kervin" last="Knaggs"] - 6-1 - G - Auburndale (2023)</strong></p> <p>Always a consistent scorer with his quick twitch ballhandling, Knaggs filled up the scoreboard anytime I watched him play. He is a keen and high IQ passer which helps everyone around him find openings. However, he was determined to make defenses pay and he took one-on-one matchups personally. On one possession he spun on a defender and hit a step back mid-range and wowed everyone watching the tilt. Auburndale has a true dual-threat point man in Knaggs.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="956921" first="Braxton" last="Horsman"] - 6-5 - G - Palm Harbor (2022)</strong></p> <p>Athleticness is in Horsman’s blood. He was flat out flying up and down the floor and getting up for dunks often. The most impressive aspect of his game that I witnessed was his aggression and ability to make shots count. He has a nice outside jumper and plays with a purpose. Palm Harbor should make some noise with Horsman leading the charge.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1293290" first="Kevin" last="Frederick"] - 6-5 - G/F - Mount Dora Christian (2023)</strong></p> <p>Talk about carving out a name for yourself, Frederick did that time and time again on the day. He excelled at a high level at the PH Circuit Proving Grounds event in Winter Haven in late July for Spartans Elite. Frederick deceives opposing teams with his jumping ability and was simply having fun out there. He is going to be a nightly double-digit threat for Mount Dora Christian this fall.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1065448" first="Jordon" last="Rivera"] - 6-5 - G - Evangelical Christian (2022)</strong></p> <p>Length is apparent with Rivera. He was active as can be in the two games I saw him play. His instincts are through the roof and he rarely gets rattled in transition or in sets. Rivera can fill up the stat sheet in a hurry and digs deep defensively as well which is rare to see later in showcase games. His senior season should be a good one down at Evangelical Christian in Fort Myers.</p>