Dillard versus St. Thomas Aquinas Standouts

<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">New year new locations, so we’re in Miami to watch a pair of underclassmen take on two signed seniors. Those four guys weren’t the entire show their supporting casts have promise too. Let’s get into the prospects of a surging St. Thomas team and talented Dillard squad.</p> <p><strong>Dillard</strong></p> <p>At 6’5 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="955773" first="Derrick" last="Lovett"]</strong> is a forward that finishes with force around the rim. He moves well away from the ball getting deep positioning around the rim. Lovett has the strength and athleticism to finish against size. He’s tenacious on the boards and finds guards to start the break. He’s a consistent mid range shooter. The senior also hinted at some court vision by hitting a cutter out of the post. He recently received an offer from Albany State.</p> <p><strong>Khimani Hopkinson</strong> finished above the rim with ease. He’s a 6’7 forward that makes strong rolls and dives to the basket. Hopkinson used a spin out of the post to show off his footwork. The senior uses his length to affect shots and rebounds well. He’s only played three seasons, including a Covid shortened one, leaving some untapped potential for an athletic four with next level size.</p> <p>Freshman <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1301736" first="Dwayne" last="Wimberly"]</strong> is brimming with upside. He’s a lean 6’6 guard with long arms and an athletic frame. He uses his body and athleticism to rebound, especially on the offensive end. His awareness and nose for the ball will force defenses to box him out to stop second chances opportunities. Wimberly finishes well through contact, making tough layups against the older, taller bigs of St. Thomas. He shares lead ball handler duties with sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="1055711" first="Jordyn" last="Kee"]. The 2025 prospect looks like he could be a good wing passer with his instincts to drive and dish to the open man. Coach Mike Hardy tells me Wimberly is the best shooter in Dillard’s line up with several games of making two or more threes a game. He was cold in this matchup but four of four shot from the line and several mid range jumpers show he has a clean stroke.</p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/01/image0-1-e1642625445498.jpeg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-1368986 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/01/image0-1-e1642625445498-150x150.jpeg" alt="[player_tooltip player_id="1055711" first="Jordyn" last="Kee"] | The Traveling Hoopers" width="150" height="150" /></a>[player_tooltip player_id="1055711" first="Jordyn" last="Kee"]</strong> is a promising sophomore floor general. He’s listed at 6’4 giving him plus size for the point guard position. Kee didn’t force things on offense and limited turnovers throughout the game. The 2024 product focused on getting his teammates involved to start the game showcasing his passing and collecting four assists. In the second half, he showed off his shooting from beyond the line, scoring 12 points on 4 of 6 shooting from deep.</p> <p>Georgetown, Seton Hall, and Georgia State are showing interest in Dillard’s backcourt of the future.</p> <p><strong>St. Thomas Aquinas</strong></p> <p>Brandeis University is getting a 6’6 combo guard that can put it in the hole from all three levels. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1161400" first="Matthew" last="Cadogan"]</strong> caught fire to start the game, scoring 11 of his team’s 14 points with three catch and shoot threes and a tough floater over the defense. He has the size and length to guard each perimeter position, gets to the rim, and uses angles to attack the defense.</p> <p>Rice is getting a long forward 6’8 in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="955771" first="Andrew" last="Akuchie"]</strong>. He has the mobility and athleticism to be a consistent option out of the dunker spot. He runs the floor, can hit the corner three, and grabs his fair share of offensive boards. Akuchie sports a tight handle in the open court.</p> <p><strong>Zakaih Saez</strong> is a three-star football recruit but plays an important role for St. Thomas Aquinas. As a solid 6’5 forward, he does the dirty and plays from the free throw line down.</p> <p><strong>Dylan Aloma</strong>’s perfect night from distance earned him some attention. The 6 foot senior guard hit all three of his attempts beyond the arc to help St. Thomas’ second half push.</p>