Insider Exposure May Madness Standouts – Part 1

<p>Some of North Florida’s best were out in full force last weekend at the May Madness showdown in Alachua, FL. Bringing teams from all over, this non-eval event was a big time opportunity for some under-the-radar Florida prospects to show what they’ve got. And show it they did. There were talented players at all levels. But only a few really stood out to me during my time at the event. Here are the guys who really got it done for their squads:</p> <p><strong>Esau Rivera, 6-0, 2023, Teneroc, TB-21 Hoops 17U</strong></p> <p>Easily my favorite player of the tournament, watching Rivera is getting a masterclass in the hard skills of the game. Rivera is an absolute dog in every sense of the word. His tenacity on both ends gave TB-21 a jolt against an arguably more talented 904 Elite team. But behind a team-wide defensive intensity led by Rivera, they never looked like the worse team at any point. For his size, Rivera’s physical toolset is incredibly impressive: he’s the strongest guy on the floor, incredibly quick, and has enough athleticism to get out for dunks. Rivera’s a true team motor who can turn a team’s intensity up by orders of magnitude. In a game where soft skills seem to be taking precedence, Rivera exists as a reminder that heart and grit can pull out wins against more talented opponents.</p> <p><strong>Quashawn Exantus, 6-6, 2022, Lake Gibson, TB-21 Hoops 17U</strong></p> <p>If Rivera is the braun, Exantus was the brain for TB-21 in his big game against 904 Elite. Despite sitting early after some technical fouls, Exantus did show out in his limited minutes on the floor. At 6-6, Exantus is not the tallest big man on the block. However, he’s built more like a middle linebacker, and uses his expansive size to seal off smaller defenders on the block. When he catches the ball in the post, he’s able to use his surprisingly soft feet to get himself to the spot he needs to be and the uses his size to bully his opponent. Defensively, Exantus proved to be a decent rim protector who was effective in stopping the (few) shots that TB-21 allowed 904 Elite to take inside. The thing that put Exantus on my radar, however, was also his ability to knock down perimeter shots and mid ranges. Exantus hit 3 threes with a lot of confidence and was able to convert on some open mid ranges as well. He’s a project for sure, but a coach needing a last minute 2022 could see Exantus as a an opportunity to invest in a big man with a solid offensive arsenal. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1060170" first="Keenan" last="Johnson"], 6-8, 2023, San Jose Prep, 904 Elite 17U</strong></p> <p>I’ve watched Johnson a lot in my short scouting career, and it’s nice to see that the once unpolished big man has seemed to improve in some aspects of his game. His moneymaker is still his shot blocking prowess. He’s become an even better shot blocker, bordering on elite status. His name could start being mentioned alongside some of Florida’s best rim protectors. He blocked a ton of huge shots against defenders of all sizes with his intense athleticism. Johnson’s three-point shot has also improved drastically. Maybe it’s because TB-21 forced them to take a ton of threes, but it felt like Johnson was his team’s most reliable offensive threat from distance. Despite playing center for the majority of the games, Johnson was really getting hot from outside in the two games I watched. Johnson still wants to be a guard a bit too much at times, but with some further development in his guard skills and some increased aggression, Johnson still has the opportunity to pan out and be a consistent threat going into the next level.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1168021" first="Joey" last="Witt"], 6-1, 2023, Mandarin, 904 Elite 17U</strong></p> <p>Man, talk about [player_tooltip player_id="1168021" first="Joey" last="Witt"]’s confidence. This whole blurb could just be about how much confidence this kid has in himself and his jumper. However, he has enough skills to back up his unbridled confidence to generate some enthusiasm around this kid. He was letting shots fly from everywhere, and in every fashion: step backs, side steps, with heavy defense, you name it. Witt had a decent handle and was able to push the ball into the middle of the floor as well. Most of Witt’s offensive skillset came at the three point line, but his jumper was beyond solid. This is a guy who has flown under the radar for me, but could definitely turn some heads this next season with his well-developed offensive arsenal.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>