Top Class 1A Players in Florida (Part One)

Gabe Fly

May 31, 2022 @ 10:33 AM

Ethan McDonald | 6’0” PG/SG | <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/team/v2/372438">Jay High School</a> When you look at class 1A, one name stands out among the rest. Ethan McDonald has made a name for himself, ranking third in Class 1A in scoring as just a sophomore. The sharpshooting guard averaged a very impressive 22 points per game while shooting 40% from beyond the arc. McDonald isn’t just a force on the offensive side of the ball; he’s is a defensive force with a nose for the basketball. He possesses excellent anticipation and can attack the pass at the right time to create a deflection or a steal. Last season he averaged over 2 steals a game and had 7 games with 3 or more steals. Perhaps the most impressive thing about McDonald is his improvement year over year. Since his eighth grade year (when he started playing varsity) McDonald has almost doubled his points output every season. If he can continue improving, he will be competing for the Class 1A scoring title for his next two high school seasons.     <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tristan-watson/">[player_tooltip player_id="962494" first="Tristan" last="Watson"]</a> | 6’5" PF/C/SF | <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/team/v2/372438">Jay High School</a> Watson is another Jay High School product, along with his other class 1A star Ethan McDonald. Tristan has an impressive résumé that goes all the way back to his eighth-grade year when he came in and averaged 14 points per game for the Jay varsity team. He has grown into a tall, confident forward who is comfortable playing under the basket (which he is asked to do quite a bit). Watson led all Class 1A players in rebounds per game, bringing down over 11 boards per contest, and had double-digit rebounds in 9 out of his 14 games played. Watson isn’t just a rebounding machine; he can score the ball as well. In his junior campaign, he averaged 17.4 points per game and shot a very solid 39% from the three-point line. He had one game last season where he knocked down 10 out of 12 three-pointers against the Central Jaguars. Watson shows off a nice combination of scoring abilities around the rim, can back down a smaller defender and finish with a hook shot, or can attack the rim and lay it in. Excited to see what Watson and Jay High School can do this upcoming season.     Noa McClelland | 6’5” PF/C | Bozeman High School Rebounding is the name of the game for McClelland. His long lanky frame allowed him to lead all Class 1A players in offensive rebounds (with 175), total rebounds (with 279), and he was ranked second in rebounds per game with 10.3. McClelland isn’t just a rebounder; he is a competent scorer as well. Averaging over 11 points per game while hitting on 57% of his shots, he’s a legitimate scoring threat when around the basket. He has strong hands and gets both of them on every rebound; his strong rebounding efforts helped him to lead all players in Class 1A in double-doubles last season. Noa isnt the most polished shooter but has shown the ability to knock down the three-pointer (he had three games where he hit 2 three-pointers). McClelland is a great all-around player who possesses excellent fundamentals for a class 1a player. If he can extend his range a bit in the shooting game, he will be a super threat when the season rolls back around.     Jackson Welch | 6’1” SF/SG | Malone High School Welch has a great future ahead of him. He has all the makings and potential to be a legit 3&D player and playing that role at a very high level. He has already made a name for himself as a High school cross country star, winning multiple meets and representing Malone high at the state Cross Country meet. Welch is just a freshman, but the numbers he’s putting up certainly don’t reflect that. He led all Class 1A Freshmen in three-pointers made (74) and three-point percentage (34%), scored double-digit points in 12 games, scored more than two three-pointers in 21 games, and recorded a steal in 17 games (Including two 5 steal games). Welch was crazy productive in the 21 minutes he got per game this season; he led all Class 1A players in scoring per 32 minutes and assists per 32 minutes. This kid has some impressive aspects to his game that will definitely improve with time and maturity. Welch has the potential to grow into one of the best Class 1A players in the next few seasons, and I cant wait to see him grow into his potential. Keep an eye out for him.