Five standouts from North Marion & Santa Fe district championship
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Playoff time is special in Florida. The state is so big the prospects in non-metropolitan areas might not match until districts. Friday night’s championship game had five talented players deserving of more attention. Santa Fe Dontrell Jenkins FL #52 PG…
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Continue ReadingPlayoff time is special in Florida. The state is so big the prospects in non-metropolitan areas might not match until districts. Friday night’s championship game had five talented players deserving of more attention.
Santa Fe
Jenkins may be the best unsigned senior in the state. In the first half, he used his speed and passing to find open looks for his teammates and create turnovers. He’s a heady lead guard that knows how to pull defenses away from his teammates and can rifle passes through tight windows. In the second half, he scored 35 of his 43 points. He’s an elite level difficult shot maker that hit pull up threes in transition and turnaround midrange shots over college sized guards and a 6’8 forward. He got paint touches in with ease and finishes through contact with crafty moves. Jenkins knows how to manipulate a pick and roll to get the roll man an easier look. He’s a solid on ball defender with the strength to pressure ball handlers.
Braylon Guyden is a consistent off movement shooter that’s connected on a shade under 2 threes a game. He’s a quick feisty defender that can hit passing lanes and bother his man on an island. Guyden plays hard and has a quick release.
North Marion
Yeanay showed offensive versatility all night. He hit a three off the catch, got downhill for shots in the paint, and creates shots for his teammates. Santa Fe forced him to make more on ball plays from the perimeter than most teams have, but he made it work. He’s so much bigger and stronger than his competition at this level that referees tend to over officiate him on offense. Yeanay switched on multiple defenders and made it hard for players to score at the rim.
Jedarrius “JD” Jackson continues to show flashes in his freshman season. He made his freshman mistakes but made up for them with clutch plays. Jackson hit midrange pull ups, created opportunities for others, and took coaching well in a high-intensity game. He has a nose for second chance plays.
Brenden Barber is the glue guy for North Marion. He used the first three quarters to show off different parts of his game. Barber had four assist in the first quarter making smart passes to cutters and in transition. He scored seven of his 15 points in a pivotal second quarter, hitting one of his three three pointers while drawing fouls on drives. Starting in the third quarter, he showed the ability to slow down a red hot guard. Barber is only a sophomore, but his physical tools and ability to make the right play are promising.