Team Preview: Mater Lakes Academy Bears
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The Prep Hoops staff is taking a closer look inside the elite Florida high school basketball programs, as they gear up for the 2023-2024 season. Our next team feature are the reigning Class 4A Champion Mater Lakes Academy Bears. The…
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Continue ReadingThe Prep Hoops staff is taking a closer look inside the elite Florida high school basketball programs, as they gear up for the 2023-2024 season. Our next team feature are the reigning Class 4A Champion Mater Lakes Academy Bears. The Bears are coming off their first state championship in school history in 2022-2023.
Head Coach: Dylan Estock, 2nd Season
Class: 4A
2022-2023 Record: 28-3
Key Returners: Christian Reid 6-5 SF (2024). The 6-5 senior wing plays much bigger than his size indicates who uses his strength and ability to finish around the rim at a high level. Reid is also super athletic where he can go crash the boards on both ends of the floor and finish with put-backs. He also has great length where he can contest shots across multiple levels and is an elite defender.
Key Returners: Anthony Knowles 6-2 CG (2025). Knowles is a perennial two-way guard who can score on all three levels. He has great ability to score off the catch as well as off the bounce using his quickness where he can finish at the rim. On the defensive side, he has a huge knack of making havoc for the opposition whether it’s forcing them to a tough shot or showing a ton of energy in the passing lanes. Knowles is also an above-average rebounder for his size and uses his athletic frame to an advantage.
Key Addition: Braylon Burbridge 6-2 PG (2024). The 6-2 senior guard is a pass-first guard who displays a great IQ and feel for the game. He is a confident ball-handler and can initiate any type of offense whether he has the basketball in his hands or not. On the defensive end, Burbridge plays with a load of energy and can guard off the ball at a high level. Burbridge comes into Mater Lakes Academy after playing last season at Miami Palmetto where he averaged 13.6 points and 4.8 assists per game for the Panthers as a junior.
Highlights
Bertran Walthour
Bertran Walthour
Key Addition: Bertran Walthour 6-5 SF (2025). Walthour comes to Mater Lakes Academy from St. Thomas Aquinas where he was playing more of a post presence for the Raiders as a sophomore. Last season, Walthour averaged 7.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while shooting 47 percent from the field. He is an above-average defender when guarding out on the perimeter as he displays a ton of quickness for his size and is an elite rebounder. Walthour can score and create space for his own shot at a high level.
Key Addition: Khanye Moss Khanye Moss 5’10” | PG Mater Lakes Academy | 2027 State FL 5-9 PG (2027). Moss is an elite point guard who can control the game at his own pace, displaying a good IQ and feel for the game. He is an above-average passer to find an open teammate. His ability to distribute the basketball and play an unselfish role has spoke volumes about his game at a young age. Moss is also an elite on-the-ball defender where he can jump the passing lanes and turn his defensive game into baskets on the other end. Intrigued to see the progression Moss continues to make as he gears up for his freshman season.