Bartow Shootout Preview Series

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Port Charlotte</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the most talked-about teams from Southwest Florida, Port Charlotte finished 23-6 last season and brings back a lot of intriguing young talent. 2027 guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2125500' first='Marcus' last='Nestor'] </strong>leads the way as a scoring threat, joined by two capable forwards in 2027 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2125485' first='Isaiah' last='Jenkins'] </strong>and dual-sport 2026 athlete <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1633093' first='Dallas' last='Lambert']</strong>. Senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1633096' first='Mikael' last='Santa'] </strong>is another name to know—don't be surprised if he has a productive weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tampa Catholic</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Crusaders finished 21-10 last year and have been a staple in the Tampa basketball scene. All eyes will be on 2026 guard <strong>Willie Piggot Jr</strong>., one of the fastest-rising prospects in the state. There's also a promising young core featuring 2027 guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2125507' first='Skoot' last='Donald']</strong>, power forward <strong>KJ Morgan</strong>, and ascending 2026 guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2868784' first='Sohan' last='Alla']</strong>—giving this group plenty of long-term upside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Windermere</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coming off a 26-6 season, Windermere remains one of the more consistent programs in Central Florida. While the Wolverines lost a good chunk of senior production, expect them to still be disciplined and competitive. Keep an eye on fast-rising 2027 guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2125482' first='Gustavo' last='Roca']</strong>, along with versatile combo guards <strong>Lucas Boyd </strong>and 6-5 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2522709' first='Ben' last='Bunnell']</strong>—both of whom are expected to step up in bigger roles this summer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Edgewater</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Eagles went 20-9 last season but head into this cycle without a few of their program-changers. That said, 2026 guard <strong>Dylan Foster</strong> has had a strong offseason and is gaining momentum as a breakout name to know. Athletic senior forward <strong>Jabari Lofton </strong>is another returner expected to take on a larger role. It'll be interesting to see how the full group meshes as the offseason continues.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Evans</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Trojans consistently produce high-level talent, and after a 25-7 campaign last season, they'll be looking to retool following senior departures. What they do have is size—plenty of it. Expect to see 6-6 forwards <strong>Winner Metelus </strong>and <strong>Juwan Robinson </strong>take on leadership roles, while 6-9 big man <strong>Dewayne Dixon</strong> could be a dominant paint presence if active this weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Olympia</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Olympia has been a steady force over the past five seasons, and they'll bring a loaded group of young talent to Bartow this weekend. They finished 18-11 last year but now return one of the more exciting underclassman trios in Florida—top-ranked 2027s <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2532293' first='Jonathan' last='Watts'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2514156' first='Bishop' last='Wenze']</strong>, alongside scoring guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2809408' first='James' last='Nowells']</strong>. Expect fireworks from this group.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->