Southwest Florida Class of 2027: Ones to Watch

As we inch closer towards the 2025-26 high school basketball season, there are plenty of juniors looking to establish themselves as one of the best in all of SWFL. Today let's look at a couple players in the class of 2027 who I believe will have productive junior seasons!    After a season that saw him average over 17 points per game and 8 rebounds per game, [player_tooltip player_id='2872642' first='Timarian' last='Howard'] has decided to take his talents to Gateway Charter for this upcoming season, where he is sure to be a major feature for the Griffiths. While he may only be 6'3 Howard, is a relentless presence on the glass, securing valuable second-chance opportunities for his team, due in large part to his physicality and twitchiness off the ground. Howard's physicality and explosiveness also make him a versatile threat on the defensive end, capable of guarding both guards and bigs with ease.     In his sophomore season, Joe Banks gained valuable experience as one of Cypress Lake's primary shot creators, which will only serve him well as he goes into his junior season. A crafty point guard, Banks possesses a smooth lefty jumper, with the ability to knock down threes a few feet beyond the three-point line. Banks also boasts a soft touch when finishing around the rim, an attribute that Banks loves to showcase with his polished floater when finishing in traffic. Look out for Banks to have a productive season and continue his development heading into his junior year.     At 6'8, Tim Thurman moves unlike most typical big men, utilizing his smooth handle and lanky frame to create opportunities for himself out on the perimeter. With a smooth southpaw jump shot, Thurman is a dangerous threat capable of knocking down threes in bunches both off the catch and off the dribble. Thurman also effectively utilizes his shooting ability to open up his drives to the hoop, where he is a threat to not only finish over anybody at the rim, but also kick out to open shooters on the perimeter.     Last season at Immokalee, Jose Marquez proved he is a versatile player capable of providing his team with a little bit of everything out on the floor. In his 2024-25 campaign, Marquez was in the top 5 at Immokalee in all 5 major statistical categories, while also leading the Indians in 3pt %, shooting a strong 40% from beyond the arc on multiple attempts per game. As Jose prepares for his junior season at Gateway Charter, expect him to continue providing value to his team in a variety of different ways, especially when it comes to ball-handling and being a primary creator for his Griffiths team.     Recently transferring from Riverdale High School to Lehigh Senior High School, Malachii Russ is an extremely valuable addition to Coach Edwards' Lightning team for this upcoming season. At 6'4, Russ is an explosive athlete who utilizes his frame and athleticism effectively to finish with authority around the rim. Russ also utilizes his explosivity to generate pressure and steals in the full court, a pairing that should work well with Lehigh's trap/pressure-centric defense, allowing Russ the ability to get out in transition. With another summer under his belt, the potential for an improved shooting season in tandem with his proven finishing skills lands Malachii Russ as one of the biggest breakout prospects in all of SWFL.

As we inch closer towards the 2025-26 high school basketball season, there are plenty of juniors looking to establish themselves as one of the best in all of SWFL. Today let's look at a couple players in the class of 2027 who I believe will have productive junior seasons!