Standouts: Calvary Christian Academy Summer League

<p>I headed over to Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale to check out the schools summer league. The event has been running for the past month with various schools participating.</p> <p>Let’s take a look at my observations...</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1055731" first="Ryan" last="Powell"]</strong><em> - Calvary Christian Academy</em></p> <p>I am banking on 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="1055731" first="Ryan" last="Powell"] to be a good player when he gets the opportunity. The 6-foot-4 forward has mostly played junior varsity for the Eagles up to this point. Powell looked really strong rebounding and protecting the rim. Moreover, he blocked and disrupted a bunch of shots that came in his vicinity. On offense, Powell’s size and length allowed him to record easy putback baskets in the paint. He also ran the floor effectively and moves well from side to side. I found out his parents are pretty tall so you can expect him to grow. I think Powell is going to be a problem to deal with down the line. Also look out for 2026 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1225931" first="Randy" last="Livingston JR"].</strong> Livingston is a 6-foot guard that moved well with the basketball in his hands.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1068733" first="Jason" last="Mark"]</strong> - <em>Coconut Creek (Express Elite)</em></p> <p>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1068733" first="Jason" last="Mark"] was one of the more athletic and physically gifted players I watched over the four games. The 6-foot-4 forward scored a majority of his teams points after coming off the bench. Specifically, Mark scored a handful of baskets in the mid-range. His ability to shift and rise up around the foul line was impressive. Mark was too simply too strong around the rim and has good footwork. He also knocked down a 3-pointer from the top of the key. I was very impressed with him.</p> <p><strong>James Martinez</strong> - <em>South Plantation</em></p> <p>2022 James Martinez played well in the final game of the night. The 5-foot-10 guard knocked down a pair of perimeter shots early on for South Plantation. I thought he moved well without the ball and was ready to shoot when called upon. He also displayed a strong handle when pressured in the backcourt. Martinez made a nice line to the rim for one of his baskets and finished through contact. Along with himself, the Paladins are a team to watch with a lot of young players.</p> <p><strong>EJ Joseph</strong> - <em>Elite Nation</em></p> <p>Joseph was flying around for Elite Nation against Express Elite. In the first half, I counted three times where he was able to glide to the rim for a layup. Joseph’s length and athleticism allowed him to get to his spot before Express Elite could react. He was basically untouched in these instances. He looks to be in the 6-foot-3 range so he has plenty of size coming out of the backcourt. Overall, a highly athletic kid that can function as a wing.  </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="963310" first="Sami" last="Elkamel"]</strong> - <em>Calvary Christian Academy</em></p> <p>It was my first time seeing 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="963310" first="Sami" last="Elkamel"] in-person and I came away impressed. The 6-foot-8 forward hit a couple of shots along the baseline in game one of the night. At 220 pounds, I think he is more than capable of backing down defenders in the paint. In addition, he can handle the burden defensively and grab tough rebounds with his size. He also gets to run with 2023’s <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="709215" first="Marvel" last="Allen"]</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="709228" first="Carl" last="Cherenfant"]</strong> often, which doesn’t hurt. Speaking of Allen, I thought he played really well and showed why he is one of the state’s hottest prospects. The 6-foot-4 combo guard was smooth in his reads and created opportunities for easy baskets. Allen and Cherenfant play very well together. They will be hard to beat for anyone for the rest of the summer and into the fall season.</p> <p><em><strong>For any South Florida Prep Hoops news or information...please contact Michael Costeines @Steins_23 on Instagram or follow him on Twitter @Mungertown_Mike23.</strong></em></p>