Stock Watch: Week Zero (Preseason)

<p>It was finally game time this past week with preseason events around South Florida. We know some of the top players and can generally expect them to play well out of the gate. In this article, I would like to highlight some secondary players. They could be household names as we move through the season.</p> <p>Nate Hickman - McArthur</p> <p>2022 Nate Hickman played strong defense for the Mustangs at the Sunshine State Preseason Classic. I watched the 6-foot-2 guard put pressure on the ball and move sideline-to-sideline several times. I thought Hickman was focused and played tough away from the basket. He also provided perimeter shooting for McArthur. He is a nice piece to this team.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="963310" first="Sami" last="Elkamel"] - <em>Pembroke Pines Charter</em></p> <p>2023 [player_tooltip player_id="963310" first="Sami" last="Elkamel"] played well over the weekend. I thought the 6-foot-8 forward held his ground against <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="709232" first="Osmar" last="Garcia Araujo"]</strong>, among others. Elkamel did not look stiff and moved his feet well as a defender. He has plenty of size to hold his ground when engaged by an offensive player. Remember, Elkamel moved over from a stacked group at <strong>Calvary Christian</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>. Therefore, this was likely his first significant varsity minutes against a Riviera Prep team with a ton of chemistry. Elkamel  played with <strong>SOH Elite</strong> and <strong>Georgia Stars</strong> 16U over the summer. His work on the circuit might have carried over.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1295917" first="Armon" last="Forrest"] - <em>Blanche</em> <em>Ely</em></p> <p>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1295917" first="Armon" last="Forrest"] is an up-tempo guard for the Tigers. The 5-foot-9 prospect is quick in the halfcourt or transition. Forrest can accelerate on a dime and finish at the rim. I thought his willingness to attack was routine. He is part of a highly impressive backcourt group at Blanche Ely. Forrest scored 15 points in an easy victory over <strong>Somerset</strong> <strong>Academy Pines</strong>. He is also a great student with a 3.8 GPA.</p> <p>Isiah Middleton- <em>Westminster Christian </em></p> <p>2022 Isiah Middleton looked very athletic when he converted for the Warriors. He looks to be about 6-foot-4 or so and played well at times. He scored ten points against <strong>Western</strong>. Against McArthur, I thought he could have been more assertive. Middleton certainly has the size and athleticism to play solid minutes and put points on the board. </p> <p><strong><em>For any South Florida Prep Hoops news or information...please contact Michael Costeines @Steins_23 on Instagram or follow him on Twitter @Mungertown_Mike23.</em></strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>