Class 5A District 11 Championship Coverage and Standouts

<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Last night just might have been arguably one of the best games of the year in SWFL.  The Tarpon’s [player_tooltip player_id="953010" first="DJ" last="Woods"] came out with an absolutely vicious attack on Mariner. He led the charge on an 18-2 first-period run. At this point, it seemed as if the Tarpons would dominate the game with very little resistance. </p> <p>The Tritons came back quickly in the next quarter closing the gap to 11 points with a balanced attack from all 5 players on the floor. The 1-2 combo of Jay Gamble and  [player_tooltip player_id="953010" first="DJ" last="Woods"] kept Charlotte out on top. </p> <p>By the third quarter Zach Everly warmed up, this 6’7 prospect was shooting the spot up 3 with consistency hitting 4 in the second half of the game helping narrow the gap. </p> <p>The Tritons leading scorer this season Armondo Arguilles started attacking the paint with ferocious intensity finishing around the rim and hitting a clutch 3 to bring them within 3. I admire the heart and drive of the Tritons, most would have hung their heads after a first-quarter 18-2 run, instead they dug in and went after it. </p> <p>In the end, Charlotte held on to the lead all game and edged off the Tritons to become 5A District 11 Champions.  Charlotte remains undefeated in the tri-county area. These two teams will meet again in the regional quarterfinals on 2/17. </p> <p>Here are my standouts for this game.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="953010" first="DJ" last="Woods"] 6’0 point guard  </strong></p> <p>Someone, please offer this young man.  He’s had consistent 20 point games when the lights are the brightest against big teams and the toughest schedule in SWFL. He doesn’t fold under pressure.</p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/Screenshot-2022-02-12-at-6.08.28-PM-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1385220" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/Screenshot-2022-02-12-at-6.08.28-PM-1-207x300.jpg" alt="" width="207" height="300" /></a></p> <p>This prospect hits big shots. He’s shooting around 40% for the season and has shown how well he can get to the basket and finish at the rim. Woods has proven to be a top guard in SWFL.  He ended this game leading scorer with 22 points. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1310825" first="John" last="Gamble"] 6’6 wing</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1310825" first="John" last="Gamble"] does what [player_tooltip player_id="1310825" first="John" last="Gamble"] does. SWFL’s top prospect led the game in rebounds, blocked shots, got to the rim at will, and hit several mid-range shots off the dribble.</p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/image3-1.jpeg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1385224" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/image3-1-240x300.jpeg" alt="" width="240" height="300" /></a></p> <p>We are all aware at this point of what this prospect is capable of. Gamble’s game keeps the stands on their feet. He finished the game with 17 points and 8 rebounds.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>2022 Zach Everly 6’7 PF</strong> </p> <p>Everly hit 4 big 3’s to bring Mariner back in the game. Zach’s shooting ability stands out and has been a staple for the Triton’s success all season.  </p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Zach-Everly.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1184280" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Zach-Everly-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></p> <p>At 6’7 and with such a high release point his shot is incredibly hard to contest even when opposing bigs are closing out. This coachable And confident shooter would be a welcome addition to a college roster and would make an immediate impact on their team’s success. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>2022 Armondo Arguilles 6’4 SG</strong></p> <p>Arguilles is the backbone of this Mariner squad scoring over 400 points this season and averaging nearly 18 PPG. He’s a large part of the Tritons 20-6 record.  </p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/image0-1-1.jpeg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1385227" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/image0-1-1-200x300.jpeg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /></a></p> <p>Armondo does a lot of things well, he’s a capable shooter, But what stands out is his crafty ability to get to the basket and finish. He used a variety of different moves that allowed him to slip into the paint and finish over taller defenders. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>2024  Marcus Kelly 6’1 Point guard </strong></p> <p>The Sophomore kept the energy high for his team, he played intense defense the entire game, while he only had single digits this game, he contributed in ways that don’t show up on the stats sheets. Not once did I see this young prospect drop his head, instead watching him encourage his teammates to stay locked in on defense. His high level of character and leadership showed throughout the entire game.  </p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/image1-1.jpeg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1385229" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/image1-1-300x200.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></p> <p>Currently, he’s averaging 11 PPG and 5 RPG. I expect big things from this young prospect next year.  </p>