Recruiting Update: South Florida and SIAA-FL prospects
Toumani Camara, Chaminade-Madonna
The 6-foot-8 Class of 2019 has a smooth, consistent stroke and ambidextrous finishing ability. His game took off during the tail end of the season, as he turned in several high-20 point games. A crafty scorer with a high ceiling, Camara brings length and athleticism and confidence in the one on one game. If he can continue to add a skill set in all categories of his game, the potential is certainly intriguing.
Camara averaged 21+ points and 12 boards per game, with a 31-point outburst against a loaded University School team. He has reeled in offers from programs such as Buffalo, George Washington, UT-Chatanooga, and Florida Atlantic recently. While he possesses raw skill, Camara brings a nose for the rim and a confidence to his game. The ease at which he scores the ball in clusters cannot be overlooked. The ball comes out of his deft left handed stroke nicely from 20-feet out. If he can sustain the killer instinct he finished the 2017-18 campaign with and really embrace the featured piece role, he’ll be sifting through even more mid major offers.
Neftali Alvarez, Miami Christian
The 6-foot-1 First Team All State guard averaged 27 points and a Miami-best 11 assists this past season. His multi-dimensional game was underscored by a quadruple double he posted during one game at the tail end of the season (41 points, 13 assists, 11 rebounds, 11 steals against NW Christian). Alvarez has shown a knack for the big shot, as he hit the game-winning 3-pointer to seal a state championship during his junior season. He turned in a 40-point game against Westminster Academy.
As a senior and battling against stiffer competition, Alvarez produced on some big stages. He scored 32 points during the Montverde Invitational and registered 14 double doubles throughout the season. As a senior, Alvarez became more polished as a defender, blocking and changing shots and keeping his hands active at all times. He’s also become more active on the glass.
Alvarez initially appeared to be leaning on Wichita State, which has been recruiting him thoroughly from the very beginning. While Akron, Fairfield, Arkansas State (with Miami product Mike Balado at the helm) appeared to be high on Alvarez, Florida International and Florida Gulf Coast appears to be pursuing him the hardest at the moment. Alvarez, who hails from Puerto Rico, wants to stay local and both new coaching staffs at these respective programs have been prioritizing him as of late.
Anthony Chamberlain, Miramar
The 6-foot-3 guard brings length and versatility on the defensive side. Chamberlain was routinely tasked with neutralizing high scorers and impacted the game in a number of different ways. The Class of 2018 prospect has some bounce and some explosiveness and is consistently a target for high lob passes. He’s a high-energy guy constantly in attack mode.
Chamberlain recently committed to Clinton College in South Carolina.
Sam Griffin, Westminster Academy
The 6-foot-1 guard has become more of a scoring threat this off-season, averaging 22 PPG for Team Autonation on the AAU circuit. Griffin has increased his stock ever since a lights out shooting performance (he knocked down six 3-pointers) during a regular season matchup against Monteverde Academy.
Griffin is a defensively sound guard who can score the ball in a variety of ways. He’ll provide a backcourt foundation alongside 3-point assailant Chase Johnston next season. Griffin’s poise and advanced play on the AAU circuit recently drew the attention of Air Force, which offered him a scholarship this past week.
Ibrihham Makumator, Neumann
The unsigned Class of 2018 prospect is uber athletic and is adjusting to the demands of the uptempo, rim to rim attack. While he’s still got a ways to go skill-set wise, he’s a rim protector who boxes out effectively and has developed a nose for the ball. Makumator is averaging nine boards and three blocked shots for Team Autonation on the Under Armour circuit.
While Southern Illinois, Valparaiso, Butler, Evansville and countless Division-I programs have been expressing interest, his coaches are confident a D-I program will pull the trigger soon. The program was allowed to bring three unsigned Class of 2018 seniors, with Makumator having the most potential out of the trio. Countless JUCOs are calling every day for Makumator, who averaged 14 points and 13 boards and had 30 rebounds during a single game this past season.
JJ Romer, Believe Prep Academy
The 6-foot-10 Class of 2018 prospect gained much needed muscle during his post-graduate year. The Miami product brings length, athleticism, explosiveness, and is steadily developing a guard’s skill set. While he’s still a bit rough around the edges physically and could add toughness to his all around package, he’s got mobility and defensive versatility at his size.
He would be a late get for someone at this point in time. St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.) recently inquired about the unsigned Romer.
David Sloan, John A. Logan
The 6-foot guard out of The Conrad School in Orlando had a monster first year in the JUCO ranks, averaging 12 points and 9.5 assists per game. Throughout his high school career under Richard Gatgewood at Taylor County (KY) and then in Florida’s SIAA conference, Sloan was purely a score first guard. He showed how much of a game-changer he could be against formidable competition. Sloan scored 32 points against Deandre Ayton’s Hillcrest Prep (Az.) team and also erupted for 28 points against a Wesleyan Christian (N.C.) team featuring Jaylen Hoard and countless other Division-I talent.
Sloan has shed the feast or famine tendencies and become a consistent contributor, with more emphasis on his facilitating game.
Mayoum Mayoum, DME Academy
The 6-foot-4 Australian has witnessed his stock soar this spring. A hard-driving attacker who gets into the lane with ease and finishes above the rim, the Class of 2020 prospect assumed some of the scoring mantle alongside Florida Atlantic-bound forward Mame Diaw Niang this season. He’s got the sneaky bounce and length working in his favor. If he can develop into a steady knockdown source, Mayoum will continue to ascend the Division-I ladder and wind up at a high major program. He’s still raw and needs to shed the habit of going too out of control at times. The motor and the killer instinct are certainly there.
Georgetown and Mississippi State have recently plunked down a scholarship offer.
Elijah Hill, Miami Dade College
The vastly improved JUCO guard recently received an offer from Mississippi. Hill averaged 15.8 points and 4.5 boards this past season, emerging into a key scorer and game changer. In-state and in-city battles had some extra juice for battle. He scored 31 and 35 points in games against Miami Dade College. Hill is a seasoned player with a toughness and a savvy about him. He’s shed the habit of taking bad shots and become more of an efficient, high scoring piece. Has a high major skill set.
Anthony Gomes, ASA Miami
The Osceola County product was one of the top JUCO guards in the country this past season. He averaged a team-best 24 points during conference play and was a lethal scorer, especially from beyond the arc. Gomes, who erupted for 39 points against Palm Beach State, has re-opened his recruitment after a commitment to Albany State of Georgia. The recent coaching change at Albany St. has led him to weigh different options as he continues to pursue his career. Gomes improved drastically after averaging 10 points as a freshman.
He took to the challenge of being a go-to guard who could dictate a game with his explosive scoring. Gomes had nine games of 24+ points this past season.
A.J. Neal, West Oaks Academy
Neal has always been a bit ahead of his time on the court. After averaging 28 PPG as a seventh grader on JV, he saw quality minutes on varsity as an eighth grader. Now the Class of 2021 product has earned offers from South Florida and Mass. Neal, who has deep 3-point range and can create his shot off the dribble, has been a steady supplementary scorer to P.J. Person and Tyrell Jones this past season.
The well-built guard has quickly transitioned to the rigors of the varsity level and has developed into a talented scorer with a heady and aggressive nature about his game.