Jeremy Ballard FIU Team Camp: Championship Sunday

<p>Mater Academy kept it rolling this weekend, winning its fifth team championship of the summer.</p> <p>The Hialeah Gardens program ran the table (8-0) to win the <strong>Jeremy Ballard</strong>/FIU Basketball Camp in Miami. Here are 5 takeaways from Championship Sunday:</p> <h4>Mater's 5th title this summer</h4> <p>Mater Academy earned the title with a 60-43 victory over Fort Lauderdale High in the championship game. Mater won all three of its bracket games Sunday by double-digits. The Lions took down Coral Gables, 78-63, in the semifinals and Miami Triple Threat, 54-36, in the quarterfinals. "We lost one game all summer -- to [Miami] Riviera Prep," said Mater Academy assistant coach <strong>Eric Rodriguez</strong>. The Lions' five championships came at Barry University (twice), Florida National University, FIU and HoopMIA's event in Miami Springs.</p> <h4>MVP: 2022 Malik Reneau</h4> <p>The 6-foot-6 left-hander, who had 16 points in the championship game, put on a clinic vs. Coral Gables in the semifinals. The rising sophomore posted a double-double with 34 points and 10 rebounds. He can do it all: He runs the court, has excellent footwork, has a hook shot that is almost impossible to block, he rebounds and is a rim protector. Reneau landed an early offer from Oklahoma State in April and Miami is following him closely. </p> <h4>Flying L's surprise</h4> <p>Fort Lauderdale High sent an early message to its 2019-2020 opponents: The Flying L's will not be a pushover. Seeded sixth in bracket play, Fort Lauderdale knocked off No. 3-seed Westminster Christian, 55-48, in the quarterfinals and took down No. 7 Hialeah Champagnat, 66-63, in the semis before falling to Mater Academy. Transfers <strong>Alex Vertus</strong> (from Cardinal Gibbons), <strong>Jaylin Bain</strong> (Carol City) and <strong>Elrod Taylor</strong> (Cardinal Gibbons) are behind the turnaround. Vertus and Taylor are 2020s; Bain a 2021.</p> <h4>Transfers aplenty</h4> <p>Saturday I mentioned Coral Reef 6-7 2022 <strong>Jimel Lane</strong> had transferred to Coral Gables High. Coral Reef also lost 2022 point guard <strong>David Clark</strong> to Miami Killian. ... 2020 G <strong>JoJo</strong> <strong>Lopez</strong> has left Florida Christian for Killian. ... 2020 G <strong>Andrew Lopez</strong> went from Florida Christian to Coral Park.</p> <h4>Quigs at the helm</h4> <p>Former Palm Beach State College assistant <strong>Connor Quigley</strong> is now the head coach of Miami Triple Threat's post-grad program. The roster includes <strong>Ange Dibwa</strong> (Schoolhouse Prep), <strong>Nelson Gonzalez</strong> (Miami Ferguson) and <strong>Klein Alexandre</strong> (Oxbridge Academy). Quigley said Triple Threat will play at lot of JuCos, as well as DME, IMG and Miami Prep School.</p> <p><em>If you have high school or travel basketball news, you can reach Pat Lammer via Twitter at @PLamRecruiting or through e-mail at PatALammer@Gmail.com</em></p>