Kyle Edison, Boca Raton Pope John Paull II: Listed at 6’4, the senior is a tough to defend thanks to his combination of strength and speed. He is very fast with the ball and gets to the rim quickly. Edison has the strength to ward off defenders on the drive and then finish through contact in a crowd. He made a couple of perimeter shots in the two games we watched but that will be a priority for development wherever he lands at the next level. His physical gifts should allow him to make an impact on defense as well.
Royal Smith, Fort Lauderdale Dillard: A 6’4 junior, Smith impressed with his shot-creating and shot-making abilities. He showed reliable range to the arc and some creativity with his dribble to get to the basket and score. Smith has another gear that most others don’t when heading to the hoop or pushing the ball in transition. He has a solid frame and looks to take contact and get opportunities from the foul line. Defensively Smith is active, covers a lot of ground quickly, and is alert for lazy passes into his area.
Tahir Bibbs, Riverview Bell Creek Academy: A 6’5 junior, Bibbs is a big guy but surprises with his level of quickness. He is most effective inside the arc at this time. Bibbs uses his strength to ward off defenders on drives to the basket and to grab offensive rebounds and score on putbacks. He gets up and down the floor well in transition and owns his rebounding area on the defensive end. We didn’t see him attempt any perimeter shots so that will something to look for next to we get the chance.
Jacob Sterck, Gainesville Buchholz: The 6’5 senior was impressive with his display of outside shooting in the one game we were able to watch him play. His range extended well past the high-school three point line. Sterck not just a catch-and-shoot guy as he will drive by defenders that overplay for the shot. He doesn’t mind taking the contact and earning points from the charity stripe. Sterck proved to be a better athlete than we initially believed him to be and he held his own when going after rebounds in a crowd or defending out on the perimeter.
Jaidyn Breville, Orlando Central Florida Christian: The 6’3 senior was arguably the surprise of the day on Sunday. While he didn’t attempt any shots from behind the arc, he did knock down a mid-range jumper with good form. Breville brings a hefty dose of athleticism to the floor and used it Sunday to quickly turn steals into scores as well as get above bigger defenders for offensive stickbacks. He has a quick second and third leap when going after rebounds.
Connor Alevok, Fort Lauderdale NSU University School: The 6’9 senior has some length to him but his forte seems to be his perimeter shot. He made some deep ones as well as a few off the catch from inside the arc. Alevok is a bit on the thin side but he will fight for rebounds inside and challenge drivers at the rim. He needs to add some strength and a bit more skill but his ability to shoot the ball makes him the kind of players coaches will target later this spring.
Keron Jackson, Jacksonville Ed White: A 6’6 sophomore, Jackson was one of two underclassmen that chose to play Sunday rather than against his contemporaries on Saturday. It worked out for him as Jackson has a lot of natural talent. He handles and passes the ball quite well for a player his size. Jackson has good court vision and is quick to deliver the ball to teammates for good shots. He scores best on drives and in transition right now. His jump shot has good from but is inconsistent. Jackson makes good reads coming off ball-screens to take advantage of the defense to score. He has the tools physically to be a versatile defender.