The High School season is over and the Travel Team Circuit will be heating up very, very soon.  Now is a good time for Source Hoops to dole out our annual End of Season Awards.  First up: Most Valuable Player.  Remember, we define the MVP as the person who was most prominent in leading his team to playoff success.

RURAL

Chaison Wilson, Hawthorne: The 6’3 senior moved in from Lake Worth in South Florida over the summer and provided a presence that other teams in the Rural Classification simply couldn’t matchup with.  Explosive with a strong frame, Wilson played bigger than his size.  He was able to take smaller opponents inside and punish them in the paint and take bigger defenders away from the paint and quickly get by them off the dribble.  His winning mentality and high-motor fit in well with Hawthorne’s tradition and Hawthorne benefitted from it with another state title.

CLASS 1A

Matt Able, Weston Sagemont:  The 6’4 senior was simply on another level all season long for Sagemont.  His ability to knock down shots from both sides of the arc as well as drive the ball into the teeth of the defense and score in traffic at the basket made him a priority for defenses and allowed his talented teammates easier opportunities to score. Able was also helpful at the defensive end of the floor.  He was an alert and active defender, disrupted the passing lanes, and was quick to push the ball up the floor once he secured an opponent’s missed shot.  One of two newcomers to Sagemont this season, Able was able blend in his skills with an already talented team to give Sagemont another state title.  He recently de-committed from UM but has plenty of high-major D-I options available

CLASS 2A

Tate Darner, Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic: The 6’4 senior took his already-high level game up a couple notches entering the post season.  He erupted for 34 points in a semi-final victory over a long, athletic, and talented Jacksonville University Chistian squad.  In the final against Miami Riviera Prep, the UT-Chattanooga signee pumped in 27 points.  In the two games in Lakeland, Darner went a total of 25-35 from the floor, including 6-12 from beyond the arc. That is a shade over 70% shooting, which is “Darner” unbelievable.

CLASS 3A

Jaharri Simmons, Jacksonville Jackson: After a coaching change at Jackson, many were unsure how the squad would look coming into this past season.  Simmons, a 6’0 senior, quickly assumed control and kept Jackson on its highly successful run these past few seasons.  Slight but shifty, Simmons excelled at controlling the pace of play.  He was quick to push the pace when the team had an advantage and also understood how to run the offense in the half-court and make the game easier for his teammates.  Simmons proved to be an exceptional shot-creator and shot-maker off the bounce, making him a tough cover for opponents.

CLASS 4A

Christian Yeargin, Fort Lauderdale Stranahan: The Dragons won the Class 4A state tournament probably a year ahead of schedule and one of the main reasons was the play of the 6’4 junior.  Yeargin impressed us back in the spring with his athleticism, ability to make plays regardless of game tempo and defensive versatility.  He was the team’s leading scorer this season and was very consistent in Lakeland.  Yeargin had 20 points and 6 rebounds in the semis and 21 points and 6 rebounds in the one-point title game victory.  Four of five starters are expected to return next season, putting a target on the back of the Dragon’s in 2025-26.

CLASS 5A

David Sanchez-Barrea, Ponte Vedra: The 6’0 senior has been a quality component to Ponte Vedra’s success the past few years but it seemed like in his final high school season he stepped up in many categories.  Sanchez-Barrea was an extension of the coach on the floor, made key plays in big moments, and was able to spark the team to the title game.  He played every single minute of the team’s triple overtime win in the semi-finals and was on the floor all thirty-two minutes of the championship game.  For the two games he averaged 13.5 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists, making him nearly indispensable.

CLASS 6A

Clarence Westbrook, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas: The Raiders were seemingly a well-oiled machine this season and many players on the squad could be given this honor without any hesitation.  However, it seemed like the 6’2 sophomore elevated his game once he set foot on the floor of the Lakeland Center.  He was consistent in his output, leading the team with 19 points in a semi-final blowout, then adding 15 points in the team’s come-from-behind title game victory.  In a facility known for making good shooters look bad, Westbrook was an impressive 5-6 from three-point range over the two games in the Lakeland Center.

CLASS 7A

Terrence Drain, Windermere: The 6’9 senior made great strides over the off-season to become the one thing most programs don’t have: a dominant big man that can score in the post, step away from the basket and make shots, as well as protect the rim on defense.  Drain’s play and presence allowed the Windermere perimeter players freedom to play aggressively at both ends of the floor.  No doubt that Windermere would have reached the regional playoffs without Drain, but odds are their appearance in Lakeland would not have happened.

INDEPENDENTS

Nate Kirk, Daytona Beach DME Academy: The 6’1 junior stepped forward in a major way when Louisville signee and McDonald’s All-American Mikel Brown went down with an elbow injury the last week of the season.  With Brown unavailable for the Sunshine Independent Athletic Association (SIAA) state playoffs, Kirk made sure DME didn’t miss a beat in leading the team to the title.  He led the team with 25 points in the championship game, earning MVP in the process.  A quick guard that can score as well as distribute, it will be interesting to not only watch him but watch who watches him during the live periods this spring and summer.

Next Up: Most Outstanding Player