This is the category in which we highlight players that we either did not get a chance to see perform or played better than/less than expected and want to know if what we saw was real or a one-time thing.

17U: Jayson Negron, Team Breakdown – The 6’4 rising senior out of Miramar was highly impressive at our Miami Summer Hoops Festival.  His ability to connect on shots from all over, off the catch or dribble, off cuts or ball-screens, in transition or half-court, was nothing short of jaw-dropping.  He has good size, strength, and athleticism for the next level.  Negron takes no shortcuts on the defensive end, working hard to stay in front of his opponent, helping and rotating as needed, and pursuing missed shots to start the transition game.  Miramar has the personnel to have a special season and Negron is one of the big reasons why.

16U: Alex Jenkins, Nightrydas – A 6’6 rising junior heading to Wellington Sports Academy in the fall, Jenkins put up very respectable number for the Nightrydas on the EYBL 16U circuit.  He averaged 15.6 points per game, falling one missed shot from shooting 50% from the field overall.  He was also just a single made free throw from shooting 80%.  Based on his 3-10 success rate from behind the arc, Jenkins is still developing as a perimeter player but wisely takes shots he is comfortable with.  No doubt at WSA he will develop that part of his arsenal.  Jenkins averaged 6.4 rebounds per game as well just under two steals a contest.  He is at the top our list to see in the fall.

15U: Zayden Garcia, Tre Mann Elite – The 6’5 wing didn’t get much run as a freshman on a The Villages Charter team that reached the Class 3A state title game for the second season in a row.  That looks to change this year.  Garcia was stellar in the team’s run to the Section 7 title in June, scoring 25 points in the championship contest, going 5-5 from deep in the process.  According to the Tre Mann Elite staff, Garcia has performed very well on the ProNxt 16 circuits 15U level.  While seniors Aaron Britt and Jomar Bernard, a pair of top hundred players in the 2027 class will get much of the notoriety, we expect Garcia to be a major contributor to whatever success The Villages Charter ultimately has.