This weekend brought the Hoop Exchange NextGen Spring Player Showcase to the campus of Southeaster Prep Academy in Maitland just outside of Orlando. There were two sessions each day: morning for the Classes of 2027 & 2028 and afternoons for the Classes of 2025 & 2026. Here are some of the afternoon Saturday Standouts.
Willie Burnett III, Orlando West Oaks Academy: The 6’5 junior scores like fish swim. He has a vast array of ball-skills and dribble moves the he uses to create space for his perimeter shot or foray to the rim. Burnett plays with a great deal of enthusiasm at both ends of the floor.
Emmanuel Kamara, Orlando Southeastern Prep Academy: The 6’8 junior is a strong-bodied and bouncy forward that continues to progress as a full-time wing. He is an active rebounder at both ends, runs the floor and finishes at the basket well in traffic.
Moses Dau, Bradenton Edison Academic: A 7’0 junior, he is tall and long with wiry strength. He rebounds and runs the floor, is a very active rim protector, and has the foot speed to guard on the perimeter. As he gets stronger, he will be better able to finish inside the paint.
Michael Madueme, Orlando Lake Highland Prep: The 6’5 junior impressed with his all-around skills. He dribbles, passes, and shoots at a high level, makes good decisions with the basketball, has range to the arc and rebounds well vs. bigger opponents.
Isaac Buckley, Winter Park Lake Howell: The 6’6 junior has a strong body and is very athletic. He is a streaky perimeter shooter that can heat up in a hurry, forcing defenses to play him honestly. As his ball-skills and drive game improve, he will become that much more difficult to defend.
Jayquan Freeman, Hialeah Educational Academy: The 6’8 junior is an excellent athlete that is quick off the floor for rebounds and fast down the court in transition. He has a quick first step to attack the basket and will make perimeter shots if unchallenged.
Marcis Ponder, Orlando West Oaks Academy: The 7’0 junior is a shattered backboard waiting to happen. He has the size and strength of an NBA vet, let alone your normal high school or college player. Ponder gobbles up rebounds and shot attempts near him on the defensive end. His ability to score away from the rim, whether on short shots in the lane or from the foul line, continues to be a work in progress.
A.J. Ambrose, Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons: The 5’11 junior simply knows how to play. He is crafty at both ends of the court. Ambrose is a good passer, ball-handler, and open perimeter shooter. He makes the game much easier for his teammates.
R.J. Ingram, Orlando Lake Highland Prep: The 6’3 junior is very difficult to keep from the basket. He is a high level athlete that finishes well in traffic. He rebounds well and can push the ball up the floor, making good pass vs. shot decisions on the move.
Paulo Semedo, Orlando West Oaks Academy: The 7’1 senior is skilled with worlds of potential. He effortlessly glides up and down the floor, has good ball-skills for his size, and isn’t afraid of physicality. It just seems like there is another gear or level of effort to take his game up a notch.
Travis Triplett, Bradenton Victory Rock: The 6’10 junior has returned to Florida after spending the past season at one of the many Arizona prep schools. He is a tough match-up on offense because of his ability to score inside and out. Triplett is a good athlete that runs the floor well and actively rebounds at both ends of the court.
Andre Daniel, Pembroke Pines: The 6’2 junior showed off a diverse skill set. He scored on drives, in transition and from both sides of the arc. As a player we had not yet seen, he is someone that bears another look in a more organized setting.
David Nealey, Fort Lauderdale Stranahan: A 6’2 junior, Nealey was impressive in the game we took in as he connected on five consecutive threes at one point in the contest. If overplayed for the shot, the strongly-built guard will get to the basket and score through contact or knock down free throws after getting fouled.
DeAndre Harvey, Williston: The 6’3 junior is athletic, strong, and a creative scorer. He has good ball skills, is a reliable three-point shooter, and finishes well at the basket in a crowd. Harvey is an alert defender that comes up with a lot of tips, deflections, or outright steals.
Jaiden Horton, Homestead: The 6’0 junior was high risk/high reward as he took several tough shots but made quite a few of them. He has a scorer’s mentality and deep range on his shot.