Basketball is the quintessential team game. All those players that have been honored as MVPs or MOPs certainly couldn’t win games and amass impressive stats without some help. With that in mind, here are our nods to the Best Supporting Player in each classification.
RURAL
Decarion Debose, Hawthorne: The 6’1 senior topped the state champions in steals and assists while being the team’s second leading scorer for the season. Debose also spearheaded the team’s defense, putting pressure on the ball and making it difficult for opponents to get into their offense.
CLASS 1A
Tucker Fox, Lakeland Victory Christian: The 6’0 junior may well be immortalized for his three-point shot that beat the fourth overtime buzzer to advance the team to the state title game. However, that is not the only reason Fox earns this award. He averaged fifteen points a game this season and led the team in steals, providing value at both ends of the floor.
CLASS 2A
Toby Lane, Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic: The 5’8 junior is a tough competitor that made things easier for his teammates in Santa Fe Catholic’s run to the tournament title game. Lane led the team in assists and steals and averaged double-figure points per game. He did a great job of controlling game tempo, breaking down defenses with the dribble and making good shot vs pass decisions on the move.
CLASS 3A
Hurley Brutus, The Villages Charter: The 6’6 junior was the team’s fourth leading scorer for the season at just over ten points a game, but he brought so much more to the court. His infectious enthusiasm elevated the team’s play and his ability to defend every position on the floor was vital to the team’s success. Brutus has the talent to be a big scorer and is getting a lot of attention from D-I coaches but his abilities as the “ultimate glue guy” make him unique.
CLASS 4A
Bobby Crawford, St. Petersburg Gibbs: The 6’7 senior played alongside a DePaul recruit and with three guards that are dynamic with the ball, so Crawford didn’t get many plays run for him. That being said, he was seemingly always in the right place at the right time whether to block a shot, put back a teammate’s miss or throw down a lob in transition. Crawford led the team in rebounding and blocked shots this past season.
CLASS 5A
Jayelen Jonas, Pompano Beach Ely: A 6’5 senior, Jonas put up solid numbers across the board this past season, averaging 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks per contest. Jonas was a key part of a quartet of seniors that were instrumental in returning Ely to championship glory.
CLASS 6A
D.J. Sandi, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas: The 6’0 junior is all about winning and it shows. Sandi won’t wow onlookers with athletic feats that make jaws drop, but he will defend with a passion, get the ball to the right place at the right time and essentially come up clutch in key moments of tight games. He averaged almost six rebounds a contest to go along with a team-leading 7 assists and 3 steals a game.
CLASS 7A
Jaxson Richardson, Miami Columbus: The 6’6 junior elevated his game this season and became a highly effective offensive option to go along with his abilities as a versatile defender and robust rebounder. Richardson’s ability to make perimeter shots with consistency, run the floor in transition, and disrupt opposing offenses paid big dividends in the Explorers’ run to not just a fourth state title but possibly a national one.
INDEPENDENTS
Evan Sterk, Gainesville The Rock School: Somehow, the 6’1 senior was overlooked for Sunshine Independent Athletic Association honors this season but whenever we watched The Rock play it was clear that Sterk was the straw to stir the drink. The Jacksonville signee was solid with the basketball, quickly found teammates for good shots, was a reliable perimeter shooter and a challenging defender.