Our final look at some of the top players at the first session of the Florida Association of Basketball Coaches Team Camp in Gainesville last weekend.
Alex Pierre-Louis, Coral Springs: The 6’4 rising junior has some wiggle to his dribble and proved to be a good scorer on drives to the basket. Pierre-Louis is a good athlete with a respectable but sometimes streaky perimeter shot. He puts in work in the rebounding department at both ends of the floor. Pierre-Louis has some length and uses it to good advantage on the defensive end.
Daniel Delgardo, Tampa Leto: A 6’0 rising senior, Delgardo is very aggressive on the offensive end when it comes to challenging defenders to keep him from the basket. He has some shifty handles, is quick to recognize any openings in the defense, and seeks out contact for trips to the foul line. Delgardo’s perimeter shot isn’t an often-used weapon but he’ll sink them if given too much room. Fast hands and active feet make him a potent defender.
Jaquan Wells, Jacksonville Riverside: A 6’7 rising senior, Wells is more about potential than production right now, but he seemingly improves each time he steps on the court. He’s thin but long and bouncy. Wells scored well inside on lobs, quick moves to the basket, and when receiving passes from penetrating teammates when the defense came over to help. He is fast up and down the court and looks to challenge any shots near his basket.
Jeremy Nixon, Lakeland Kathleen: A 6’6 rising junior, Nixon is a strong and active athlete. He flourishes around the basket, where his strength and energy make him tough to handle. Nixon gets out and runs the floor for easy scores, is quick to snag and put back offensive rebounds, and scores off short drives and jump shots. He has the strength to defend bigger opponents on the block and the athleticism to defend smaller players on the perimeter.
Ryan Grant, Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons: The 6’2 rising senior was one of the better surprises of the event. He moved well without the ball and once he received it, he wasn’t hesitant in taking it strong to the basket. Grant was also adept at beating the defense down the floor in transition. He didn’t attempt a perimeter shot in the game we saw, so that is one area to look for in the future. A good athlete, Grant plays both ends of the court with great energy.
Lyrique Sartin, Tampa Brooks-DeBartolo: A 5’11 rising junior, Sartin focused on distributing the basketball until a close game got down to “winning time”. At that point, he deposited 11 points in succession and very nearly snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Sartin was quick to the basket during his run and made several difficult shots in traffic. His perimeter shot wasn’t falling this game but the form and fundamentals are there for it to become a weapon with more work on it. Sartin digs in on defense and gets after opposing ball-handlers.
Jermarien Williams, Leesburg: A 6’8 rising senior, Williams has plenty of length and skills to go along with his size. He spent a good amount of time handling the basketball on the perimeter, displaying good passing instincts. In a contest against an overwhelmed opponent, Williams got most of his points on slashes to the basket and in transition after turnovers. The jury is still out on the range and consistency of his perimeter shot. Defensively, Williams covers a lot of ground quickly, disrupts the passing lanes, and challenges shots in the lane.
Darius Washington III, Orlando Christian Prep: A 6’4 rising junior, “DW-3” was getting used to his new teammates but it was easy to tell he has college-level talent. Washington has a scorer’s mentality, finishes well on either side of the rim, and has an improving jumper from the perimeter. He has good size and length with the ability to play either guard spot. Look for him to step up his game on the defensive end as OCP was one of the better defensive units we saw last weekend.
Ta’Veon Jones, Windermere: A 5’7 rising senior, Jones makes things happen at both ends of the floor. He pushes the pace, creates for others, breaks down the defense on the drive and knocks down timely perimeter shots. Jones is a disruptive defender, whether it be guarding the ball, jumping the passing lanes, or forcing a turnover with a surprise double-team. We’ve been watching him since his freshman year and we have yet to see a defender stay in front of him.
Terrence Drain, Windermere: A 6’8 rising senior, Drain has made great strides at both ends of the floor since the end of the season just a few months ago. He’s controlling his rebounding area, challenging shots inside, and showing an ability to score inside on short hooks and drop steps. He won a game this weekend with a stickback in sudden death overtime. A sleeper, but not for much longer.