Much more to cover from this past weekend’s Hoop Exchange Fall Festival at The Big House in Tavares.
Orlando Edgewater
The Eagles look ready to make another run to Lakeland, though it will be a much tougher challenge thanks to realignment. Darius Washington III, a 6’5 senior, is a bucket-getter, pure and simple. Whether driving hard to the hoop, sniping from the perimeter, or scoring in transition, “D-3”, much like his father before him, knows how to light up a scoreboard. Myles Mayfield, a 6’8 senior, adds a lot of energy and athleticism to the team. He is an athletic finisher around the rim, chases down rebounds out of his area, and has the leaping ability to challenge and change shots. Dylan Foster, a 6’2 junior, is another active and athletic perimeter scorer. He is quite quick with the ball, pushes the pace whenever possible, and has a respectable outside shot. Ethan Simon, a 6’7 senior, and Jacari Lofton, a 6’5 junior, are bookend forwards that rebound, run, work hard on the defensive end, and make the most of their offensive opportunities.
Tallahassee Florida High
This program has become a major factor in the Panhandle as well as North Florida the past few years. Trey Card, a 6’6 senior, is a matchup nightmare for opponents. He has a strong frame, high level of athleticism, and the skills to go with it. Card can score from all three levels, rebound with veracity and has good court vision and passing skills. Iyran Francis, a 6’7 senior, is a long and bouncy rebounder, interior scorer, and shot challenger in the paint. Amare Robinson, a 6’0 senior, pushes the pace, collapses the defense by getting to the basket, and is enough of a perimeter shooter to make defenders play him honest. Jordan Smith, a 5’7 junior, stretches the defense from behind the arc. If players such as 6’8 senior Landen Elkins, 6’2 junior Jean Allen, and/or 6’4 sophomore Calvin Laing can provide production off the bench, Florida High will be a tough out every night.
Miami Belen Jesuit
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts when it comes to Belen Jesuit. Head Coach Gaston “Chachi” Rodriguez has won three state titles at three different school down south. Watching this team’s constant ball and player movement at the offensive end is refreshing. While no one player is going to get the majority of attention, there were still some guys that stood out. Orlando Roche, a 6’2 sophomore, knows when the three-point shot or the drive to the rim is the right play to make based on what the defense gives him. Javier Vasseur, a 6’3 senior, completed some tough plays around the basket. Michael Valdes, a 5’11 senior, plays with a great deal of energy, keeps the ball moving, and was helpful on the glass despite his size. There was no player taller than 6’4 on the roster, so Belen relies on a “gang on the glass” approach. Take the opportunity to watch them play if given the chance.
Miami Country Day
The Spartans pulled out a come from behind win in the game we saw on Sunday. One of the breakout players of the weekend was 6’6 senior Chaim Galbut. He finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds by our count, and some of those points were very loud! In a three-play sequence of events, Galbut flushed home a baseline drive, drained a three, and had a steal at mid-court and crushed the rim with a dunk. He played with enthusiasm, energy, rebounded at both ends, and also showed off some scoring tools inside. The Spartans also have a young but solid backcourt duo in 6’1 sophomores Malik Charles and Miguel Orbe. Charles brings the “lightning” with his speed and quickness with the ball, active on-ball defense, and the ability to breakdown the defense, get into the paint, and make good shot vs pass decisions from there. Orbe brings the “rain” with perimeter shooting ability and float game in the lane. Ryan Miranda was a big help in the rebounding department while Fernando Romero stretched the defense with his shooting skills from behind the three-point line.
Miami Palmetto
Palmetto caught our attention at the FABC Team Camp in June, so wanted to get another look at them this past weekend. Inch for inch, there may not be a better scorer in the state than 5’8 senior Santiago Henriquez. His range is deep, his dribble crafty, and his finishes creative at the rim in a crowd. Henriquez is more than willing to take contact and drop in free throws at a high rate of success. He isn’t the only one on the roster that can put points on the board. Ralphy Diaz, a 6’3 junior, has a strong frame, knows how to use it when driving to the rim and taking shots inside, but also has good touch out to the three-point line. Alex Jackson, a 6’2 senior, plays bigger than his size, works the glass, passes the ball well and makes the most of his offensive opportunities. If some other players can step up in their roles and find ways to make an impact at either end of the floor, Palmetto will be a factor in Miami-Dade.
Orlando Central Pointe Christian
A member of the Sunshine Independent Athletic Association, Central Pointe attracts many foreign players from the Caribbean as well as African countries. There is a lot of size on the roster as nine of the thirteen players stood 6’6 or taller. Jilmar Masquera, a 6’2 senior, was the most productive player on the roster in the final game of the day on Saturday. An explosive athlete with a solid frame, his desire was to get to the basket and finish above the rim at every opportunity. Wellington Barros, a 6’7 sophomore, had some success in getting to the basket as well as the free throw line. It is a young group, as nine of the thirteen are in the Classes of 2026 or beyond. Should players like 6’9 junior Raphael Alyko, 6’7 sophomore Eric Stephane, and/or 6’10 freshman Frank Sound develop rapidly in this basketball-centric environment, it will bode well for Central Pointe’s future.