Hialeah Mater Lakes

If you thought the Bears would be down due to losses from graduation and transfer, you would be wrong.  The returning players have greatly elevated their games and Mater Lakes should be competitive most nights.  Tai Bell, a 6’2 freshman, got meaningful minutes last season off the bench and now is ready to be a major factor the next four years.  He reads the floor well, makes good decisions, and scores well both at the basket and from the perimeter.  Bell has good instincts on the defensive and as his strength and athleticism improve with physical maturity, he will become that much more of a factor on both ends of the court.  Khanye Moss, a 6’0 sophomore, is a lefty blessed with excellent speed and quickness.  He has always been tough to keep out of the lane but now that his perimeter shot has become much more reliable, the defense will have to pick their poison. Moss has fast feet and active hands on the defensive end.  Bertran Walthour, a 6’5 senior, plays much bigger than his size.  He rebounds at a high level at both ends, scores well from fifteen feet and in, will make the occasional three to keep defenses honest, and makes winning plays that don’t show up in the box score.  The rest of the squad do well in their roles and make the most of their scoring opportunities when the time comes.

Windermere Prep

The Lakers will once again be a factor in Class 3A.  Sam Shoptaw, a 6’3 senior, is solid at the point guard slot.  He looks to get teammates involved first, takes care of the basketball vs pressure and will knock down perimeter shots when called upon.  Brandon Bass, Jr., a 6’5 junior, continues to rise in the national rankings for the Class of 2026.  The lefty is lethal from deep, is becoming more adept at putting the ball on the floor to score and is a more-than-capable playmaker when heading to the hoop.  He also puts in work on the glass and is disruptive in the passing lanes. Isaiah Gillard, a 6’4 junior, is another wing that can score and distribute with a high level of effectiveness.  He prefers to slash to the hoop more than shoot from the perimeter at this stage but finds a way to put the ball in the basket regardless of the circumstances.  Malachi Martis, a 6’6 senior, is a tough matchup.  He is physical and strong enough to overpower most defenders, scoring inside or powering his way to the basket from the high post and/or short corners.  Martis is also able to pull bigger defenders away from the paint and either drop in a shot over them or blow by them with the dribble.

Miami St. Brendan

St. Brendan has experienced some post-season success the past couple seasons and it is easy to see why.  This group plays an energetic pass-and-cut offense that wears opponents out defensively and produces open three-point looks.  Benny Fragela, a 6’3 senior, shines in this type of system.  His constant movement gets him open shots behind the arc and he drains them with regularity.  Fragela has also become more of a threat to take the ball to the basket now that driving lanes open up because of the constant ball and player movement.  Jonas Duque, a 5’10 senior, generally initiates the offense.  He pushes the pace, makes good shot/drive/pass reads coming off ball screens, and makes open shots along the perimeter.  He is also a crafty defender that makes opponents work hard on that end of the floor.  Teo Martinez, a 6’9 senior, provides some needed size on the interior.  He can step out and stretch the defense at one end and challenge shots on the other.  The rest of the team stayed within their roles, took care of the ball, and looked to gang rebound as there is no player on the roster over 6’4 except for Martinez.

Oviedo

The Lions have a young roster so the play of 6’5 senior Cameron Bryant is paramount.  He was certainly capable in the last game of the event on Sunday, tying the game in overtime and then making the winning free throw in sudden-death overtime.  Bryant excels when he can get to the basket, whether in transition or half-court sets.  He is crafty at scoring in traffic and he completes a lot of “and one” opportunities.  Bryant’s jumper continues to improve as a weapon on both sides of the arc.  He covers a lot of ground quickly on defense and doesn’t shy away from the physicality that goes along with rebounding.  Carter Oden, a 6’0 sophomore, had some good moments penetrating the defense and distributing the basketball.  Oviedo has a trio of bigs that will make an impact as the season moves along.  Ethan Diaz, a 6’7 junior, Osaigie Otote, a 6’8 senior, and Kyle Blair, a 6’8 sophomore, all have the physical traits to impact the game defensively and control the glass.  The Lions will be a tough out in Class 6A.

Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons

The Chiefs were without mainstay senior 6’4 M.J. Perrier this weekend but still proved to be a solid squad.  A.J. Ambrose, a 5’10 junior, is a polished point guard with excellent ball skills, court vision, and toughness.  He makes good decisions on the move, delivers the ball on time and on target, and takes advantage of defenders that don’t give him the respect he deserves.  Justus Dylan-Herbert, a 6’3 junior, was one of the better finds of the weekend.  The lefty showed a reliable scoring touch out to the arc, is a good athlete, and can play as well as defend multiple positions.  Ethan Matthews, a 6’6 sophomore, made an impact with his rebounding and ability to score at the basket, whether by driving the ball or beating the defense down the floor in transition.  Tao Schreiber, a 6’4 senior, helped the team’s cause by stretching the defense with his shooting from behind the arc.  Adding Perrier to this mix gives us cause to believe that Gibbons could be a favorite in their region of Class 3A

Bartow

Whenever we watch Bartow at this time of year, we know that the group will get better throughout the season and become a tough team to beat come playoff time.  After overcoming a ten-point halftime deficit to win on Sunday, the Yellow Jackets are already on that upward trajectory.  Ja’kye Crossley, a 6’2 junior, is a knock down shooter with range well beyond the high school three-point line.  Jah’mir Wallace, a 6’4 freshman, doesn’t look or play like one.  He has a strong frame, plays with a great deal of energy and has no fear on the court.  Derwin Link, a 6’6 freshman, made some good plays around the basket and could be one to watch in the coming years.  Julian Sanchez, a 6’0 sophomore, helped the team’s cause with some timely outside shooting.  Come late February, no one will want to face this group of Yellow Jackets.