Time to look at some of the standout performers from the Class of 2028 that took part in the Hoop Exchange Fall Festival this past weekend at The Big House in Tavares.

Lunden Knights, Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian: The 6’2 guard did his best to pick up the scoring slack with teammate Cayden Daughtry off on a visit to UF.  Nearly all his damage came at the rim via slashing attacks in the half-court or transition blitzes.  Knights also displayed a solid pull-up jumper inside the arc.  He is fast and twitchy which puts a lot of pressure on defenders. Knights is good rebounder for his size and brings a lot of physical and mental toughness to the defensive end of the floor.

Tai Bell, Miami Columbus: The 6’2 point guard was HIGHLY effective in running the pick and roll with various teammates.  Bell excelled at reading the screen, both defenders’ actions, and then make the right decision.  He instinctively knew how to attack hedges, when to split the screen, and when to take that ball all the way to the basket, hit the roll man, or spray the ball out to shooters.  Bell notched several assists due to his high hoops IQ and ability to ready and react to the defense.  He continues to improve as a perimeter shooter and as a defender he is solid both on and off the ball.

Martin Sibol, Miami Columbus: This was our first time seeing the 7’0 big from the Czech Republic.  After knocking down an early three then hitting a cutter with a nifty pass for a bucket, we could understand the hype.  While maybe not ultra-graceful or uber-athletic, Sibol moves well for his size and maybe more importantly knows where to be and when to be there.  He has good touch around the rim, can score off a one or two straight-line dribble-drives from the perimeter, and can extend the defense with his shot facing the basket.  Sibol dominates his rebounding area at both ends and is an imposing rim protecting presence on defense.

Quinton Wilson, Wellington Sports Academy: Welcome back to Florida, Mr. Wilson.  After spending two years at OTE in Atlanta, the 6’3 Lakeland native has returned and did so in fine fashion on Saturday.  Wilson drained perimeter shots on both sides of the arc, proving he could create and make that shot off the dribble or in rhythm off the catch.  He had some spectacular finishes in transition, many coming after a steal.  Wilson is very quick and anticipates well on the defensive end of the floor.  Both fast and quick with the ball, he isn’t opposed to attacking defenders off the bounce, take contact, and get to the line.

Jahmar Smith, Orlando Oak Ridge: The 6’4 wing is absolutely ferocious when it comes to attacking the basket.  With a solid frame and excellent strength and athleticism, Smith does a great job of getting defenders on his hip, shielding the ball from prying hands, and finishing through contact in traffic.  He will spin and change directions as many times as necessary to gain an advantage.  Smith is a capable jump shooter and will knock down threes in rhythm.  He actively rebounds out of his area at both ends of the court.  Smith can defend smaller players thanks to his athleticism and bigger players thanks to his strength.

James Ratteree, Bartow: We must admit the 6’1 point guard surprised us a bit with his scoring prowess on Saturday.  Ratteree was four of five from behind the arc and looked poised and polished in doing so.  He was also much more effective in scoring off the bounce, looking to finish shots rather than being content to simply draw a foul.  Ratteree is quite fast with the ball, pushes the pace, and generally makes good shot vs pass decisions on the move.  He is a staunch defender both on and off the ball.  Ratteree makes it difficult for opponents to initiate offense and he reads and reacts quickly in the passing lanes.

Bivendy Jean, Pompano Beach Highlands Christian: The 6’0 guard is athletic and prefers to play at a fast pace.  Jean likes to get downhill as often as possible.  If that is taken away, he can make jumpers on both sides of the three-point line.  He covers a lot of ground quickly on defense, has a long reach, and turns steals into scores in the blink of an eye.

Tristan Tucker, Windermere Prep: The 6’1 point guard has developed vastly and rapidly from last season.  He appears stronger and much more athletic which allows him to better handle physical play from opponents.  Tucker made good reads when heading to the hoop, scoring himself or distributing to open teammates.  He was able to push the pace and beat defenders down the floor for easy baskets in transition.  Tucker’s shot must be respected from deep which keeps the defense off balance.

Colton Nuualiitia, Jacksonville Providence: The 6’8 insider has become a greater presence at both ends of the court in the last six months.  Colton’s conditioning has vastly improved, allowing him to score better inside, run the floor for scores, and get to putback opportunities more quickly.  He impressed Sunday by scoring with either hand around the basket, handling passes from penetrating teammates, and challenging shots around the basket on defense.  Don’t be surprised if Colton adds to his offensive arsenal by stepping out and making shots facing the basket by this time next year.

Williams Stewart, Jacksonville Providence: The 6’4 smooth scorer is quick to light up the scoreboard from all three areas.  He finishes over the rim when attacking the basket, on lobs, and it transition.  Stewart is a reliable scorer off the catch or dribble on either side of the arc.  He does all this within the flow of the offense but wins more than his share of one-on-one battles against defenders.  Stewart reads and reacts well on defense, is quick to help and recover, and is disruptive in the passing lanes.

Amir El-Mahmoud, Orlando Edgewater: The 6’2 wing wasn’t just satisfied with knocking down three-pointers on Sunday.  He attacked the defense with vigor, and while he didn’t get as many shots to go down as he would have liked, El-Mahmoud was a frequent visitor to the foul line and was successful more often than not.  He has great confidence and range on his shot and makes them from a variety of angles.  El-Mahmoud has good strength and a solid frame, allowing him to play physically at both ends of the floor and successfully rebound against bigger opponents.