Tre Carroll, Punta Gorda Charlotte: The 6’8 senior is truly versatile and is productive whether playing near the basket or out on the perimeter. A skilled playmaker, Carroll has range past the arc, finishes drives around the rim with either hand and is a good passer. A grab-and-go rebounder, he can start the break without having to get the ball to a guard to push it up the floor.
Omar Figueroa, Orlando Christian Prep: The 6’0 senior is a sniper from deep and seemingly knocks down big shots at crucial times with regularity. A smart defender, he causes tie-ups, gets deflections, and usually wins 50/50 ball contests. Though he doesn’t play on the ball a lot, Figueroa is a solid ball-handler and can play either guard spot. Mentally and physically tough, he has a high hoops IQ and is a big reason for OCP’s success the past few seasons.
Ven-Allen Lubin, Orlando Christian Prep: The 6’7 junior stands out by blending in. He will quietly go about his business and by the time the game is over he has a double-double and made at least one key play at both ends of the floor. Lubin routinely comes up with a big shot, big board, or big block in big moments. He is a solid free throw shooter and while he takes few perimeter shots, he tends to make most of them.
Jayden Hastings, Orlando Christian Prep: The 6’10 sophomore is a very mobile “big”. Hastings rebounds out of his area, steps out to block shots, and is quick to get out in transition. Many of his points come off lobs in half-court sets or dunking home offensive rebounds. Hastings makes an impact on the defensive end, not just by blocking shots but also communicating on ball screens and hedging/recovering in that situation.
Anthony Bittar, Tarpon Springs East Lake: The 6’4 senior is normally a solid perimeter shooter, but on Saturday he was locked in on driving to the basket and either scoring or dishing to open teammates for shots. Bittar is a good athlete and will posterize unsuspecting defenders at the rim if given the opportunity. He is also a solid ball-handler and passer as he finished with eight assists. Defensively he anticipates well and is alert to trap opposing ball-handlers that don’t pay attention.
Dean Gabrelcik, Tarpon Springs East Lake: The 6’4 senior struggled with his outside shooting (just 1-4) on Saturday and only attempted seven shots the entire game. However, it was his defense inside against Vero Beach’s 6’9 post player as well as his ability to control rebounds at the defensive end that made the most impact. Gabrelcik is a heady offensive player that understands court spacing, how to use ball and body fakes to create shot opportunities and quickly moves the basketball to open shooters on the perimeter.
Jett Howard, Bradenton IMG Academy: The 6’6 junior looks much more filled out since we saw him with University School last season. Clearly, Howard has put time in the weight room. That hasn’t diminished his perimeter touch as he found the target early and often on Saturday. He helps more on the glass now thanks to his stronger body and he covers a lot of ground quickly on the defensive end of the floor.
Moussa Diabate, Bradenton IMG Academy: The 6’11 senior’s combination of size, length, and athleticism is rare. Offensively, he scores well around the basket, can drive and score with a couple of dribbles from the high post and short corners, and sprints the floor in transition. Defensively Diabate is a high-level shot blocker, volume rebounder and a “big” that can switch out and guard smaller players on the perimeter.
Emanuel Sharp, Spring Hill Bishop McLaughlin: The 6’4 junior did not have his best shooting day from the perimeter but was able to switch gears. He got to the basket and free throw line with a great deal of frequency. Sharp has a strong body, bullies his way to the rim, and makes his foul shots when given the opportunity. He is a solid passer with good court vision and will most likely play point guard at the collegiate level.
Devin Moore, Naples: A 6’3 senior, Moore did much of the “dirty work” to get Naples the “W”. Though undersized, Moore was all over the glass and scored in traffic around the rim. He displayed active hands on defense and came over from the help-side to block a few shots. His willingness to play hard elevates the team.
Isaac Celiscar, Winter Haven: A 6’4 freshman, Celiscar is a good athlete that showed a lot of potential on Saturday. He rebounds well at both ends, moves up the floor quickly in transition, scores inside and has a nice touch from the free throw line. Hopefully, more size and/or skill is in his future.