One final look at some of the top talent at our Miami Spring Classic this past weekend.
Rey Daniels, Team Hard 17U: A 6’0 junior at Miami Southridge, Daniels showed great improvement as a shooter and overall point guard since we viewed him during this past season. He used his athleticism to get past defenders, break down the defense and either score at the rim or get open teammates an uncontested look. Daniels seemingly made the majority of his catch-and-shoot opportunities from the perimeter this weekend. He also did a good job of getting the ball inside to cutters or teammates posting up. Daniels covers a lot of ground quickly on the defensive end and that led to some easy transition baskets for both him and teammates.
Friently Francois, MCB 17U: A 6’9 junior at City of Hialeah Educational Academy (COHEA), Francois has a chiseled frame and a hefty amount of run/jump athleticism. He was very active at both ends of the court when we watched on Saturday. Francois got a lot of putback opportunities and finished lobs on offense and challenged shots and owned his rebounding area on the defensive end of the floor. His skills are not “raw”, yet they aren’t refined either. His best basketball is ahead of him as he gets more court time and becomes more skilled and confident in his abilities.
Justin Gallopp, One Way Lions 16U: A 6’2 sophomore at Lehigh in Southwest Florida, Gallopp is a combo guard that was effective on Saturday, both when directing traffic from the point guard spot or when scoring from different levels when off the ball. He was very effective when attacking the basket off the bounce, shooting a high percentage in the lane area. Gallopp was also very active on the offensive glass. Defensively he anticipated the passing lanes and was quick to rotate and challenge shooters on the perimeter.
Landon Rodriguez, Triple Threat 17U: A 6’1 junior at Miami Florida Christian, Rodriguez was one of several very good perimeter shooters on this version of Triple Threat. He showed a knack for rotating to open spots for kickouts from drivers and quickly got his shot up. If the defense was able to close out, Rodriguez didn’t hesitate to give a ball or head fake to get the defender off balance, then drive and score at the basket.
Teo Martinez, Triple Threat 16U: A 6’8 sophomore at Miami Palmetto, Martinez is a bit on the thin side but moves around the floor well and isn’t afraid to play physically at either end of the court. He showed a soft touch around the basket but impressed with an ability to step away and make shots out to the arc. Martinez did a good job of controlling his rebounding area and challenged opponents in the lane. He dropped a couple of nice passes to cutters for assists and was quick to outlet the ball to start the transition game.
Jamal Whyte, Team TMac Spartans 15U: A 6’3 freshman at McKeel Academy in Lakeland, Whyte brought energy and toughness the entire time he was on the floor. With his quick leaping ability, Whyte got a lot of rebounds at both ends before bigger opponents could do so. He scored a lot of points on putbacks and sheer hustle plays. Seemingly in constant motion, Whyte simply outworked opponents to make a lot of positive things happen for his team.