Johnny Lackaff, Southeast Elite 3SSB: The 6’2 sophomore out of Sarasota HS is seemingly always consistent in his high level of effort and production.  Lackaff is solid at either guard spot.  He makes good ball-screen reads, gets the ball quickly to open teammates when they cut to the basket or on the perimeter, and looks to push the pace whenever possible when in possession of the basketball.  Lackaff moves constantly without the ball, has deep range on his shot and isn’t afraid to take a hit when attacking the basket.

Sebastian Madera, Miami Triple Threat: A 6’5 sophomore out of Miami Palmetto was one of the better revelations of the event.  Madera has excellent size, a solid frame, length, and looks to be capable of adding a couple more inches.  He is a good run/jump athlete that reacts quickly to ball and player movement.  Madera knocked down some shots behind the arc, scored through contact off drives and routinely beat the defense down the floor in transition.  He proved to be a reliable ball-handler and passer as well as an active pursuer of rebounds in and out of his area at both ends of the floor.

Joe Johnson, Southeast Elite Gold: A 6’4 sophomore from Bishop Kenny in Jacksonville, Johnson impressed with his ability to not only quickly recognize what the defense was giving but also take advantage of it in the most efficient way.  Johnson has a reliable jumper on either side of the arc and the ability to make it off both catch and dribble.  Should defenders overplay that aspect of his game, Johnson didn’t hesitate to head to the basket and score, get to the foul line, or drop the ball off to teammates when help arrives. Despite a thin frame, he rebounds the ball well.

Jacob LaGrone, OTWE: A 6’0 sophomore from Tampa SLAM, LaGrone was highly effective in OTWE’s chaos-causing and frenetic pace style of play.  When the opponent turned the ball over, LaGrone was quick to get to his spot and knock down a three.  He anticipated the passing lanes well in his area of full-court pressure, coming up with several deflections.  In short, LaGrone was quick to turn defense into offense and make the right reads to score points.  While he may not be the most dynamic athlete on the floor, he is good enough and appears to have a solid basketball IQ as well as skill level.

Nate Accius, Southeast Elite 3SSB: The 6’4 sophomore from St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale doesn’t have a true position on the floor; just wind him up and he goes out and makes positive plays at both ends.  Accius scores mostly opportunity baskets in transition, putbacks, and short drives.  His perimeter shooting continues to improve and defenders will pay if they play too far off.  Accius is a very good athlete that gets to rebounds quickly, covers a lot of ground in short order on defense, and doesn’t shy away from a challenge at the defensive end.

Samfree Sarante, Miami Triple Threat: The 6’3 sophomore from Miami Palmetto did far more than a little bit of everything in his team’s win on Saturday morning.  Sarante initiated offense, took advantage of mismatches inside and out, connected on perimeter shots and made the game easier for teammates with his court vision and passing skills.  He is strong enough to take contact and finish at the rim and athletic enough to finish over it when the opportunity is available.  Sarante anticipates well on defense, rebounds well for his size, and plays with great effort at both ends of the floor.

Lucas Chang, Southeast Elite Gold: A 6’3 sophomore from Winter Springs, Chang was impressive in his ability to read the defense and quickly react in the most productive way.  He was solid with the basketball, scored from all three levels, and used his length to be disruptive at the defensive end of the floor.  Chang moved smartly without the ball, got into defensive gaps, and seemingly made every open shot he took, which was plenty.  A decent athlete, he is a bit on the thin side right now but no doubt bulk and more athleticism will come with physical maturity.

Griffin Heath, OTWE: A 6’4 sophomore from Lake Brantley in Altamonte Springs, Heath was another player that flourished in OTWE’s uptempo system.  Active hands, feet, and anticipation allowed him to come up with a lot of turnovers by the opposition.  If Heath didn’t score off those, he quickly got the ball to the teammate that did.  When the chaos calmed down, Heath proved to be a reliable perimeter shooter.  He constantly moves without the ball, always seems shot ready, and makes himself available as an outlet when the defense turns up the pressure.

Brian Boone, Team Gold Coast: A 5’11 sophomore from Miami Norland, Boone stood out in an early morning contest with determination and effort.  Using his speed and quickness with the basketball, Boone routinely broke down the defense, got paint touches, and either scored or got the ball to teammates for open looks.  Whether it was floaters in the lane, trips to the foul line, transition baskets, or “normal lay-ups”, Boone was tough to stay in front of for the defense.  He wasn’t just focused on scoring as he made some nice passes for easy buckets by teammates.  Active hands and feet, as well the ability to cover a lot of area quickly, got him more than his fair share of steals.