The Source Hoops Spring Tip-Off was held this past weekend at the Genesis Sports Complex in Maitland, just north of downtown Orlando. The organizers were able to secure a premier matchup between two of the top teams in the state that play on separate shoe circuits: Nike EYBL’s Florida Rebels and Adidas 3SSB’s Southeast Elite.
The Rebels got out to an early 7-2 lead in the first three minutes but within two minutes Southeast Elite tied the score at 9-9. The Rebels regained the lead and extended it shortly thereafter, reaching a double-figure advantage of 31-20 with four-plus minutes left in the first half. The Rebels led by as much as 57-33 with twelve-plus minutes remaining in the game until Southeast Elite extended its defense and got on a late run. The Rebels lead was whittled down a bit but they won convincingly, 72-56.
Cayden Daughtry, Florida Rebels: The 6’0 sophomore out of Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian is playing up a year but its deserved. As expected, Daughtry connected on multiple deep threes in the contest. He was solid in his role as distributor and surprised a bit with his ball-hawking abilities on defense. One of the highlights of the game was his steal and score which was a dunk well above the rim, erasing any concerns about his athletic ability. By our count, he finished with a game-high 21 points.
Jaxson Richardson, Florida Rebels: The 6’6 junior out of Miami Columbus flourished in transition, throwing down some thunderous dunks to ignite the Rebels on more than one occasion. He drilled his only perimeter shot, a three, and more than proved his capabilities to create havoc on defense, using his length, speed and quickness to come up with steals and blocked shots. Richardson finished with 15 points in the game.
Dhani Miller, Florida Rebels: A 6’3 junior out of Montverde Academy, Miller showed off a splendid all-around skill set. He rebounds well for his size from the guard spot, knocked down spot-up perimeter shots, scored on a couple of tough drives in traffic and moved the ball quickly to open teammates for quality shot opportunities. Miller has the ability to be an energizer at both ends of the court. He tallied 10 points in the contest.
Donovan Williams, Florida Rebels: A 6’4 junior from Orlando that played at Oak Hill this past season, Williams showcased an improved three-point shot, knocking down a trio of them to spark one of the Rebels’ runs to open up the game. Williams never let the ball stick and we credited him with four assists, three of those resulting in three-point baskets for teammates. He may have had THE play of the game where he came out of nowhere to block an easy transition bucket. Williams finished with 9 points and is more than welcome to return to the Sunshine State for his senior season.
Landon Colyer, Florida Rebels: A 6’6 junior that finished last season at Overtime Elite in Atlanta, Colyer wasn’t able to knock down his signature deep threes in this game but he did get out in transition quickly and scored some easy baskets that way. He was solid on the defensive end as he disrupted passing lanes and grabbed rebounds. Colyer tallied 6 points in the game.
Michael Madeume, Florida Rebels: A 6’4 junior at Orlando Lake Highland Prep, Madeume fills the role of “Mr. Versatility” for the squad. He can defend multiple positions, handles the ball well enough to run the offense if needed and can score when called upon. Madeume scored 5 points in the contest.
Angelo Moton, Florida Rebels: A 6’5 junior from Leesburg, Moton brings energy and toughness to the floor. He rebounds well against bigger foes, is an effective scorer inside the arc and a reliable finisher on the break. Moton tallied four points in the contest.
Sam Halas, Florida Rebels: A 6’7 junior from Calvary Christian in Fort Lauderdale, Halas is sort of an “X Factor” for the team. An explosive run/jump athlete, Halas will contribute with a timely block on defense or energizing dunk on offense to ignite the team and/or demoralize the opposition. He finished with 2 points.
Dylan Flach, a 6’3 junior from Tampa Jesuit and Tyler Bright, a 6’9 junior at The Rock School in Gainesville, both got playing time but failed to score in the contest. Flach, a noted perimeter shooter and Bright, a skilled interior player, will no doubt have their moments when EYBL play opens up.
Willie Piggott, Southeast Elite: A 6’5 junior at Tampa Catholic, Piggott had a lot of success in attacking the basket and getting to the free throw line, where he went 7-7 on his way to a team-high 15 points. Piggott also had some loud over-the-rim finishes and they came in different fashions: a cut to the hoop, lob in a half-court set, and in transition. His athleticism is high-end and he puts it to good use on defense where he can guard multiple positions, anticipate the passing lanes, and come over to block shots from the weak side.
Martay Barnes, Southeast Elite: A 6’3 sophomore at The Academy of Central Florida, This was Barnes first game of the travel season after recovering from a hand injury. He drilled a couple of three-point shots and used that to set up some drives and scores at the basket. Barnes had some passes go awry in the contest that might have connected if he had more time playing with teammates rather than dealing with the hand injury. He has real value on the defensive end with his active hands and feet. Barnes scored 10 points in the game.
Brandon Bass, Southeast Elite: A 6’5 junior from Windermere Prep, Bass got going late in the game with his perimeter shooting. The lefty has deep range and a quick release. Bass is quick to sprint ahead of the pack to score easy baskets on the break. He is a sneaky rebounder and is quick to push the ball up the floor once he secures the missed shot. Bass also finished with 10 points in the game.
Isaac Buckley, Southeast Elite: A 6’5 junior from Lake Howell in Winter Park, Buckley is a strong and athletic wing that can be a tough cover. He overpowered defenders a couple of times on Saturday to score points inside the paint. Buckley is a streaky three-point shooter; he might miss more than a few in succession but once the ball starts dropping it ignites the team. Buckley is an active rebounder at both ends. He scored 8 points in the game.
Trace Westercamp, Southeast Elite: A 6’9 junior at Ponte Vedra, Westercamp is known for his ability to stretch the floor with his perimeter shooting skills. He made one of those and scored inside to finish with 5 points in the game. Westercamp will want to show that he can mix it up inside and play physical at both ends of the floor when playing 3SSB circuit games against top caliber competition.
Joseph Hartman, Southeast Elite: A 6’4 junior at The Rock School in Gainesville, Hartman does a little bit of everything. He gets the ball to cutters and open shooters for assists, gets on the offensive glass and to the free throw line, helps with ball-handling duties, and is generally a reliable outside shooter. Hartman finished with 4 points in the game.
D.J. Sandi, Southeast Elite: A 6’0 junior at Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, Sandi is a prototypical point guard that looks to get his teammates involved on offense and make life miserable for the opponent on defense. He has the ability to score, usually with drives and floaters in the lane, when needed. Defensively, he is quick to dig at the ball, trap unsuspecting opponents, and force bad passes. Sandi tallied 4 points in the game. On the 3SSB circuit, he will want to prove to college coaches that he can make shots from behind the arc at a respectable rate.