We took in the second day of the Tampa Live! Event put on by School of Hoops (SOH) in Wesley Chapel.  The event was held in the pristine Wiregrass Sports Ranch facility which holds eight courts.  Not only was it a quality tournament but the SOH organizers put together some “spotlight games” that were very intriguing.

Here is a first look at a few of those that impressed.

Scottie Middleton, Miami LAB (Leaders And Ballers): The 6’7 sophomore out of Miami Christopher Columbus initially impresses with his combination of height, long wingspan and run/jump athletic ability.  He handles the ball well, makes good decisions on the move, and puts his physical tools to good use on the boards and at the defensive end of the floor.  Middleton’s shot has good form and mechanics but the results just weren’t there in the game we watched.

Sean Stewart, E1T1 2023: The 6’7 sophomore out of Windermere put in a lot of work during the team’s pair of showcase games on Sunday.  Stewart is impressive in the way he explodes off the floor for rebounds, to challenge shots, and throw down dunks with aggression.  His offensive skill set is solid as he is a tough-to-contain straight line driver to the rim, connects with consistency on his shot to mid-range and is a reliable passer out along the perimeter.  While he has the potential to grow some more, his skills suggest he will be most effective as an outside/in player on the next level.

Deshawn Jean-Charles, SOH Elite 2022: The 6’6 sophomore out of Miramar continues to progress nicely in his transition to a full-time perimeter player.  He spent quite a bit of time as the playmaker for his group and while that won’t be his position in the future, Jean-Charles performed adequately.  He knocked down some jump shots from the perimeter off the dribble and was solid in his ability to drive the ball to the basket and either finish or earn a trip to the foul line.  Jean-Charles is a very good athlete and uses his foot speed, length, and overall quickness to great effect on the defensive end and when chasing rebounds.

Reggie Luis, SOH Elite 2021: The 6’5 Miami Columbus senior played exceptionally well in his squad’s showcase game against Team Speights.  While a bit thin, Luis is an aggressive offensive performer with a knack for getting his defender off balance and taking advantage of the situation.  A solid shooter from beyond the arc off the catch, Luis’ most successful method of attack appears to be between the three-point line and the basket as he is an effective mid-range shooter.  He also had some crafty finishes in traffic.  Hopefully, his recruitment will get a bump from this past weekend as we’ve seen guys with D-I offers that aren’t better than Luis.

Terrance Guinyard, Team Speights 2021: The 6’1 senior from Jacksonville Lee had everything working in his favor against SOH Elite 2021.  Offensively, he pushed the pace, got everyone involved, and shot well from the perimeter, going 3-4 from deep.  Defensively, he was very active, hounding ball-handlers, getting into the passing lanes, and being disruptive as often as possible.  A bit on the thin side, what Guinyard may lack in strength he more than makes up for with an aggressive, play-with-no-fear mindset at both ends of the floor.

Anthony Brown, E1T1 2022: The 6’4 junior at Orlando Christian Prep continues to raise his recruiting profile with solid performances.  He has a knack for scoring, whether it be in transition, half-court, from the perimeter or at the basket.  Brown’s quickness and ball-handling have greatly improved and so has his ability to get by the defense with just one or two change-of-direction/change-of-pace moves.  Brown is also a solid defender.

Romulo Delgado-Gonzalez, Jax Fam 2022: The 6’3 junior from Coral Gables proved to be both a glue guy and go-to guy with his play on Sunday.  Though we only got to take in a half, it was clear that the lefty has a high basketball IQ and knows when to pick his spots.  Delgado showed off a reliable jumper out to the arc, draining one with a step-back move under heavy contest.  He also got to the basket and free throw line several times and made good decisions with the ball when going on attack.  Delgado rebounds well for his size and is quick to push the ball up the floor.

Jacoby Brown, Miami Hoop School 2021: A 6’7 senior out of Palmetto in Miami, Brown was one of the more intriguing players of the day.  A good athlete with length, Brown is making the move to perimeter player and while the process isn’t finished, it appears to be going well.  His jump shot looks good (2-3 from deep) and his ability to convert drives after a couple of dribbles kept the defense on its heels.  Brown is an active rebounder at both ends and gets out quickly on the break.  If he can continue to improve his perimeter skills at a rapid rate, his recruiting stock goes way up.