The top 10 performances from the 2017 FHSAA state tournament
A lot of talented players took the floor this past week in Lakeland for the FHSAA state basketball tournament.
Here are the top 10 performances I saw from the tourney.
Amorie Archibald dominates
The Deltona Trinity Christian senior not only scored a tournament high 43 points in a 3A semifinal win over Champagnat Catholic, but he gave his all in the process. Archibald attacked time and time again while flashing his smoothness and overall desire. This was a performance him and his team won’t forget for quite some time.
Kevin Knox dazzles in front of Roy Wiliams
It isn’t easy reaching the 40-point mark and it certainly isn’t easy recording 20 rebounds in a single game. However, the Tampa Catholic senior did both in a 4A semifinal win over The Villages. In front of UNC head coach Roy Williams, Knox put on a show. He hit 13-of-17 shots from the field including 7-of-7 from 3-point land and 7-of-8 from the free throw line.
Trent Frazier’s 32-point output in the semifinals
The senior Illinois commit recorded 32 points in a 52-50 semifinal loss to Osceola. Frazier shot 5-of-9 from deep and 9-of-10 from the free throw line for Wellington. His ability to stretch the floor is undeniable and it is no surprise he had the highest scoring game in 9A for the week.
Jordan Wright carries Dillard with his inside presence
Wright served as the 1A for the eventual state champion Panthers while RaiQuan Gray was the 1B. Wright, a Kentucky football commit had 23 points in the semifinal and 24 in the final as Dillard captures its second straight state title. Both games were evenly impressive by the big man.
Felipe Haase saves the best for last
Miami Christian pulled off a 2A state final win behind a Neftali Alvarez 3 at the buzzer, but if it wasn’t for Haase’s performance throughout, the Victors wouldn’t have had that chance. The 6’8″ South Carolina commit single handily kept his group alive in the final with 20 points. He hit big shot after big shot down the stretch.
Paul Atkinson goes off
The Yale commit had 17 points and 11 rebounds in the 4A state title win, but it was the senior’s flashy semifinal that really stood out. Atkinson had 20 points, 11 rebounds and seven blocks as he made life awfully tough for Seffner Christian. The lengthy big man is a bright young mind and Westminster was lucky to have him.
Paul Reed records a double double in semifinal win
Headed to DePaul in the fall, Reed had perhaps the best game of his life in a 9A semifinal win over South Miami. The Wekiva senior forward scored 28 points and hauled in 13 rebounds. He shot 8-of-11 from the field and 11-of-11 from the free throw line.
Bryce Workman dominates inside in semifinal win
The 8A semifinal was kind to Workman. He dropped 20 points and 14 rebounds on 8-of-11 shooting. The junior big man couldn’t do much wrong for Sickles. This is the game he needed to draw attention from high-end college programs.
Anfernee Simons gives it his all in semifinal win
Simons came out hot in the tournament with an impressive 26 point 7A semifinal in a win over Lehigh. The Louisville commit still has one year left to play in high school and that bodes well for Edgewater’s chances once again next season.
Braithe Ferguson shows he belongs
The 6’5″ senior scored 27 points in the 3A semifinal loss to Trinity Christian. Ferguson also had nine rebounds, three blocks, two assists and a steal. Whenever Champagnat Catholic needed a bucket, he was there as they fell by only nine points in the end.