Top Performers: South Florida
Jamal Mashburn Jr, Gulliver Prep
Being a legacy tends to come with lofty (and at times almost unfair) expectations.
There’s the inevitable comparisons which are bound to surface.
There’s the increased dose of media attention and story lines. There’s an unspoken pressure to succeed solely on the bloodline and name.
At this current rate, however, Mashburn Jr. could etch a bigger legacy in Miami than the one his NBA legend father left at Cardinal Hayes HS in New York City.
A thorough scorer in all phases of the game, the Class of 2020 Mashburn Jr. has a unique weapon many at this level lack: an automatic mid-range game.
The way in which he elevates above the draping hands of defenders while getting his shot off creates issues.
Mashburn Jr.’s high release point and legitimate knock down consistency is translatable to the highest level of Division-I basketball.
Mashburn Sr. was a bullish 6-foot-8, 240-pound forward.
He starred on the Jason Kidd-led Dallas Mavericks, albeit Mashburn Sr. is best known for his career on the Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway-led Miami Heat teams of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Mashburn Jr. is a vastly different player as a high motor 6-foot-1, 170-pound guard.
At the MLK classic at Grandview Prep in Boca Raton, Mashburn scored a game-best 38 points in spearheading Gulliver to a 78-73 win over Boca Raton.
Florida, Louisville and several others have offered Mashburn Jr.
Tony Sanders, Gulliver Prep
At 6-foot-6 and possessing a wealth of length, athleticism, and growing scoring tools, Sanders is an important figure in the promising youth movement at Gulliver.
Sanders scored 18 points in the aforementioned 78-73 win over Boca Raton.
After registering his presence as one of the region’s best kept secrets with minimal activity on the recruiting landscape, Florida State has offered the sophomore.
Cade Long, Boca Raton
Savoring his role as a veteran leader this season and taking scoring matters into his own hands, Long paced Boca Raton with 26 points during the loss to Gulliver.
Long has been a facilitator and a scorer this season. He’s improved exponentially as a one on one threat and developed an arsenal of moves that enable him to score on hard surges to the rim through traffic.
Pushing Long’s development has been his “brother,” 6-foot-8 DME Academy forward Madiaw Niang.
The Longs were the host family for Niang this summer, after he finished his second semester at Miami Calusa Prep.
Long and Niang were constantly working out and ramping up each other’s competitive juices while living under the same roof. The two text frequently and continue to keep tabs on each other’s production.
Richard Charles, North Miami
Charles has been one of the best long range shooters in Florida this season.
He’s one of few 3-point trigger men instantly capable of breaking open a game as soon as he starts feeling it.
After erupting for a whopping 11 3-pointers during a 43-point outburst against Gulliver several weeks ago, Charles connected on six treys during the MLK Classic at Grandview Prep.
Charles’ deadeye shooting was instrumental in propelling North Miami to a 59-46 win over a Dillard team dealing with a fair share of adversity right now.