Noble Notables: South Florida
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With the playoffs and district matchups arriving in quick-hit fashion, several South Florida prospects are carrying momentum from the stretch run of the season.
The season and the month of February tend to go by quite fast in the 561 area.
Any defensive lapse or missed assignment or failure to close out on a game-winning 3-pointer could send you home packing for an early spring.
This time of year tends to elicit a titanic scoring performance and clutch heroics out of some of the area’s best.
In 2018, the frenzied February battles has featured much of the same.
Here is an interior look at some of the area’s top performers over the past few nights…
Cade Long, Boca High School
Having improved tremendously at scoring the ball between a defender and the basket, ramped up his scoring acumen with a barrage of unique one on one moves, Long has evolved into one of Palm Beach County’s most perilous scoring threats.
Now the program’s all time leading scorer, Long prolonged a monstrous and memorable senior season with a 38-point eruption. The sterling performance catapulted Boca to a resounding 72-51 defeat of Lake Worth in the last of the District 10-9A semifinal performances.
The Class of 2018 guard has pieced together steady scoring onslaughts this season.
He’s improved with his ability to call his own number during heightened pressure, authoring momentum-steering individual spurts.
He’s additionally improved his ambidextrous passing ability and inherited the integral leadership qualities which come with being a battle-tested senior.
Long’s senior year and ability to buy into being the scoring source on which Boca relies has been convincing. It is all emblematic of the toughness and mental moxie necessary for a significant four year career at Rollins.
Conventional wisdom and countless performances this year indicate he won’t be another number. He won’t be another misguided, confused kid who winds up at three colleges in five years with a Junior College stay mixed in there.
Bryan Williams, Wellington
Deft, long range shooter has grown as an all around scorer. Williams catalyzed Wellington en route to a 75-48 win over Jupiter in the final District 9-9A semifinal, finishing with 24 points.
While Wellington has thrived with relative balance in the scorebook in its first year after the Trent Frazier era, Williams has been lethal for his consistency.
Nicholas Toledo, Wellington
One of the area’s most underrated on-ball defenders, Toledo is constantly tasked with putting pesky pressure on the opponent’s top scorer.
A Class of 2018 combination guard and product of the Wellington Wolves program, Toledo score 11 points and doled out eight assists to pace Wellington’s fluid all around attack in the aforementioned 75-48 win over Jupiter.
The hard-driving 5-foot-9 Toledo constantly looks to attack first, getting into the lane and finishing.
He doesn’t shy away from contact or considerably bigger rim protectors, either.
Philip Lyttle, Forest Hill
The high-scoring 6-foot-3 guard was the key source who engineered No.4 Forest Hill’s 67-60 victory over No.5 Palm Beach Lakes during a District 13-8A semifinal on Wednesday.
Lyttle scored 21 points and pulled down 12 boards, propelling the 24-3 Falcons.
D’Ante Daniels, Forest Hill
In a game of this magnitude, against a high caliber opponent of Palm Beach Gardens’ type, the battle on the glass was a major component and integral facet in determining the outcome.
Daniels did a commendable job morphing into the glass eater, as he secured 10 rebounds while adding 10 points.
The 5-foot-9, 140-pound guard played a lot bigger than his size, beating out bigs in the paint and fighting for 50-50 balls.
Forest Hill’s game preparation and execution was indicative of the workload and mentality ingrained by second year head coach Tony Watson, the former Palm Beach Atlantic assistant.
Kevin Anders, Inlet Grove
A steady supplementary scorer to high-caliber 6-foot-5 Division-I prospect Dante Moses, Anders has been on a tear stemming back to his 33-point, 12-assist performance against Fort Pierce Westwood. He scored 16 points in helping Inlet Grove to a 61-48 win over Cardinal Newman in the District 11-5A final.
Maxime Demeus, Boca High
The Class of 2019 point guard is an extraordinary passer with an adeptness for making the right reads and knowing his teammates’ tendencies.
With veteran experience and IQ, Demeus really quarterbacks and controls the smooth-flowing Boca offense. Engineering a high-low attack, getting out in transition and creating, and making deep passes with either hand, Demeus is a creator first. He showed his scoring versatility in Boca’s aforementioned win over Lake Worth.
Vernon Carey, University School
Arguably the most highly sought after recruit on the planet, The bullish 6-foot-10 Carey finishes in ways only rarified athletes are capable of.
While Carey’s above the rim game and transition finishing is perhaps the most eye opening facet of his game, his wing’s skill set is perhaps the most intriguing. Carey has an array of stepbacks, one on one moves, and crafty scoring tools that make him so appealing at the next level.
He’s also shown a steady 15-20 footer and a beyond the arc game. Surprise, surprise here– Duke is already surfacing as the favorite for the Fort Lauderdale native.