Sleepers: Palm Beach County
Ben Lubarsky, Benjamin High
The Class of 2019 prospect is a big lefty and high scoring go-to source with high-level 3-point shooting ability. In Benjamin’s thorough defeat of Grandview Prep in Boca Raton, Lubarsky showed just how underrated he is as a passer. At 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, he possesses intriguing size as an inside/outside scoring threat.
Having bounced back from a devastating injury that shelved him for roughly a month, Lubarsky has been quickly making amends for lost time. Lubarsky handles the ball more comfortably than most guys who are entrusted to score the ball at a furious pace.
Lubarsky is averaging 25+ PPG and is one of Palm Beach County’s few surefire double double bets.
On any team in the county, he’s an appetizing big guard who can enhance a good team into a great team.
Creates plenty of mismatches with his multi-positional status and defensive versatility.
Lubarsky piled up 23 points in the aforementioned loud win at Grandview Prep.
Jordan Travis, Benjamin High
While the 6-foot-2, 185-pound forward is headed to Louisville to play quarterback, his knack for embracing the physical components of an undersized forward have bolstered Benjamin’s lineup.
Constantly tasked with guarding post players with a significant height advantage on him, Travis has been a sturdy glass eater while Benjamin has found a sound inside finisher in him.
His physicality, length, and agility have enabled him to play much bigger than he is, as he’s surfaced as an unlikely interior banger.
Travis scored 21 points during the aforementioned win over Grandview Prep.
Kalir Elam, Benjamin High
With bulldozing strength and the build of a football player (figuratively and literally, as Elam is a highly recruited cornerback), the 6-foot-1, 180-pound point guard has developed a knack for getting to the rim and manufacturing points.
He’s able to initiate the contact on a hard surge to the rim, a maneuver which results in traditional 3-point plays and thorough finishes.
On a Benjamin team which takes a sense of pride and fervor in how well the whip the ball around and make precise reads, Elam has displayed potential as an adept passer and facilitating lead guard.
Nadav Naim, Grandview Prep
The high-scoring guard has been one of the area’s most vaunted 3-point threats with considerable range.
Naim is a high-level shooter and catch and stick threat.
As he’s shown multiple times ths season, most notably during a 31-point effort during an 89-56 mauling of Hollywood-Sheriden Hills, Naim is a game-changer when he catches fire.
Cross Pratapas, Grandview Prep
Another beyond the arc threat in Grandview Prep’s arsenal of shooters, Pratapas has emerged into a key go-to source this season.
The 6-foot-2 Class of 2019 guard has pieced together several 20+ point performances, with long range shooting ability and high IQ that he applies to reading the defense. Pratapas also has the bloodline working in his favor.
His older brother, Trystan Pratapas, a graduate of now-defunct Elev8 Prep (Delray Beach, Fla.) is one of the country’s leading 3-point shooters at the NAIA level. At Keiser College in West Palm Beach, Fla., Pratapas is shooting a smoking 57 percent from 3-point range.
Cade Long, Boca Raton
In inheriting the keys to the kingdom as a senior, Long has been cognizant of the fact that Boca will go as he goes. With a veteran toughness and advanced and expanded offensive arsenal, Long has been lethal for his consistency. His buckets binges and steady scoring under heightened pressure have pioneered the program.
The Rollins College-signee scored a game-best 36 points en route to an 80-56 drubbing of Olympic Heights. In the process, Long catapulted to No.1 in the program’s all-time scoring list with 1,443 career points.