Unknown Sleepers With Potential: Miami
Nathaniel Stewart, Palm Glades
The 5-foot-11 guard is a heady and tactical game manager, productive in all facets of his game. He’s got athleticism, pesky on-ball defense, and does a little bit over everything.
This past season, Stewart averaged 8.9 points, 7.0 boards, and 6.1 assists while serving as the backbone of the program. Palm Glades head coach Renaldo Remnarine describes him as a shutdown defender who is constantly clamping down on the opponent’s best player (regardless of the mismatch and size differential) and ultimate glue guy.
Jordan Aristide, Northwest Christian
The Class of 2018 prospect is an instinctive and vertically explosive athlete at 6-foot-3. These factors enable him to score a lot on dunks and crafty finishes into the lane.
Aristide also developed into a perimeter oriented wing who could knock down 3-pointers with consistency. An improved touch and beyond the arc game was instrumental in his balanced scoring. He averaged 14 points, three assists, and three boards on the season.
While he’s an oft-slashing and athletic scorer, Aristide is undersized as a 6-foot-3 wing. If he develops some ball skills and develops a sturdy handle, expect him to pan out at the JUCO level next year.
JJ Romer, Believe Prep Academy
A newfound commitment and love for the game has allowed Romer to surface as a Division-I caliber prospect. He’s got sneaky athleticism at 6-foot-10 and is extremely mobile for his size.
He’s also improved as a ball handler and a shooter, factors which make him a multi-dimensional piece at the right level. The Hialeah product was a late bloomer and could be a rare case of a diamond in the rough caliber recruit who has a good college career despite being unknown in high school.
Anthony Gomes, ASA Miami
The JUCO guard has authored several scoring explosions, most notably a 39-point outburst against Palm Beach State of Lake Worth, Fla. Gomes shot it at a scalding 9-for-14 from 3-point territory in that one, catching fire and never relinquishing the hot hand.
The 6-foot-1, 170-pound guard also had a 22-point, 10-assist performance against Miami Dade and 29 points (5-for-10 3FG) against Indian River.
A score-first point guard who can really manufacture points, Gomes’ style is tailor suited for the low major Division-I level or high Division-II level. He would be an intriguing get at a Northeast Conference level.
Abdou Ndao, NTSI
The 6-foot-8 forward has a wing’s skill set and has bought into the program’s theme of interchangeability and multi-layered ability.
He has shown flashes of high level athleticism and finishing ability. He’s also got length and the ability to guard from the 1-4. He’s spent this season tuning up a work in progress jumper into a reliable one.
Andrew Lopez, Florida Christian
The heady Class of 2020 point guard plays with a savvy. He displayed this during a recent 12-point (on 5-for-5 FG), four assist performance with the South Florida Sharks on the AAU circuit.
Lopez has shown promise as a drive and kick threat. He’s effective at reading the defense and attacking gaps. A southpaw, Lopez has improved as a 3-point shooter. He still needs to tweak his release in adjusting to the next level, albeit the quality shots are certainly there.