Marreese Speights Summer League: Opening Night Notes
On Wednesday night, the Marreese Speights Summer League began its play at Gibbs High.
Here are the results from the evening.
Canterbury 37, Northeast 35
Gibbs 57, Anclote 47
St. Pete 49, Seminole 34
Lakewood 47, Boca Ciega 33
I broke down the top performances from Wednesday night’s action.
Tre Gilliam (Gibbs)
Always confident, Tre Gilliam is on the fast track for a major role at the next level. A quick burst guard with an impressive shooting touch, Gilliam overcomes his shorter height with knockdown jumpers and attacks to the rim. The 2020 guard hit a buzzer beating 3-pointer to end the first half against Anclote. Gilliam is a workhorse.
Jakob Hester (Anclote)
Perhaps the most fundamentally sound player in the Speights Summer League, Jakob Hester is a double double waiting to happen. At 6’6″, the 2020 forward is a bit undersized for the likes of Division I, but he does everything right that you want out of a big man at the high school level. His interior game is polished and he always finds good spots on the floor.
Deondre Earley (St. Pete)
Terell Strickland was up in Louisville for travel ball so Deondre Earley took the reigns in the St. Pete backcourt on Wednesday night. The 2020 guard played alongside 2021 point man Ray Perry III. Earley looked much more confident than a year ago and proved to be a reliable passer, sound shooter and aggressive defender. Most importantly, he was a leader by example.
Jalen White (Lakewood)
Strong, quick and overpowering, 2019 guard Jalen White looks like a running back flying around the floor. He doesn’t play football, but White is a cannon with the ball in his hands and running the offense in transition. He got up on a one-handed slam off a steal and routinely had his way inside offensively.
Jamille Reynolds (Lakewood)
Certainly, on the radar of many college programs, Jamille Reynolds is a prototypical big man at his 6’9″ frame. Just from the start of AAU season with E1T1 16U, he has improved his game. He’s a better ballhandler, shooter and looks to be stronger and more confident overall. The sky is the limit for Reynolds as long as he continues to put the work in.
Dakota Moore (Boca Ciega)
On a new look Boca Ciega squad, it could be a hard year to muster a lot of wins. It is early and the Pirates have one of the top shooters in the Tampa/St. Pete area in 2019 guard Dakota Moore. The younger brother of former Boca Ciega and UNF standout Dallas Moore, Dakota has carved his own path as a leader and pure shooter.
Rafael Oriano (Seminole)
Coming off an ankle injury from this past season, Rafeal Oriano is still not back to 100 percent healthwise. But he is a hard worker and with his passing ability, he should be able to open up the Seminole offense plenty this season. Throughout the game against St. Pete, Oriano flashed his vision and seasoned passing skills.
Deondrick Harper (Canterbury)
With 2020 guard Rivers Lenholt sitting out with an elbow injury, 2019 forward Deondrick Harper took the reigns as the vocal leader for Canterbury. The big man helped his side claw back in the game, force overtime and win it, on his layup. Harper is a load inside but can shoot as well when given ample time.
Aleks Tomic (Northeast)
With Jermaine Phillips at Lakewood and Alfonso Franklin at St. Pete, Northeast needs someone to step up. On Wednesday night, 2020 guard/wing Aleks Tomic was the man to do just that. He likes to attack, be active, push the floor and gets it done as a lefty finisher.
Akeem Glenn (Canterbury)
A major part of Canterbury’s success this past season, Akeem Glenn has the looks of a major piece of the puzzle for his group once again. He’s a long guard/wing with good instincts. He’s always moving with or without the ball and he’s a high-end shooter.