Oviedo Fall League: Wednesday Night Notes
I stopped by the fall league at Oviedo High on Wednesday night as six games were played over two courts across three hours.
Here is a look at the top standouts by team.
Rockledge
—This is quite a different Rockledge team, especially since it is missing a good amount of guys to football right now. But currently, 2019 guard DJ Richardson is the clear lead ballhandler for this group. His mid-range game is seasoned and he loves drawing contact. Also, 2019 forward Stephen Merritt is trusted to mix it up defensively and grab boards on both ends. His feel near the rim is reliable.
Dr. Phillips
—Perhaps one of the most athletic players in the gym was 2020 guard Abdoulaye Thiam. He had a dunk that erupted his bench and the fans in attendance. On top of that, he gets himself open off the ball and is usually one step ahead of the next guy. Also, 2019 guard/forward Jordan Poventud has been a quiet leader over the last few seasons. He is more mature and in the biggest role yet as an all-around contributor.
Winter Park
—To me, Winter Park looked fresher than ever and the up and down play from the Wildcats was impressive. 2020 guard/forward Van Wilkes is the guy who runs the show there with his length, shooting and overall leadership. It also helps that he’s a steady outside shooter.
Orangewood Christian
—This is always a scrappy Orangewood Christian group and 2020 guard Andrew Thelwell continues his development. He shoots at a high clip from deep, but now he’s starting to be more aggressive as an attacker at times and his cut moves have matured as well.
Atlantic
—Atlantic is in good shape with size, speed and true athletes. 2019 guard Deandre Harvey is the overall leader for his team and a sound distributor and shooter. 2019 forward Dewarren Bolden read the floor well and got out in space and dunked a few basketballs down. Also, 2019 guard Kenny Weatherspoon is built like a football player and can knock down jumpers and head to the rim.
Oviedo
—Running and having endless energy is something that Kayamo Galloway and Mamush Galloway do for Oviedo. The Lions rallied from 18 points down in the second half to beat Atlantic. The Galloway brothers give opponents everything they have with their stretch play, passing and overall speed. Look for them to come up clutch all year long and set the tone for Oviedo.
East River
—East River is a young unit, but 2019 guard Dominic Chiota showed me plenty as an outside shooter and a well formed one at that. He’s undersized, but has quick feet and is strong on both ends of the floor.
Winter Springs
—Another unseasoned team is Winter Springs. Pinpointing one player, I chose 2020 guard Cole Duncan. He’s a player that has spurts of really good basketball. He is always willing to put up shots from deep whether he’s hot or not.
Lake Highland
—This should be another good year at a hard working Lake Highland Prep program. 2019 guard/forward Zach Grodzki is the most impactful athlete on both ends of the floor and is a nice slasher. To be honest, I really thought 2022 guard Elijah Quinones was the best guy offensively when he came on the court. He is a high IQ passer who sets his teammates up and is a quietly reliable attacker who draws contact.
If you have high school basketball news or any questions, you can reach Jake Perper via email at jakeperper@prephoops.com.