Tampa Fall League: Monday Night Notes
On Monday night, I made the drive over to Wharton to fall league to check out some hoops.
The Wildcats were joined by Lennard and Plant City in a three-game slate.
Here are some notes from each program.
Wharton
—2019 guard Jasper Floyd made his presence known from the early going against Plant City. He was hitting routinely from deep and providing endless energy defensively. His shooting will be a major factor for Wharton this fall. Floyd is also very coachable which doesn’t hurt anything.
—2019 guard Darin Green Jr. committed to UCF late in July, but that hasn’t stopped him from playing a lot of minutes in the fall league. He played all but four minutes against Plant City in the opening game. His stamina is as high as any athlete out there. Green Jr. gets better as games go on and he was shooting well from outside and boxing out and grabbing boards throughout.
—A pair of 2020 guards certainly stuck out in various ways for the Wildcats. Carr Thiam flashed his high IQ shooting in both of his games. His 3-point shot was an asset at times especially when his feet were set. As for Gio Reyes, the undersized guard is a true stretch shooter who has improved around the basket on his attack. Reyes will log big minutes as a main ballhandler on a communicative group.
Plant City
—2019 Bethune Cookman commit Justyn King was arguably the most consistent performer all night long. He was running the floor with ease and keeping his side in check with his voice on both ends of the floor. King is highly athletic and a defensive workhorse. He had some open looks from deep and didn’t hit consistently, but that will come with more reps.
—2019 forward Jayden Strawder has the looks of a true counterpart to King. The lengthy athlete is a strong finisher off inside cuts. He’s always active and can knock down open 3’s, especially from the corners. Strawder has room to improve as a ballhandler for Plant City.
—Another pair of 2019 athletes, guard Andres Flores and guard/forward Mykel Oyola showed promise. Flores is a sound point guard with very good ballhandling and passing skills. Oyola had some flashes of good shooting and he is a bigger body who gives the Raiders some added muscle and size.
Lennard
—2019 guard Rae’Shaun Wilson is the true leader for Lennard. A highly athletic player, he flys to the rim often, is very active and keeps his group on the same page. Wilson plays too fast for his own good sometimes on the break leading to mental lapses, but that can be fixed with patience.
—2019 guard Aaron Jensen has a quick release on his 3-ball and he isn’t scared to shoot with defenders in his face. He has a strong touch on his jumper, hustles defensively and is always looking for a steal with his aggressive pace.
—Two 2020 guards, CJ Peterson and Jayden Lacey gave Lennard steady minutes. I really liked what Peterson was able to do defensively first and foremost. He’s scrappy and tends to make life tough for opposing offenses. He also has a smart shot selection. Lacey made a 3-pointer to beat the halftime buzzer against Plant City and mixed it up in key moments as a driver.
If you have high school basketball news or any questions, you can reach Jake Perper via email at jakeperper@prephoops.com.