Emerging SIAA Newcomer Prospects
Dardin Kapiti, The Rock School
The Rock head coach Justin Hardin envisions Kapiti as a late-blossoming prospect in the Division-I market, with his athleticism in the post and ability to block, alter, manipulate, and influence shots as a rim-protecting presence. Kapiti has the fleet of foot and also possesses a feathery touch on his deep jumper, a factor which helps him spread the floor out and take bigs away from the interior. At 6-foot-10, he’s capable of really spreading out and opening up the floor with his deft 3-point stroke.
Alec Oglesby, The Rock School
With his ability to absolutely kill jumpers and 3-pointers and shoot through amplified pressure and face guarding, Oglesby has become one of the most hotly pursued recruits in Florida and beyond. Having grown to 6-foot-5, the prolific all around scorer holds offers from DePaul, Milwaukee, UNF, South Florida, and a host of others. His game is transferable to big stages and with the torrent of heavily recruited talent he’s got flanking him, he will have many opportunities to prove that this season. Hardin describes him as a smooth and cerebral scorer who has opened up a commanding 3-point game, with his unlimited range. He’s the type of kid who can engineer a personal 7-0 run and break open the game with his quick, witty scoring.
Jelal Williams, Oldsmar Christian
The 6-foot-7 Class of 2020 prospect has length and upside. He’s displayed a back to the rim game and an ability to get into the lane and finish with ease. He’s got some athleticism and can fly around the court, an aspect that makes him a significant target for lob passes and point-blank finishes at the rim. He still needs to develop his one on one game and become more aggressive and tactical in how he scores the ball. He’s become more comfortable putting the ball on the floor and sparking the attack off a defensive rebound. Williams’ shot-blocking and ability to alter the trajectory of shots in the paint computes to his high ceiling.
Kobe Gibbs, Oldsmar Christian
The 6-foot-7 Class of 2020 forward brings mobility, toughness, and high-rising athleticism. All of these factors align with the go-go, souped up offensive attack the program will install under head coach David Minaya. Gibbs’ agility and hellacious hops have allowed him to attract Division-1 attention from programs such as Jacksonville, Florida Gulf Coast University, Sam Houston State, and several others.
Khyree Taylor, The Nation Prep
The 6-foot-1 Class of 2020 guard has a tightened handle and an ability to initiate and really get his teammates involved. He’s shown a fearlessness in his surges to the rim and embraces the contact. He’s got some waterbug quickness that shows itself as he changes gears and gets up and down the floor. He’s got the potential to be a consistent double digit scorer who can fill up the stat sheet and set the tone as a defensive catalyst who instigates turnovers and causes all types of disruption.
Indrek Sunelik, The Nation Prep
The 6-foot-7 sharpshooter has grown and also packed muscle onto a once leafy frame. With his shot speed and how smoothly the ball comes off his finger tips, he’s got high level outside shooting ability. His confidence and focus are critical factors which have raised his profile this season. He’s tuned himself up on the defensive side, really switching and containing smaller guards and also fronting the post. He’s got the ability to guard the 1-4. This season should witness him transform from a relative unknown to a low to mid major Division-I prospect. Subscribing to a high order work load and really focusing on speed and agility have paralleled his ascension.