North Broward Prep Fall League: Monday night notes
COCONUT CREEK — I made the trip to North Broward Prep on Monday night to take in Fall League action involving St. Thomas Aquinas, North Broward Prep and St. Andrew’s.
Here is a look at some of the noteworthy performances by team:
(ST. THOMAS AQUINAS)
— The Raiders are a senior-laden squad competing in Class 8A. 2019 forward Shane Hunter (6-8) has an offer from Palm Beach Atlantic. Coach Steve Strand said of 6-3 guard Lenny Ricca (pictured): “Lenny Ricca is a top-three shooting guard ever for me. Most competitive kid I’ve ever coached.” Nebraska Wesleyan has been recruiting Ricca the most. This is Strand’s 24th year with the varsity.
— R.J. Taylor — a 6-1 senior guard — can score the basketball from all over the court. He was hitting 3s, the mid range and taking it to the basket. “He gets open shots, he can knock them down,” Strand said. Taylor gained valuable experience on the summer circuit with the Broward County Cougars. “We got to go up against teams like the Oakland Soldiers [in Las Vegas],” said Taylor. “Teams that you don’t really see down in Fort Lauderdale. It was really good competition. A lot of Division I coaches there.”
— St. Thomas Aquinas’ center will likely be a football player: 6-7 senior Wallace Chester. STA football players Jordan Battle and Matt Akuchie also play basketball.
(ST. ANDREW’S)
— Yussif Basa-Ama, a 6-9 power forward, is on West Virginia’s radar. Very athletic, protects the rim, smooth with the ball. The native of Ghana already has offers from Florida Gulf Coast, Florida Atlantic, Loyola Marymount and USF. He came to the United States when he was in 8th grade.
— Junior Jack May (6-4) is the son of Florida Atlantic coach Dusty May. The lefty can hit the 3-pointer and did a nice job running his lane on the break. Played at Gainesville (Fla.) High as a sophomore.
— 5-11 senior guard Alejandro Ralat returns after missing last season with an ACL injury (left knee). Ralat has good vision, runs the court and can shoot.
— 2021 Joshua Minott shows great promise. Very versatile with nice size for a young prospect. Can score from inside and out. Grew 3 inches from freshman year. Played with Flash Elite on the travel circuit.
(NORTH BROWARD PREP)
— Junior PG Dominick Denny is small, but has excellent handle for Class 5A NBP. Denny can drive it on you or hit a 3-pointer. “He is so quick,” North Broward Prep coach Casey Wohlleb said. “He knows he can get by guys. He makes a lot of really good plays for us. His speed and quickness are such a weapon. Amazing growth [from last year].”
— Justin Abson did a nice job for a freshman. Good finisher and hit his free throws. “Really good passer,” Wohlleb said. “Boarded. Contests shots. He’s only a freshman. He’s a special player. 6-6 but his arms are like a 6-9 guy.”
— Another freshman for NBP is 6-2 shooting guard Maximus Fuentes. Awkward looking shot but he drills 3-pointers if left alone.
If you have high school basketball news, you can reach Pat Lammer via e-mail at PatALammer@Gmail.com or via text at 954-661-9671.