Nike EYBL: Nightrydas Elite brings Barnes, Diabate into the fold
Last summer the Nightrydas Elite 16s made it to the final four at the Peach Jam. This year, with the addition of University School’s Scottie Barnes and DME Academy’s Moussa Diabate, coach Edward “Boobie” Francis & Co. are looking to make…
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Continue ReadingLast summer the Nightrydas Elite 16s made it to the final four at the Peach Jam.
This year, with the addition of University School’s Scottie Barnes and DME Academy’s Moussa Diabate, coach Edward “Boobie” Francis & Co. are looking to make some major noise on the national NIKE EYBL 17-U circuit.
The 6-foot-8 Barnes is one of the top prospects in the Class of 2020. Barnes, who joins Nightrydas after playing with Nike Team Florida, teamed with 6-10 Duke signee Vernon Carey Jr. to win back-to-back FHSAA Class 5A state championships. The pair led U-School to the all-Florida championship game at the 2018 GEICO Nationals in New York City.
The 6-10 Diabate (pictured below), out of Arcadia, is ranked among the top preps nationally in the 2021 class. He was named the SIAA Player of the Year as a sophomore.
“Last year we were one of the top four teams of the 16s,” Francis said Saturday night while at the Nightrydas Elite tryouts at Calvary Christian in Fort Lauderdale. “Final four we made it to the Peach Jam. So coming back being the first year on the 17s, I am excited for the kids. I have been the coach on the 17s since 2006. So I am excited for them for the ride.
“The biggest name everybody knows — Scottie [Barnes]. What impressed me more is his leadership. The kid is very talented but he’s more talented as being a leader. Just being another coach on the court. Also with the addition of Naseem [Khaalid], which is a top kid. Came in, solidified the point guard spot where he can communicate and kind of run the team. And just the additions from last year: you have Antwan Burnett returning, Kam Woods out of Alabama. You have Dudley Blackwell that is going to be here. Moussa Diabate. Just with the core group, you know man, we have a great chance at winning Peach Jam.”
The 6-1 Khaalid, a 2020 out of First Coast in Jacksonville, has already committed to Florida State.
The 6-5 Burnett (2020) is out of Sidney Lanier in Montgomery, Ala., while the 6-6 Blackwell (2020) won two state titles at Westminster Academy before transferring to Somerset Pines and then Huntington Prep in West Virginia.
Nightrydas also returns forward Jalen Haynes (2020) out of Fort Lauderdale Dillard and guard Walter Clayton Jr. (2021) out of Lake Wales.
Francis said Nightrydas Elite will have three or four tune-ups before getting things going in April. They are aiming to open up in Atlanta the last weekend in March.
The talent did not stop there. The Nightrydas 16s and 15s are also loaded.
“I think this year our overall depth with 15s and 16s is through the roof,” Francis said. “We had a lot of young good kids. We even had three top eighth-graders that came in that actually are playing better than some of the ninth-graders.
“The [Sanford Seminole] twins weren’t here. They are a big addition to it. The addition of [University School’s] Jett Howard, as a freshman. And then our sophomore group, we have some guys returning from last year. You have [American Heritage’s] Dallas Turner that is hurt, but he’ll be back. We have a Dominican kid [Jean Montero] that came over. We have three Canadian kids that came over that are real good. So with the additions of those kids we have good expectations.”
More top names from the younger squads include: 6-11 ninth-grader Elhadji Moth, of DME; Calvary Christian 2022 Gregg Glenn; Orlando Christian Prep’s Camden Easley (2021); Tallahassee Rickards 2021 Roddrick Henry; Forest Hill 2021 Donovan Draper; Lake Howell 2022 Fabio Basili; and Lake Worth Sacred Heart eighth-grader Nate Sasser (pictured above).
If you have high school or travel basketball news, you can reach Pat Lammer via text at 954-661-9671.