Miami-Dade County Basketball Showcase: 2019s, JuCos, transfers
Josmel Martinez is looking for the right fit.
The 6-foot-6 2019 standout (pictured) was a key cog in Miami Palmetto going 41-13 over the past two seasons.
“I just want to stay in Florida,” Martinez said Thursday night while playing in front of college coaches at the Miami-Dade County Basketball Showcase at St. Thomas University.
Martinez was clearly one of the top 2019s at Thursday’s showcase put on by 305Hoops and Point Guard Club.
The left-hander is smart, runs the floor well, has a good handle and a nice soft shot.
“I want to go to a junior college in Florida,” Martinez said. “I want to play at a higher level one day.”
Bakari Simmons (St. Thomas University)
St. Thomas head coach D.P Harris got a good one in Simmons, who did a post-grad year at Victory Rock.
He is another left-hander that shined Thursday night. The 6-6 shooting guard was excellent stroking it from deep, helps out on the boards and showed very good passing skills into the paint.
Marquis Jones (ASA College)
Jones played high school ball at Archbishop McCarthy in Southwest Ranches. The 6-2 guard stood out among the junior college players. He is explosive, has a good handle and can shoot it. He was a freshman at ASA this past season and intends to return for his sophomore year.
Marvin Saintolien (Released from Webster University)
The 6-3 guard forward went to Webster University in St. Louis, Mo., out of North Miami Senior HIgh. Saintolien was also one of the top college players at the event. He said he has two years of eligibility remaining. Iowa Wesleyan, Johnson & Wales and St. Thomas are showing interest.
Ralph Bissainthe (Florida SouthWestern)
The 6-7 Bissainthe said he just got his release from Illinois-Chicago and will be attending Florida SouthWestern in Fort Myers. The former Hollywood McArthur standout redshirted his first season at UIC and then played as a redshirt freshman. Bissainthe said he would like to play one season of JuCo and then go to a four-year school his final two years.
If you have basketball news, you can reach Pat Lammer via e-mail at PatALammer@Gmail.com