West Oaks 2021 AJ Neal on strengths, visits & more
Rising junior guard AJ Neal was a double-digits machine for West Oaks Academy at the Florida High School Team Camp over the weekend at DS Sportsplex in Deerfield Beach. Neal scored 13 points in a victory over Coral Springs, had…
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Continue ReadingRising junior guard AJ Neal was a double-digits machine for West Oaks Academy at the Florida High School Team Camp over the weekend at DS Sportsplex in Deerfield Beach.
Neal scored 13 points in a victory over Coral Springs, had 12 in a W over Fort Lauderdale High and 10 points in a victory over Miami Norland.
The 6-footer, one of the top guard prospects in the state in the Class of 2021, holds 20-plus scholarship offers, including Auburn, Florida State, Georgetown, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Ole Miss. Florida, Maryland, Tennessee and Texas are among those showing interest.
Asked if he might begin taking unofficial visits this summer, Neal said: “I might be going to Florida and Florida State. I am going to see if I can get Georgetown. Right now, it’s Florida and Florida State.”
Neal has an excellent shooting touch from the outside, but he is lethal driving to the basket for coach Kenny Gillion. He gets a step on defenders and is money putting it in off the glass.
“Everybody knows I am a strong right,” Neal said. “I’ve got a floater [too], and if you want me to shoot it, I’m going to shoot it.”
West Oaks went 30-4 thus far this summer.
Gillion says June has been productive despite having to fight through some injuries. The team did not have Blanche Ely 2020 transfer Malachi Hazelton or First Coast transfer Naseem Khaalid this weekend, and 2020 standout Selton Miguel hurt an ankle Saturday.
“It’s been a pretty long summer,” Gillion said. “The guys are going out there playing hard. Some of them are pretty banged up, pretty injured. But we’re just trying to teach the mental toughness … to battle through it. The summer grind. So I’m in a good place with these guys.”
Miguel had 31 points — including four 3s — in the victory over Coral Springs and 17 more vs. Fort Lauderdale. 2021 JJ Harris poured in five 3s on the way to 21 points vs. Coral Springs. Blanche Ely 2020 transfer AJ Staton (pictured above) had 20 points in the win over Norland and 12 against Coral Springs.
The 6-4 Staton said he has received interest from Houston, Vermont, Bethune-Cookman and Merrimack College but is still looking for that first offer.
“It’s going good,” Staton said of the move from Ely to West Oaks. “I like it up there. High intensity, which I really came up there for. Just to get better, work on my game, work on my craft.”
West Oaks 6-5 2020 Carl Bigord — a transfer from Miami Schoolhouse Prep — picked up an offer from James Madison. 6-7 2022 Fray Nguimbi landed an offer from Southeastern Louisiana.
If you have high school or travel basketball news, you can reach Pat Lammer via Twitter at @PLamRecruiting or through e-mail at PatALammer@Gmail.com