Florida Top 250 Expo: Young’s Top Forwards
This past weekend I attended my first ever Prep Hoops Top 250 Showcase event. Players from all over the state came to Winter Haven in hopes of catching the eyes of college coaches. Coaches ranging from Division II, NAIA, Juco…
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Continue ReadingThis past weekend I attended my first ever Prep Hoops Top 250 Showcase event. Players from all over the state came to Winter Haven in hopes of catching the eyes of college coaches. Coaches ranging from Division II, NAIA, Juco and Division III came from all over the state and we even had some from as far way as New York. These were some of the forwards who caught my attention:
PF James Morrow James Morrow 6'7" | PF Andrew Jackson | 2022 State FL 6-7 Andrew Jackson (2022)
Morrow plays for perennial Jacksonville powerhouse Andrew Jackson. Although his high school team wins big every year, they are a low scoring defense first team so it was nice to see Morrow in a showcase type of atmosphere. One thing that I’ve noticed about Jacksonville kids is that they tend to take defense personally, and always play with intensity and the big man did just that. He was all over the floor blocking shots, getting into passing lanes and rebounding everything. In the two games I watched him, he shot the ball both from mid range and beyond the 3-point line efficiently making more than he missed. Late in the showcase he matched up with Alex Steen Alex Steen 6'7" | SF Arnold | 2022 State FL and the two top 2022 big men at the camp went at each other. In a generation with so many kids afraid of getting shown up, it was great to see the competitive fire on both parts. Every Division II, JUCO and NAIA school in the building flocked to whatever court each player was playing on. Morrow is primed for a huge senior season, and Andrew Jackson will be in the mix to win a state championship yet again.
PF Alex Steen Alex Steen 6'7" | SF Arnold | 2022 State FL 6-7 Arnold (2022)
Pan Handle kids get overlooked often with our scouts located in major cities in Florida, so it was great to finally get a look at the Panama City star in person. Steen was just as good as his impressive highlights, dunking the ball all over the place, blocking shots, rebounding and playing with a great motor. He can handle the ball for a big man, and his high basketball IQ was evident. He holds a 4.1 GPA and has offers from Troy, Florida Southern, West Florida, and Auburn-Montgomery. Don’t be surprised to see him pick up a few more before all is said and done.
SF Carter McDole Carter McDole 6'5" | SF Dr. Phillips | 2024 CA-S 6-7 Dr. Phillips (2024)
McDole is long, very fluid and versatile with the ability to score off the bounce and in transition at a high rate. He seemed to develop great chemistry with all of his teammates with his willingness to pass. Defensively he has limitless potential with the quickness to switch onto little guards and size to battle with the bigs. He’s got a long way to go, but he’s certainly on the right track to becoming a big time player. Look for McDole to play a key role for Dr. Phillips as they attempt to defend their class 7A State Championship.
SF Moise Balungu Moise Balungu 6'4" | SF Bishop Snyder | 2022 State FL 6-4 Bishop Snyder (2022)
I don’t know if Balungu has any basketball nicknames over at Bishop Snyder, but if I was on his team he would be known as “Truck”. The wing is so tough and strong attacking the basket, I feel bad for anyone crazy enough to try and take a charge. In the games I watched he was crossing people up, or just simply over powering defenders on his way to the basket. I only saw him shoot two three pointers, but he made both of them. At the college level I see him translating as a slasher and defensive stopper who can guard multiple positions. Thus far he has one college offer from Division II Paine College.
SF Jonathan Caicedo Jonathan Caicedo 6'7" | CG Hoover | 2023 AL 6-6 Dr. Phillips (2022)
Another newcomer to Dr. Phillips team along with McDole, Caicedo also had a strong showing at our showcase. In the game I saw, he brought the ball up the floor and was always looking to push the pace. The forward shot the ball well from deep, made the right passes and was tough to stop around the basket. Look for Caicedo and McDole to provide depth to an already loaded Dr. Phillips team this winter.
F/C Jaelyn Thurman Jaelyn Thurman 6'5" | SF Bartow | 2024 FL 6-7 Bartow (2024)
It seems like every year Bartow has a big man come up from JV that will make and impact, and this season it will be Thurman. He wasn’t in the packet so I had to ask who he was, and when I found out he was just a sophomore I couldn’t believe it. Unlike most 6-7 sophomore’s Thurman is broad shouldered and a naturally strong built kid. He was not afraid to mix it up with the seniors, and battled hard for reboundson both ends. Look for Thurman to help fill the rebounding void left behind from Daithan Davis Daithan Davis 6'5" | PF Bartow | 2021 State FL ‘s graduation.