Increase In Transfers Changes Talent-Laced SIAA
Two major transfers have altered the landscape of the SIAA-FL conference, prior to the annual Veteran’s Day tournament at The Rock HS this weekend.
USC-bound Class of 2018 point guard Elijah Weaver has transferred from reigning SIAA-FL state champion Oldsmar Christian to Rockledge High School. Michael Durr, a 6-foot-11 Center who is committed to South Florida, has also transferred from Oldsmar Christian to SIAA opponent Victory Rock Prep.
Weaver’s illustrious career at Oldsmar, where he evolved into one of the country’s most actively pursued recruits, hit its pinnacle in 2017. He guided the program to a monumental upset of The Rock School (Gainesville, Fla.) in the 2017 state title, overcoming the 1-2 punch of LSU-bound Darius Days and gritty guard Jamari Wheeler (now at Penn State). The Rock also absorbed a tough off-season blow on the transfer market, as the 6-foot-8, 218-pound Days transferred to IMG Academy.
Thriving in the one-on-one game and eluding defenders with his handle and versatile scoring aptitude, Weaver averaged 18 points, 6.2 assists, and 4.5 boards last season. Weaver shot 52 percent from the floor en route to whittling down a massive list to USC, Ohio State, Florida, and Oklahoma State.
“There were some games in the beginning of the year where (Weaver) had to score 30-plus points,” said John Bianchi, who led Oldsmar to a state title in his lone season as head coach.
“The final 13 games, he didn’t always have to be our leading scorer. He’s the type of kid who can go for 14 points, eight assists, and five boards. We were balanced and that took the pressure off of him.”
Bianchi has also left Oldsmar to take an assistant coaching position at Superior Collegiate Academy in Clearwater. Immediately following Bianchi’s departure, Oldsmar brought back a familiar face in Alex Arias.
An assistant under Jordan Fair at Oldsmar, Arias returns to his alma mater with lofty expectations, even amid the sudden transfers of Weaver and Durr. And while this transfer carousal has unfolded, Oldsmar picked up Tyrese Williams, a highly-touted 6-foot-6 Class of 2018 forward.