March 17
Individual Standouts

The overall quality of the players on Saturday was not too shabby. Granted an expectation from last week's IMG Academy session made this author hope to see more elite players capable of making the jump to the collegiate level. Each class was represented by some talented players.

A few of IMG Academy's post grads walked in the gym to showcase their talent yet again. Chris Daniels picked up where he left off last week with some dynamic and athletic dunks in the first games of the afternoon session. He was moving at a speed above everyone else on the floor. Someone needs to hurry up and pick this one up. Aaron Jones showed his skill set and athleticism was just a bit more than everyone else as well.

A few seniors managed to show some good work and place themselves in a position to show their game. I liked the things that Lake Brantley 5'11" guard Jeremy Edmonds was doing. He moved the ball well and showed his prowess at attacking the basket and hitting some pull up jumpers from the elbows and finishing around the basket. A couple of Glades Central guards caught my eye in 6'3" wing Wesley Barrett and 5'9" James Ingram. Barrett did some nice things around the basket and on the wing to make a few people notice a good skill set. Ingram is a dynamic guard that had his moments as well. He handled the ball, dished it off to his teammates, and showed no fear in attacking the basket.

One player that really caught my eye was Palmetto Ridge 6'5" 2008 wing Sean Thebaud. I had a nice talk with head coach Joe Rader and we had a chance to watch his player do some good things. Sean displays some good qualities for developing and making the transition to the college game. He can knock the 3 pointer as he led Palmetto Ridge in made baskets this past season. Sean handled the ball well and was able to knock some outside jumpers on this day as well. Another wing that seperated himself from some others was J.P Taravella 6'3" 2008 wing Ted Tassy. He did a good job with his ball handling, finishing in transition, and knocking down several contested jumpshots. He showed some good work on the perimeter in the half court that made some others take notice of his game.

A couple of post players of note for those small schools interested in a forward at 6'6" or smaller. Archbishop McCarthy 6'6" 2008 post man Jamar Gople showed some nice footwork in the painted area. He was one of the bigger players at the camp and used his body and a variety of spin moves to show some decent athleticism for a kid his size. Park Vista senior big man Dennis Rumph, at 6'5", showed some solid work in the post. He a variety of nice moves that kept defenders guessing which way he was going to take his man. He is more of a traditional back-to-the-basket player that would fit in nicely at a small Division III or NAIA school.

The junior class appeared to have more talented players in the gym. There were not a lot of true post players in the gym. So, I'll focus more on the wing position with this group.

You start off with a kid like Coral Reef junior 6'4" Jerron Granberry. Once considered more of a post player, Jerron his making the treansition to the wing very nicely. He hit several 3 pointers, rebounds ferociously, is not afraid to bring the ball up the floor, or slam dunk the ball home in transition. He was the best looking 2009 player in the gym today. He will start getting looks from low to mid-major Division I schools as his career continues.

Another player making the transition to the wing is St. Thomas Aquinas junior 6'5" Matt Gaeta. He is more of a face-up player for the moment. He did some nice things 15-18 feet from the basket. He can put the ball on the floor and hit several pull-up jumpers in the lane. He has good length and uses his body well to knock down contested shots. His rebounding was OK as he needs to put some weight on his frame.

A wing that is adding post moves to his repertoire is South Fork junior 6'4" Jason Thompson. Long, lanky, and athletic, he hits the three pointer with ease. He read smaller defenders throughout the day to get some easy scores around the basket. He can also knock down that elusive 15 foot baseline jumper. The transition game comes easy for him as he was one of the quickest players at the camp. It would not be a surprise for Division II colleges to court him next year.

Cardinal Newman has a nice looking player in 6'3" junior Will Fairchild. He is one of those players that doesn't necessarilly standout. But, he finds the open player and can run the point very well. He has a high basketball IQ and his decision making shows. He can hit jumpshots around the elbow area, and knock down the occasional perimeter jumper. Fairchild was one of the better point guards in the gym.

A raw post player in Cardinal Giddons 6'8" junior Casey Jordan. His defense is ahead of his offensive game. His athleticism is not much of a detriment. But, it will come into play as he moves into his senior year. He is a player that could help a small Division III school with his size.

I have saved the two dynamic scorers of the day. These two kids can fill it up! The three point shot is consistent both of them. But, Calvary Christian Class of 2009 5'9" guard Akeem Morrisant can claim to be the best three point shooter of the day. He knocked the shot consistently and easily all day long. Keep an eye for him! The other dynamic scorer was Forest Hill 6'1" 2009 guard Brian Hightower. Hightower showed a very good overall game. He hit perimeter jumpers, 3 pointers, drove to the basket, and showed himself to be unselfish with some nice passes.

A couple of younger players managed to show they could play with the big boys. Grandview Prep' Class of 2010 6'2" Darius Sanchez shows a nice feel for the game. He stays under control, plays within his game, and will knock down an open jumper. He showed good range on his shot from 20 feet to 12 feet. He has good size for his position and his skills should afford him a few good years on varsity at one of the better Class 1A programs in the state.

Another Class of 2010 player, Jason Romero is yet another example of why William T. Dwyer is such a good pogram every year. The 6'2" Romero was a bit timid early on. But, he showed some good things later in the day. He needs some work on his jumper. But, he is one of those kids that just looks like a player. You can bet good things await for both of these players.

Lake Worth Class of 2011 6'0" William Sparkman showed some a nice overall game. He hits the open jump shot and shows some range. He puts the ball on the floor well and can hit a hit a nice pull-up jumper on the perimeter or in the lane.

Yet another Class of 2012 player to take note of is Jupiter Christian 6'0" Kedric Bostic. He played against the older, bigger players and made some good things happen. He looks more comfortable on the wing. But, it looks like he will be called upon to use his ball handling skills at Jupiter Christian.