Very Capable Bigs: Central Florida

[player_tooltip player_id="91645" first="Kailani" last="Lindsey"] 6’0 2023 Wildwood Lindsey was one of my best bigs off of her presence alone. When she steps onto the court she makes her presence felt, she has the game to go along with her demeanor and aura. Lindsey is great at getting to her spots and doing her work early creating the space she needs. She will protect the rim, and run the floor well in transition. I think developing her left hand will be huge for her as she grows. Coming off averaging a double-double, and an All-Area POY Selection, I expect her to really make noise this season. Lindsey is a Sophomore who plays beyond her years. [player_tooltip player_id="151265" first="Bailey" last="Carlson"] 5’10 2021 East Ridge Carlson is able to catch and finish through contact, that ability paired with her jump shot will take her a long way in earning minutes at the next level. She comes from a TNBA South program I have become a fan of, every player I have seen from that program plays the game the right way. She can finish with either hand and has good coordination in transition. She puts the ball on the floor a lot more than I initially realized. At 5’10 with the IQ she has, the rising senior has a solid four years of college hoops in front of her. [player_tooltip player_id="91590" first="Kamryn" last="Bullock"] 5’11 2022 East River Bullock has a game that is efficient, she gets the job done because she positions herself the right way. Standing at 5’11, her spotting up for threes is what appeals but she can shoot them off of the dribble too which I really liked. She will also put it on the floor for good hard drives. Bullock to me was one of those players you’d love to coach because she is rarely playing out of character. She knows what she does, and does it well. East River is lucky to have her. [player_tooltip player_id="91567" first="Olivia" last="Delancy"] 6’0 2022 Miami Country Day At 6’0 she has a quick release, she does a great job of holding her form on jumpers. She gets a great explosion from her lower body and gets it right into her shooting pocket. Delancy can finish with either hand, with a soft-touch around the rim. She will shoot from college range now, has a mid-range game, and is very capable when she attacks the basket going downhill. Miami Country Day is in good hands with Delancy for two more seasons. [player_tooltip player_id="91597" first="Paige" last="McDonald"] 5’11 2022 Palm Bay What makes McDonald a prospect is how lengthy she is. It’s impressive when she gets out on the break and has the ability to be crafty about her finishes. She played mostly in the paint during the Top250, but she is capable of attacking from the wing or high post and can hit the three confidently. She runs the floor very well and is very active defensively blocking shots and letting everyone know about it. She does a very good job of securing rebounds. McDonald made the move from Florida Prep where she won a state title, to Palm Bay High where she also runs track. Another piece for a Palm Bay program whose players have opened my eyes as of late. [player_tooltip player_id="91653" first="Chloe" last="Kitts"] 6’0 2023 DME Academy What makes [player_tooltip player_id="91653" first="Chloe" last="Kitts"] so good to me, is that she makes those around her better. She comes from a basketball family and holds her teammates to a certain standard. She will lead by example directing traffic with or without the ball, not force bad shots, and make the right play regardless of how her stat line looks. There aren’t really many facets of the game that are out of character for the DME sophomore, she has the skill and freedom to rebound and then push the break as good as any guard. She embraces double teams and will get the ball where it needs to go. Her ability to stay under control when the trap comes shows me she’s been facing them for a while now, and it doesn’t surprise me. Kitts is a selfless player who likes to pass. She’s deadly in the high post area because she can pop for a three, or roll to the basket and finish around the rim. She can hit the three spotting up, or off the bounce, and has the mid-range pull-up game as well. The opposing teams’ post players will certainly have to leave the paint to Guard her, which opens up everything offensively just because of the threat of [player_tooltip player_id="91653" first="Chloe" last="Kitts"]. Coming off averaging 21 and 10 boards for Master’s Academy and a trip to the state championship, her transition to the national scene is something I am excited to witness. Raeanne Eccleston 6’2 2024 Colonial Eccleston gets right to that block and does her work early. The freshman has tremendous upside as she plays up in AAU for a great Central Florida Elite program. She plays active defensively and runs the floor well. Eccleston was taught the game by some very good basketball minds and it shows, she can pass from the high post and baseline area, and she is well disciplined on the defensive end with understanding rotations and will protect the rim. Her and [player_tooltip player_id="91645" first="Kailani" last="Lindsey"] as a tandem I don’t imagine most front courts want to see. Tremendous upside for the Freshman forward. Kyleigh Welsh 6’2 2022 Clearwater Welsh has a dominant demeanor about her and its fun watch. She demands her space on the floor and knows how to position herself to score. Welsh’s presence in the paint is something that really stood out to me. If the defense allows her to bury them and catch it in the low post, it’ll be a long night against the Clearwater product. She protects the paint well, and is looking to block shots. It isn’t often that players her age really want to dominate the defensive end. She can finish over either shoulder and is capable from the high post area.