Florida Roundup: News Around Florida Volume 3

Florida Roundup: News Around Florida Volume 3 By Michael Wholey 1/3/21 8:30 PM EST As we head into month three of high school basketball, we will continue to update you of all that is going on in Florida. Here is the Florida Roundup: News Around Florida Volume 3. Recruiting Updates <img class=" wp-image-242801 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/01/it-ytGAf_400x400-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> Look for 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="91556" first="Tonie" last="Morgan"] (Florida High / Central Florida Elite) to release her top 8 schools on January 10th as she recently announced on social media. The 5’10 Junior is considered one of the country’s top point guards and have been recruited hard by a number of the nation’s top schools. You can follow her update on her twitter account at <a href="http://www.x.com/t2live5_">HERE</a>. She is currently averaging 21 points per game for Florida State University High School helping them to a 9-2 record to start the season. National Rankings Florida continues to receive recognition by Maxpreps with 7 teams ranked in the top 25 nationally including 4 in the top 10. As of the most recent updated rankings on 1/1/21 Montverde Academy continues to hold the # 1 spot at 11-0. Look for them to continue to hold the # 1 spot after winning several difficult games in Atlanta at the She Got Game Classic recently. Fresh off a championship in Myrtle Beach, Lake Highland Prep holds the # 5 spot at 10-0. LHP was the pre-season # 1 team prior to the season starting. Mark your calendars as Wednesday January 6 Lake Highland Prep heads to Montverde Academy in a top matchup nationally and the top two teams in Florida. Blanche Ely is in at # 8 after having a delated start to their season due to BCAA rules in Broward county and lost to # 25 American Heritage just before Christmas in the Hoop South Championship game. Winter Haven, (5-0), Central Pointe (11-0), Braden River (6-2) are also in the top 25 and HB Plant (12-1) comes in at # 28. Pine Forest (Pensacola), Palm Bay, Westminster Academy, Miami Country Day, Lincoln Park Academy, DME Academy, Wekiva, and Riverview are all ranked between 51-100 nationally giving Florida 16 teams in the top 100 per Maxpreps rankings.   Tourney Wrap Ups Viera Lady Hawks defeated Heritage Palm Bay 59-33 in the Championship game of the Heritage Shootout Girls Basketball Tourney. Viera was led by a trio of Seniors who all scored in double digits. Elaine Bell had 19 points, Casandra Ramirez scored 16 points, and Morgan Mordas finished with 13 points. Viera has now won five in a row and seven on their last nine games to move their record to 9-5 and is holding teams to an impressive 37 points per game. <img class=" wp-image-242802 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/01/Dyanis-MVP-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="156" height="207" />Sophomore sensation [player_tooltip player_id="91644" first="D’Yanis" last="Jimenez"] (Charlotte HS) continues to rack up the accolades as she was recently named MVP at the Chick-Fila Classic at Bradenton Christian School after helping her team go 3-0 over the holiday break ultimately defeating host Bradenton Christian 73-28 in the championship game. East Lake defeated host Clearwater Central Catholic in the CCC Holiday tournament championship 64-48 with Missouri S&T commit [player_tooltip player_id="91552" first="Whitney" last="Rush"] being named tournament MVP. The East Lake Eagles are 11-1 and Rush has been on fire as she is currently averaging 27.5 points per game. The Lincoln Park Greyhounds defeated Jensen Beach last Tuesday 65-30 in the Greyhound Holiday Classic to head into 2021 with a perfect 9-0 record. [player_tooltip player_id="91486" first="Christen" last="McCann"] was named the tournament MVP after scoring 23 points and adding 7 assists and 7 steals in the championship game. South Alabama signee [player_tooltip player_id="91517" first="Deborah" last="Reese"] was named to the all-tournament team after scoring 13 points and Sophia Marrero chipped in with 15 points. Natalie Evans scored a team high 11 points for Jensen Beach, and along with teammate Ja’Shya Christie was named to the all-tournament team. Clearwater defeated St. Stephens 66-49 to win the 2020 Keswick Suncoast Classic Tournament Championship. 2022 Phillicia Jackson, 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="214172" first="Beckham" last="Hockley"], and 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="166169" first="Olivia" last="Fuller"] were all named <img class=" wp-image-242803 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/01/Clearwater-3-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="147" height="197" />to the all-tournament team. The Tornadoes have played 17 games already, standing at 13-4 and rely on a balanced scoring attack. Look for the Tornadoes to be a threat in 5A especially if Hockley and Fuller can continue scoring as both are impressively shooting above 50% from the field on the season.   Youth Movement <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/01/Geneva-Ciara-and-Ailani-crop-1730x1136-1609709387.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-242806 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/01/Geneva-Ciara-and-Ailani-crop-1730x1136-1609709387-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>Ciara Hayes and Ailani Collazo have been putting up some numbers for Geneva School. They recently defeated Legacy Charter 64-44 where Hayes had 27 points and 5 assists while Collazo added 21 points and 7 rebounds.       Coaching Milestones Victor Rodriguez recently earned his 100th career win while serving as Head Coach at Faith Christian Academy in Orlando, FL. Rodriguez also serves as General Manager of the recently formed Nona Basketball Academy   We will look to continue to cover news all across the state. Our audience supplies us with some of our best information. Keep us updated on Florida news be emailing me at <a href="mailto:WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com">WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com</a> or DM’ing me through Twitter or Instagram @WholeyPrepHoops.