Top Tandems: South Florida (Part 1)

In most cases, it takes a team to win a championship. All you have to do is look at the programs that have won state championships in recent years and you will realize the talent. South Florida is no exception with some of the best prospects in the country. Here are the best tandems around the area... <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91561" first="Michiyah" last="Simmons"]</strong>/<strong>[player_tooltip player_id="219925" first="Janessa" last="Kelley"]</strong> - <em>Blanche Ely</em> Losing a player like <strong>University of Miami</strong> signee <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91491" first="Ja’Leah" last="Williams"]</strong> would be tough for most programs. The stellar point guard averaged 14.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and five steals last season for the Tigers. Luckily, Ely has four (<em>see below</em>) terrific players behind her that should ease the burden. 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="91561" first="Michiyah" last="Simmons"] led the Tigers in scoring (14.9 ppg) while shooting 51 percent from the field. The 5-foot-8 combo guard also dished out 3.5 assists, grabbed 4.6 rebounds, and recorded 3.4 steals per contest. Her playmaking ability and athleticism makes her one of the best backcourt prospects in the region. Simmons is also a team captain and remains <em>uncommitted</em>. A few classes down, 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="219925" first="Janessa" last="Kelley"] looks to have a bright future in the program. The 5-foot-9 guard averaged 12.3 points per game and knocked down 50 3-pointers. Moreover, Kelley shot 40 percent or better from deep in eight games. You have to like her confidence as a shooter at this stage of her development. You can also plug 2022’s <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91563" first="Mya" last="Kone"]</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91568" first="Zaria" last="Blake"]</strong> into this list. The 6-foot forwards combined for 17.3 points and 14.4 rebounds in the Tigers frontcourt. Kone also blocked 59 shots (3.1 bpg) on the season. The depth this team has will make it difficult on any opponent. Ely should be right back competing for a state championship with this lineup. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91557" first="Sydney" last="Shaw"]</strong>/<strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91566" first="Joey" last="Delancy"]</strong> - <em>American Heritage (Plantation)</em> The Patriots’ dominance appears to not be going anywhere with Shaw and Delancy in the mix. American Heritage is coming off their 4th straight state championship behind Florida commits <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91549" first="Taliyah" last="Wyche"] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="145092" first="Tatyana" last="Wyche"]</strong>, as well as guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="146971" first="Daniella" last="Aronsky"]</strong>. All Shaw did after transferring from <strong>Miami Country Day </strong>was lead this group in scoring (16.7 ppg) and steals (2.1 spg). The 5-foot-10 guard also dished out five assists and grabbed five rebounds per game. Shaw is a three-level scorer and deadly off the dribble. When you shoot 50 percent from the field and 47 percent from deep, who else do you want with the rock? Delancy is a versatile prospect that fits well at multiple positions. The 5-foot-10 guard/forward averaged 11 points, seven assists and four rebounds per game last season for American Heritage. Delancy’s frame allows her to score around the rim and finish. She is also a steady threat (44 percent) from the perimeter. The pair make it difficult to matchup against because they do multiple things well on the floor. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91642" first="Kristina" last="Godfrey"]</strong>/<strong>[player_tooltip player_id="217667" first="Kayla" last="Nelms"]</strong><em> - Miami Country Day</em> The Spartans will reload (as always) after losing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91494" first="Andrea" last="Daley"]</strong> (19 ppg/10.8 rpg) to graduation. Up next in the pipeline is a pair of young players in 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="217667" first="Kayla" last="Nelms"] and 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="91642" first="Kristina" last="Godfrey"]. The 6-foot-1 Nelms already made her mark in the Spartans frontcourt after averaging 11.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game last season. Moreover, she shot 49 percent from the field and 46 percent from deep. Her size, shooting ability, and length at this stage is already impressive. Therefore, Nelms looks to be a superstar for the South Florida powerhouse. Godfrey is an athletic lefty combo guard with strong passing ability. The 5-foot-9 Spartan dished out 6.6 assists per game last season. Godfrey can also take the ball to the rack and has good range. She averaged 10.7 points per game while shooting 51 percent from the field. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91641" first="Karina" last="Gordon"]</strong>/<strong>[player_tooltip player_id="219942" first="Reina" last="Green"]</strong> - <em>St. Thomas Aquinas</em> Gordon helped St. Thomas Aquinas to a 17-4 overall record and the Class 6A state championship last season. She was especially great up in Lakeland against <strong>Charlotte</strong> and <strong>Wekiva</strong>. Gordon combined for 39 points in both games and played like a senior leader. Those type of performances should give her a ton of momentum and confidence heading into next season. Green is a great athlete on the brink of stardom. The 5-foot-8 guard can get out in transition and pile up points at the rim. You can tell Green has an extra in her vertical to cause problems for years to come. <em><strong>For any South Florida Prep Girls Hoops news or information...please contact Michael Costeines @Steins_23 on Instagram or follow him on Twitter @Mungertown_Mike23.</strong></em>