Emerging Playmakers: South Florida

Anyone can score and put up numbers. I have witnessed players put up 20 – 25 points per game and there team finishes with a .500 record. That is not exactly making a team better and achieving a greater goal. I wrote a similar piece on this topic that you can view by clicking <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2021/06/top-playmakers-south-florida/">here</a>. Unlike the piece above, <em>some</em> of the following prospects put up <em>modest</em> stats. They did not necessarily lead their team in scoring last season. I am writing this story more from a <em>predictive</em> standpoint. It also focuses on freshman and sophomores. Here are my thoughts... <strong>Laila Wellers</strong> - <em>Grandview Prep</em> 2024 Laila Wellers could be a frontcourt prospect to watch based on her play last season. The power forward/center averaged 7.4 points and a team-best 6.9 rebounds per game while shooting 42 percent from the field. Wellers did what she needed to do against so/so competition. Against <strong>Lake Worth</strong> <strong>Christian</strong> (8-6), she had 11 points and 12 rebounds (nine offensive). Overall, 39 of Weller’s 83 total rebounds came on the offensive side. She should assume more of a role as Grandview Prep loses two seniors off last year’s team. I want to see her put up better numbers against some of the better teams she faces down the road. All in all, Wellers can build on the positives from her freshman season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="243926" first="Jordan" last="Race"]</strong> - <em>The</em> <em>King’s Academy</em> The Lions were composed of a roster last season that only listed one senior. King’s Academy went on to finish with a 20-3 record and had a nice run in the Class 3A state tournament. One player that should be returning is 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="243926" first="Jordan" last="Race"]. The 5-foot-11 shooting guard averaged 11.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 2.1 assists per game. Moreover, Race went 35-of-113 (31 percent) from beyond the arc. Against <strong>Delray American Heritage</strong> (13-5), Race had 22 points, nine rebounds and four assists. You have to like her size and length coming out of the position. Race has a lot of confidence in her game when it comes to shooting the basketball. She also grabbed 127 total rebounds and tied a season-high with ten against <strong>Fort Lauderdale Calvary</strong> <strong>Christian Academy</strong>. She is one of many players returning that should have King's Academy in contention yet again. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="243887" first="Selma" last="Drucker"]</strong> - <em>Delray American Heritage</em> 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="243887" first="Selma" last="Drucker"] put up good numbers last season considering how talented her teammates are. You might have heard of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="151282" first="Alancia" last="Ramsey"]</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="219924" first="Khadee" last="Hession"]</strong>, to name a few. The 5-foot-8 forward averaged four points and seven rebounds while shooting 48 percent from the floor. I understand the attempts might not be there to consider that a good percentage. However, Drucker combined for 26 points while shooting 12-of-19 (63 percent) in her three highest outputs. That tells me she can be efficient and made the most of her opportunities. I assume her attempts will only go up next season. She also grabbed a season-high 12 boards against <strong>Western</strong> and another 11 against <strong>Cardinal Gibbons</strong>. <strong>Priya Alibhai-</strong> <em>Gulliver Prep</em> 2024 Priya Alibhai could be a player to watch for the Raiders. First of all, she has solid height at 5-foot-10 for a shooting guard. Alibhai averaged six points and 2.8 rebounds per game while shooting 46 percent from the field last season. Against Delray American Heritage and <strong>Miami Country Day</strong>, she hit  a pair of 3-pointers and combined for 15 points. Given her length, Alibhai could have a big sophomore season. She just needs to assume her role and become a bigger part of the offense. <strong>Hannah Peck</strong> - <em>Dwyer</em> 2024 Hannah Peck is a point guard with potential given length. She is 5-foot-9 and returns to a team that is set to lose three seniors. Against Forest Hill, she flashed some of her skill with 14 points while shooting 7-of-12 (58 percent) from the floor. Can she do that more often next season? Time will tell. <strong><em>For any South Florida Girls Prep Hoops news or information...please contact Michael Costeines @Steins_23 on Instagram or follow him on Twitter @Mungertown_Mike23.</em></strong>