Other Notable Transfers

Other Notable Transfers By Michael Wholey 10/27/21 9:00 AM EST The start to the 2021-22 high school season is just under a month away. Players transferring have been much of the storyline for the last six months as many of the state’s top players have been on the move. We take a second look at who are some of the state’s other most impactful transfers.   [player_tooltip player_id="118146" first="Ta’Niya" last="Latson"] is the highest profile transfer in addition to [player_tooltip player_id="91554" first="Janiah" last="Barker"]. Latson is an FSU verbal commit and one of the nations to scoring guards. She is an extremely explosive, athletic guard who do it all on both ends of the floor. With the loss of [player_tooltip player_id="91557" first="Sydney" last="Shaw"], Latson transfer to American Heritage Plantation keeps them in the mix for repeating as State Champions and will put Latson in contention for State Player of the Year. <img class=" wp-image-203595 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/09/Taliah-Scott-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="131" height="175" />[player_tooltip player_id="91651" first="Taliah" last="Scott"] transferring from Oakleaf to across town to St. John’s Country Day is one of the most surprising transfers as Oakleaf was 24-3 and returned Scott, [player_tooltip player_id="91660" first="Fantasia" last="James"], and Kayla Turner in a team that was considered one of the top 7A teams in Florida. Scott is an Arkansas verbal commit and heads across Orange Park to a St. Johns Country Day team that was 8-5 last season. While no comments have been made as to why the transfer, with Scott averaging 22 PPG last season, alongside James and Turner who both averaged 15+ PPG, look for Scott to average 30+ PPG for St. Johns Country Day with less fire power to play alongside and a weaker schedule.   5’7 2024 Guard Sofia Mendez was one of Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart’s leading scorers in 7th, 8th, and 9th grade. Mendez now will suit up for 7-time state champion Miami Country Day School. Miami Country Day started last season 2-3, and then ran off 21 wins in a row defeating Cardinal Mooney 59-34 in the 3A State Championship. Mendez will join an already talented roster of [player_tooltip player_id="91642" first="Kristina" last="Godfrey"], Bella Guevara, [player_tooltip player_id="221703" first="Kaliyah" last="Morales"], [player_tooltip player_id="217667" first="Kayla" last="Nelms"], and [player_tooltip player_id="219935" first="Aicha" last="Keita"]. <img class=" wp-image-331190 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/09/15-Tyra-Kennedy.jpg" alt="" width="273" height="182" />Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate in Tampa added a pair of transfers. [player_tooltip player_id="243947" first="Tyra" last="Kennedy"] (formerly at Hillsborough) and [player_tooltip player_id="247224" first="Alaina" last="Williams"] (formerly at Tampa Bay Tech) give Brooks some fire power at both the guard and forward spot. Last years BDCS squad went 17-6 both lost four of their teams top five scorers to graduation. The Phoenix top two returning players are 5’8 athletic guard [player_tooltip player_id="91581" first="Jaela" last="Davis"] and 5’3 point guard [player_tooltip player_id="166174" first="Maia" last="Lewers"]. The addition of Kennedy will make an extremely solid trio on the perimeter and Williams will give them a presence inside. Brooks DeBartolo is always competitive and a threat in 3A, and don’t expect for this season to be any different.   <img class="size-medium wp-image-204268 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/09/22-Ashleigh-Battle-2.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />2024 Charise Martin is a talented, athletic guard who joins an already loaded Blanche Ely squad after being at Miami Country Day School last season along with 2023 5’2 point guard [player_tooltip player_id="243930" first="Ashleigh" last="Battle"] (who was formerly at Cardinal Gibbons). Martin and Battle make an already deep roster even deeper as they join 2022s [player_tooltip player_id="91561" first="Michiyah" last="Simmons"], [player_tooltip player_id="91568" first="Zaria" last="Blake"], [player_tooltip player_id="91563" first="Mya" last="Kone"], 2023s [player_tooltip player_id="247186" first="Amaji" last="Smith"], and 2024s [player_tooltip player_id="219925" first="Janessa" last="Kelley"], [player_tooltip player_id="217668" first="Gianna" last="Corbitt"], and [player_tooltip player_id="221705" first="Laketrice" last="Peterson"]. Blanche Ely went 18-2 last season with their only losses coming to fellow South Florida teams American Heritage Plantation and St. Thomas Aquinas (who both won state championships). The road to the 6A state championship likely will come down to another Blanche Ely v St. Thomas Aquinas matchup in February as the two super talented teams have both made additions on the transfer market and in the Freshman class and will likely have to play each other 4-5 times (twice in the regular season, the Big 8 Tournament, Districts, and Regionals). <img class=" wp-image-296129 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/06/495A3214-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="95" height="143" />[player_tooltip player_id="91597" first="Paige" last="McDonald"] had a solid showing this summer for the Miami Suns Gold squad. The athletic 5’9 wing makes the move from Palm Bay Magnet to Cocoa High School. Cocoa returns three of its top five scorers: [player_tooltip player_id="244157" first="Victoria" last="Zidor"], [player_tooltip player_id="243940" first="Savannah" last="Arroyo"] ,and Tamaria Stanley to a team that went 13-5 last season. McDonald will provide them added scoring, athleticism and depth and could be the missing piece to take Cocoa to the next step. <img class=" wp-image-208660 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/66-Khadee-Hession-e1611065390428-281x300.jpg" alt="" width="153" height="163" />   [player_tooltip player_id="219924" first="Khadee" last="Hession"] is no longer at American Heritage Delray. All three members of the big 3 are no longer at American Heritage Delray with Codio, Ramsey and Hession as well as Head Coach Brett Studley all have departed. Hession has not made it public with where she will be attending school but we will keep our ears to the ground as to where she lands. No matter what school she decides to attend, look for her to make an immediate impact.   Two of the summer’s breakout stars – [player_tooltip player_id="243924" first="Rhema" last="Collins"] and [player_tooltip player_id="91570" first="Kyla" last="Abraham"] both transferred out of state. Rhema who was at Schoolhouse Prep in Miami is now at the Webb School to Tennessee and [player_tooltip player_id="91570" first="Kyla" last="Abraham"] was at Choctawhatchee in Fort Walton Beach is now in North Carolina.   We will look to continue to cover all across the state of Florida. 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.