Who are Top Teams in Florida - Part Two

The start to the 2021-22 high school season is just weeks away. Last year’s season was shortened due to COVID with a number of teams playing half their normal number of games. All appears to be heading back to normalcy and the expectation is a full slate of games. With several Florida teams finishing in the top 50 of national rankings, Florida Prep Hoops is on the map for having some of the country’s top players and teams. Earlier in the week, we took at look at Lake Highland Prep, Montverde Academy, American Heritage Plantation, St, Thomas Aquinas, Central Pointe Academy and Blanche Ely in part 1, now we take a look at some additional teams in part 2.   DME Academy (Daytona Beach, FL) <img class=" wp-image-208783 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/99-Chloe-Kitts-2-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="167" height="110" />DME Academy made major upgrades at both the guard and post positions via the additions of transfers this summer. 2022 Auburn verbal commit [player_tooltip player_id="91557" first="Sydney" last="Shaw"] and 6’2 Forward [player_tooltip player_id="91577" first="Amiya" last="Evans"] join forces with [player_tooltip player_id="91653" first="Chloe" last="Kitts"] give DME Academy a big 3. With three extremely talented players at the guard, wing and post position. 5’10 Rollins College verbal commit [player_tooltip player_id="219949" first="Emily" last="McIntosh"] and 5’9 Guard [player_tooltip player_id="247118" first="Sophia" last="Rueppell"] round out DME’s starting 5, and give them one of the strongest starting 5s in the state.   Colonial High School (Orlando, FL) <img class=" wp-image-331197 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/09/24-Carmen-Richardson.jpg" alt="" width="191" height="127" />Colonial High School might be one of the state’s most under rated teams in the state. Last year they played one of the state’s toughest schedules finishing 16-10 and taking on some of the state’s top teams such as Lake Highland Prep, DME Academy, Palm Bay, Central Pointe Academy, Montverde Academy, Wekiva, Central Pointe, Miami Country Day amongst others. With all six of their top scorers being Freshman and Sophomores, the Grenadiers return all of their scoring and rebounding from last year and look to build on a solid season. Sophomores [player_tooltip player_id="243892" first="Carmen" last="Richardson"], [player_tooltip player_id="221840" first="Dezmariah" last="Soto"], [player_tooltip player_id="248306" first="Camryn" last="Patterson"], and [player_tooltip player_id="219929" first="Raeanne" last="Eccleston"] are coming off excellent Freshman seasons as key contributors. While [player_tooltip player_id="166212" first="Sophya" last="Barreiro"] and [player_tooltip player_id="243934" first="Milan" last="Santos"] return for their Junior seasons and Senior Camila Zbysnki gives them some additional outside shooting. Colonial competes in 7A and will have to get past Timber Creek to go deep in the playoffs. With their 6 top players being Sophomores and Juniors, Colonial should have two years to make a deep run to Lakeland and bring a home 7A State Championship. Is this their year?   Clearwater High School (Clearwater, FL) <img class=" wp-image-247563 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/01/Beckham-Hockley-169x300.jpg" alt="" width="91" height="162" />If Colonial High School is not one of top Florida teams that is least talked about then it has to be Clearwater High School. Last year’s team went 24-5 and were led by [player_tooltip player_id="214172" first="Beckham" last="Hockley"] in scoring with 14.2 points per game, Liv Fuller in rebounding with 8.9 rebounds per game, [player_tooltip player_id="166172" first="Ace" last="Sturdivant"] in assists with 3.7 assists per game, and [player_tooltip player_id="219945" first="Kyleigh" last="Welsh"] led the team in blocks with 4.3 blocks per game. All four players are one year older with Hockley now entering her sophomore season, Fuller and Sturdivant entering their junior season, and Welsh enters her Senior season. Add in 6’4 Senior [player_tooltip player_id="243991" first="Phillicia" last="Jackson"] and Clearwater HS starting 5 can go up against just about anyone in the state. They have two things to overcome – depth is a major issue and they do not play a very tough schedule but in 5A, look for Clearwater to make some noise!   IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL) <img class=" wp-image-249664 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/01/6ef_xx65-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="198" height="198" />IMG Academy has added some fire power to go along with 6’1 [player_tooltip player_id="243964" first="Catalina" last="Ion"]. IMG welcomes two major impact players with Arizona verbal commit [player_tooltip player_id="91558" first="Kailyn" last="Gilbert"] transferring to IMG Academy from Seffner Christian and Oregon verbal commit [player_tooltip player_id="32623" first="Grace" last="VanSlooten"] transferring in from Ohio. Ion, Gilbert, and Vanslooten give IMG a big 3 with Ion being a versatile, skilled guard/wing who can play multiple positions and put the ball in the basket. Gilbert is one of the nations top athletes who is extremely aggressive on both ends of the floor and never take a play off. While Vanslooten is a force inside, has excellent touch around the rim, and is extremely skilled and mobile for her size.   Palm Bay (Melbourne, FL) <img class=" wp-image-310975 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/07/IMG_2064-e1627343085448-218x300.jpg" alt="" width="112" height="154" />[player_tooltip player_id="91490" first="Mikyla" last="Tolivert"] is a Freshman at Georgia State, [player_tooltip player_id="91508" first="Emani" last="Burks"] is now at South Alabama, and [player_tooltip player_id="91597" first="Paige" last="McDonald"] transferred to Cocoa HS. But 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="91638" first="Emma" last="Risch"] lead the team in scoring, 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="219923" first="Kiara" last="Williams"] led them in rebounding, and [player_tooltip player_id="166170" first="Alonya" last="Waldon"] was 2nd on the team in assists and steals behind Tolivert. Add in [player_tooltip player_id="219932" first="Jazmine" last="Major"] and [player_tooltip player_id="244192" first="Tyra" last="King"] alongside Risch, Williams, and Waldon and Palm Bay is talented and deep. They were 23-4 with losses to Lake Highland Prep, Central Pointe Academy, Montverde Academy, and American Heritage (Plantation). Palm Bay enters the season as one of the state’s top 10 teams but for them to get into the top 5, they will have to win the big games versus the likes of Lake Highland Prep, Central Pointe Academy, Montverde Academy, American Heritage (Plantation), DME Academy and others.   Miami Country Day (Miami, FL) <img class=" wp-image-316450 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/08/IMG_3300-266x300.jpg" alt="" width="135" height="152" />If you are going to talk about top teams in Florida, you can not make a list without Miami Country Day. How can you argue with their success??? Having a lock on 3A, Miami Country Day will always play the top teams in Florida and have a reserved seat in Lakeland for the final 4. 2023 Guard [player_tooltip player_id="91642" first="Kristina" last="Godfrey"] and 2024 Forward [player_tooltip player_id="217667" first="Kayla" last="Nelms"] are the teams top two returning players. Both will need to be dependable, consistent and productive night in and night out filling up the stat sheet and putting the ball in the bucket. 5’7 2024 Guard Sofia Mendez transferring in from Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart will give them some added scoring. They will need more production and quality play from Bella Guevara and [player_tooltip player_id="221703" first="Kaliyah" last="Morales"] on the perimeter and look for a breakout season from [player_tooltip player_id="219935" first="Aicha" last="Keita"]. Other notable top teams to watch this season are: <ul> <li>Miami Senior HS</li> <li>Wekiva</li> <li>Bishop Kenny</li> <li>Carrollwood Day</li> <li>FAMU</li> <li>Miami Country Day</li> <li>King’s Academy</li> <li>Brooks Collegiate</li> <li>South Fort Myers</li> <li>Winter Haven</li> <li>Seffner Christian</li> <li>Cardinal Gibbons</li> <li>Grandview Prep</li> <li>Oakleaf</li> </ul> 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.