2022 Lakewood HS MLK Classic – Standout Guards

<strong>2022 Lakewood HS MLK Classic - Standout Guards</strong> By Michael Wholey 1/19/21 9:00 AM EST <em>Lakewood HS hosted 8 teams for the holiday weekend in the 2022 MLK Classic this past Friday and Saturday.  We take a look at some of the standout guards from the event. </em> &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="247221" first="I’Yania" last="Sarnoff"]</strong> (Clearwater HS) – 5’3 Guard – Class of 2023 Sarnoff has stepped into an increased role serving as the teams main ballhandler since the departure of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="214172" first="Beckham" last="Hockley"]</strong> from Clearwater HS.  Sarnoff, a 5’3 PG was effective attacking off the dribble.  She has a quick first step with shifty moves when attacking defenders 1v1 in the open court.  She knocked down multiple 3s in the first half, helping keep Clearwater in the game and finished with 8 points (all in the first half).  If Clearwater wants to make a run, Sarnoff role will have to continue to expand and she will need to be a consistent double digit scorer for them. <strong> </strong> <strong><img class="size-medium wp-image-331184 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/09/9-Azzariah-Styles.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></strong> &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="331729" first="Azzariah" last="Styles"] </strong>(Plant HS) – 5’6 Guard – Class of 2025 Styles is a young, talented guard with a quiet court presence.  She had several nice drives, attacking off the dribble, showcasing her open court moves, and ability to finish with both the left and right hand and effectively use the euro step. &nbsp; &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="166173" first="Tanner" last="Strickland"]</strong> (Plant HS) – 5’5 Guard – Class of 2023 Strickland is a quick unselfish point guard who initiated offense and encouraged ball movement and a balanced offensive attack.  She was the team’s leading scorer with 18 points, doing a great job attacking the basket and getting to the free throw line, making 9/11 form the charity stripe. <strong> </strong> <strong><img class="size-medium wp-image-331212 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/09/46-Julia-Miller.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />[player_tooltip player_id="331749" first="Julia" last="Miller"]</strong> (Plant HS) – 5’6 Guard – Class of 2023 Miller is a tough, gritty, active player who gives consistent effort and is a competitor.  She did a good job spacing the floor and attacking the rim off a shot fake.  She does a number of things that don’t show up on the stat sheet but help Plant win games. &nbsp; &nbsp; <strong><img class=" wp-image-376570 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/01/imagejpeg_0-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="234" height="311" /> [player_tooltip player_id="248455" first="Alahni" last="Lovett"]</strong> (Lakewood HS) – 5’8 Guard – Class of 2025 The future is bright for Lakewood HS with two talented Freshman like <strong>Sumayah Lewis-McIntosh </strong>and<strong> [player_tooltip player_id="248455" first="Alahni" last="Lovett"].  </strong>While Lewis-McIntosh made her presence known inside and at the top of the press, Lovett did her damage from the outside and off the dribble.  Lovett’s length and athleticism really stand out on the court, as her body and build look like that of an upperclassman.  She was very effective knocking down the open 3 from the corner and putting the ball to the floor to attack the rim.  While on the defensive end, Lovett was like a shark in the ocean that smells blood, aggressively running through passing lanes and trapping timid ball handlers.  She has a very high ceiling should she continue to grow her offensive game and continue to play with an infectious energy. <strong> </strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="166213" first="Bre’asia" last="Washington"]</strong> (Winter Haven HS) – 5’6 Guard – Class of 2023 Washington is a strong, athletic 5’6 point guard who has broad shoulders and a compact build with an explosive first step.  She is quick with the ball in her hands and has as the ability to consistently beat her defender off the dribble and get into the paint. <strong> </strong> <strong><img class=" wp-image-331189 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/09/14-Maia-Lewers.jpg" alt="" width="214" height="143" />[player_tooltip player_id="166174" first="Maia" last="Lewers"] </strong>(Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate) – 5’5 Guard – Class of 2023 Don’t let Lewers size fool you, she is a small, fearless guard that is extremely aggressive and a big-time competitor.  She had quite a bit of success beating her man off the dribble when Winter Haven went to man-to-man defense.  She is quick and explosive and looks to play downhill and get into the paint and score at the rim.  Her offensive game could really open up if she develops a consistent  outside shot where she can shoot about 35% from 3. &nbsp; <strong><img class="size-medium wp-image-331284 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/09/Jaela-Davis-300x168.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="168" />[player_tooltip player_id="91581" first="Jaela" last="Davis"]</strong> (Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate) 5’8 Guard – Class of 2022 Davis was impressive in BDCS game vs Winter Haven on day one of the MLK Classic at Lakewood.  Known for her athleticism, Davis also displayed her ability to make open 3s when left open.  She is a live body that plays with a ton of bounce and is fun to watch her when she is playing with lots of energy and a high activity level.  She remains one of the state’s top unsigned seniors, and if she continues to show her ability to knock down open 3-pointers at a high percentage, combined with her athleticism, I am sure multiple opportunities will open up for her to continue playing basketball at the collegiate level. &nbsp; <strong><img class=" wp-image-311446 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/07/IMG_2442-e1627478454690-256x300.png" alt="" width="186" height="218" />[player_tooltip player_id="243947" first="Tyra" last="Kennedy"]</strong> (Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate) – 5’6 Guard – Class of 2023 Kennedy went back and forth between playing the 1 and the 2.  She is deadly from the corner on the - ball when left open.  Like her teammate, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91581" first="Jaela" last="Davis"]</strong>, her energy and activity level is infectious and fun to watch and encourages her teammates to follow suit and match it.  She plays with a lot of confidence and never sits still, constantly on the move and being around the ball.  She was one of the summer’s biggest stock risers and is playing with an increased confidence with Brooks DeBartolo. &nbsp; <strong>Michael Wholey</strong> is the lead scout for Florida Prep Girls Hoop Florida and a former division one Assistant Coach at American University, University of Memphis, and Georgia Tech.  Wholey and the rest of the Prep Girls Hoop staff, seek to cover the entire state of player, keeping subscribers up to date with player evaluations, recruiting info, and statewide news.  Our audience often supplies us with some of our best information.  If you have any information on players, teams, or statewide news in the state of Florida, emailing Michael Wholey at <a href="mailto:WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com">WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com</a> or DM him through Twitter or Instagram @WholeyPrepHoops. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;