Class 5A: Top Players at Lakeland
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The FHSAA State Tournament took place from Wednesday the 23rd until Saturday the 26th in Lakeland at the RP Funding Center. In Game One, American Heritage started to put Pine Forest away in the second quarter and went on to…
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Continue ReadingThe FHSAA State Tournament took place from Wednesday the 23rd until Saturday the 26th in Lakeland at the RP Funding Center. In Game One, American Heritage started to put Pine Forest away in the second quarter and went on to win 77-49. Game Two was a competitive matchup that Charlotte couldn’t dig themselves out of as they were badly outrebounded by Bishop Moore who took the 51-46 win. The State Championship was never really close as American Heritage put BM away early and won by a score of 69-31. Here were the top players who showed out in Class 5A on the big stage:
Ta’Niya Latson Ta’Niya Latson 5'8" | CG American Heritage | 2022 State #47 Nation FL | American Heritage – MVP
Ta’Niya was the best player in any class during the State Tournament. She’s so athletic and gets up in a hurry with speed and control to shoot it, rebound it, steal a pass, or swat a shot. In game one, she had a nasty behind the back assist and finished with 31 points, 8 boards, 5 assists, and 5 steals. In the dominant Championship win, she had a double double of 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 dimes. No one could stop her as she shot a ridiculous 19 for 29 from the floor. The FSU commit has a quick vertical, first step, and a push dribble that puts her a step above everyone. She amazed Florida and national spectators all season long on her way to becoming a McDonald’s All American.
Joey Delancy Joey Delancy 5'8" | CG American Heritage | 2022 State FL | American Heritage
Joey is such a smart player with a really smooth game. Her mid-range shooting and hustle to follow her shot makes her a tough stop for defenders. She had 13 points and 8 rebounds in the semifinal win, and 14 points/6 rebounds in the State Championship game. The Uncommitted Senior has a strong frame and uses it to create space with a high release on her jumper. I have no doubt she’ll make an impact at the next level with how coachable and skilled she is.
Emani Theodule Emani Theodule 5'6" | CG American Heritage | 2022 State FL | American Heritage
Emani shot 50% from beyond the arc as the top shooter in 5A at Lakeland. She had 10 points in the semifinal win and 15 in the State Championship to go along with 4 rpg. Her release and rotation is something you don’t see as much of anymore as she learned that fundamental early. The Uncommitted Senior passes it well and crashes the boards as another coachable and talented player for the Patriots.
Alex Merceron Alex Merceron 5'9" | SF Bishop Moore | 2023 State FL | Bishop Moore
This Bishop Moore team was really balanced, so it could see a number of players break out during a game. I thought Alex was the most consistent as she had 19 points and 9 rebounds over their two games. She has a really nice floater game and played hard at all times. Her hustle, work ethic, and aggressive crashing of the boards was impressive. Alex could be a major stock riser this summer.
D’Yanis Jimenez D’Yanis Jimenez 5'9" | PG Charlotte | 2023 State FL | Charlotte
D’Yanis had a huge tip in bucket that gave Charlotte an opportunity to get the W after being down all game, but Bishop Moore closed it out. Her outside shot was off, but she had no problem using her handles to push it up the floor and get to the rim with the elevation and strength to finish in traffic. The 2023 guard led the team in scoring with 15 points and she also pulled down 4 rebounds. She’s smooth with the rock and does a fantastic job of facilitating for her squad.
Aryana Hicks Aryana Hicks 5'4" | PG Charlotte | 2022 State FL | Charlotte
Ary also struggled to shoot the ball, but she found her stride in the second half. I like her energy and hustle on both ends. The Niagara commit put up 14 points and grabbed 6 steals. Her hands and eyes are always active on the defensive end as she anticipated the passes by getting in those lanes. She’ll be a good fit at the low-major D1 level.
Niylia Wilkins | Pine Forest
PF had two players score 96% of their points in the semifinal loss. Niylia was one of those two as she finished with a double double of 21 points and 10 rebounds to go with 3 steals. She didn’t have any issues getting to the hoop and made some tough shots against an athletic AH team. This was my first time seeing her in person, and I was very impressed with her effort and inability to give up on every single play.
Tahnyjia Purifoy Tahnyjia Purifoy 5'2" | PG Pine Forest HS | 2022 State FL | Pine Forest
Tahnyjia was getting buckets in the second half of their semifinal game. She was the team’s leading scorer with 26 points and she also had 3 steals. Tahnyjia has to do a lot for her team and she did just that all year. Her shooting and scoring ability as an undersized guard are really incredible, especially as hard as she plays for the entire game.
Special Mention:
Brooke Allen (Bishop Moore) didn’t miss a shot from the field in the semifinal win as she finished with a team-high 13 points and six rebounds. She has nice length and had some big baskets in game one.
Alyssa Brasko Alyssa Brasko 6'0" | CG Bishop Moore Catholic | 2023 State FL (Bishop Moore) recorded a double double in the semifinal win with 10 points and 13 boards. She’s got a great frame and is a tough lefty from anywhere on the floor.
Your 5-Peat 5A State Champs – American Heritage!