GameChangers: Top Performers From the PGH Florida Top 250 Expo

This content series is sponsored by GameChanger-The Official Scorekeeping, Stats, Team Management & Technology Partner of Prep Girls Hoops. 

The Florida Expo 250 featured some of Florida's finest players. I was impressed by the athleticism of some of the players, the basketball I.Q. of other players, and the ruggedness and grit of other players. These players were special, but the following prospects were the ones who had just a little extra out there on the court this weekend. These players were the MVPs of the weekend. Moreover, these are the players who emerged as the GameChangers.

Jasmine Bocca Jasmine Bocca 5'3" | PG Colonial | 2024 State FL / 5'3 G / Winter Park

Bocca was special out there this weekend and played the game that I have become accustomed to seeing her play. she controlled the game with the ball in her hand on every offensive possession when she was on the court. She shot the ball well from the three-point line and was able to score at all levels on the court. Bocca handled the ball well and was able to go where she wanted to on the courts. Bocca is like a coach on the floor and always makes good decisions on the court.

What made Bocca a GameChanger? One of the things that made Bocca a GameChanger was her Basketball I.Q. Her discernment of situations was unmatched on the basketball court. Whatever the situation calls for, she capitalizes on it. If her team is in a one-and-one, you can best believe Bocca is going to get her team into a one-and-one free throw opportunity. If a player is one foul away from fouling out, it would do that player good to keep away from Bocca or she will foul the player out. These scenarios are just an example of Bocca's basketball acumen. The respect that she receives from her teammates is the other thing that makes her a GameChanger. She has complete control of the courts and when she leads, people follow.

Samantha Bautista Samantha Bautista 5'7" | CG SLAM! (Miami) | 2025 State FL / 2025 / 5'6 PG / Slam Miami

Bautista can do it all on the courts. She was in the zone at the Expo this weekend. Bautista knocked down an early jumper and just had the defender completely confused. Next time down, she fakes the three and drives to the goal. Bautista has handles and is very shifty with her handles. Bautista also made players for her teammates when she was double-teamed or a player was left open. She was throwing some great passes out on the court.

What made Bautista a game-changer? It's her composure and leadership on the court. She is calm out on the court and makes the correct basketball plays at all times. When the ball is in her hands, she is the undisputed leader on the court. Her teammates follow her with the confidence that Bautista will make something happen whether by a pass or by putting the ball in the rim herself.

Nacoya Blocton Nacoya Blocton 6'0" | PF Ridgeview | 2025 State FL / 2025 / 6'0 F / Ridgeview

Blockton was a force out on the court today. She scored the ball from all levels of the court. She shot it from the outside on occasion, but she was just unstoppable scoring in the paint. She did a great job of catching all the passes thrown to her and converting on the shots afterward. Blocton was also special on the glass, where she just controlled the middle.

What made Nacoya Blocton Nacoya Blocton 6'0" | PF Ridgeview | 2025 State FL a GameChanger? Her versatility is what made her a GameChanger. A 6'0 tall, Blocton grabbed a rebound and had the ability to dribble from coast to coast and finish on the left side of the basket with a left-handed layup. Blocton did this as a power forward. She has the ability as a power forward to stretch the defense with her ability to shoot the long ball. She makes plays like this on a routine basis. Her unique skillset is what makes her a Gamechanger.

Nia Blocton Nia Blocton 6'0" | PF Ridgeview | 2024 State FL / 2024 / 6'2 PF - C / Ridgeview

Blocton was unstoppable at the Florida PGH Expo. She rebounded well, ran the courts well, and scored the ball in the paint at will. Defensively, she mixed it up on the inside and took her aggressiveness and physicality to a different level. Blocton ran the floor like a guard and finished well in the transition game.

What made Nia Blocton Nia Blocton 6'0" | PF Ridgeview | 2024 State FL a GameChanger? Boston's ability to reach another level is what made her a GameChanger. She was special in the paint and then the special play turned into a dominant play. She was putting the ball down and going baseline. She was literally throwing players off of her and just dominating any and every player who stood in her path to the goal.

Kiaraly Cabrera / 2023 / 5'6 PG / Community School of Naples

Cabrera was one of the smoothest players out on the court this weekend. She has great handles and can shoot the ball from all levels on the court. She has the ability to get to the rack and knows how to score from a variety of angles around the goal.

What made Cabrera a GameChanger? It was her confidence on the court. Everything that Cabrera did on the floor was done with a lot of confidence. She shoots with confidence and when she is getting downhill, she just knows she is going to complete the play. Her confidence not only is beneficial to her game, but the confidence that she plays with gets her teammates going as well.

Danigzy Mantilla Danigzy Mantilla 5'5" | PG St. Cloud | 2024 State FL / 2024 / 5'5 PG / St Cloud

Mantilla was special on the courts during the Florida PGH Expo. She knocked down threes all day long and made some incredible drives to the goal. Mantilla also made some great passes to teammates. She had the entire skill set on display and it was impressive.

What made Mantilla a GameChanger? Mantilla's skillset made her a GameChanger. Mantilla's handles, her court vision, her ability to get downhill, her ability to finish at the rim, and her basketball IQ all make up Mantilla's unique skillset. She was really a special player out on the court. Even one of the coaches for the event made it a point to find me to make sure I was aware of Mantilla's play. Thanks for the input Coach, she is a GameChanger.