Friday’s Best from Lakewood MLK Classic

Friday night at the Lakewood HS MLK Classic delivered a strong slate of basketball with three matchups that showcased talent from around the Tampa Bay area. The evening featured Gibbs vs. Countryside, Palm Harbor vs. Riverview Sarasota, and Clearwater vs. Lakewood, with each game providing high-level performances and key moments from some of the area's top prospects. Below are evaluations of the standout players from Friday night who caught my eye:    London set the tone with her energy and all-around impact by quickly establishing herself as one of the best players in the gym. She knocked down the three ball with confidence and made crisp, timely passes that led directly to buckets. One highlight was when she showed scoring touch with a smooth one-footed fadeaway from about ten feet. Defensively, she came up with key stops that turned into assists in transition and consistently impacted the game on both ends. Her motor, feel, and ability to make plays stood out throughout the night.     Leah made her presence felt in the paint with her size, length, and activity. She showed soft hands around the basket and consistently created second-chance points with offensive rebounds and putbacks. Defensively, she altered and blocked shots and proved to be a real interior presence for PHU. Offensively, she flashed skill with a smooth spin move inside, played well with her left hand as both a scorer and passer, and did a great job keeping the ball high. Her passing touch stood out as well when delivering a few sharp one-handed bounce passes in transition that led to easy buckets. Leah finished with 16 points, 11 boards, and 5 blocks.     Sanae was simply too much inside for Clearwater to handle and established her presence early and often. She drew multiple fouls when crashing the offensive glass which was highlighted by an early offensive rebound and putback for an and-one that set the tone. Defensively, she protected the rim with timely shot blocks and made her presence felt in the paint. She also showed touch stepping out by knocking down a smooth 15-foot jumper which adds another dimension to her interior impact.     Julia stood out as a floor leader by communicating consistently and directing teammates effectively. She made smart, unselfish plays which included a highlight assist in transition where she could have scored it herself. Julia also displayed confidence knocking down both jumpers and three-pointers with nice elevation to rise above defenders. Her court vision and passing ability were on full display when threading the ball over and around defenders to create scoring opportunities and keep her team moving efficiently.     Allevia did everything she could to keep Clearwater in the game and showed off her scoring versatility and clutch gene. She hit timely shots from deep, displayed unlimited range, and added several strong and-one finishes around the rim. Her height and length for a guard were noticeable when allowing her to contest and block shots while impacting both ends of the floor.     Serae delivered the best performance I've seen from her by bringing relentless energy to her team in a big matchup and key win. She dominated the boards, consistently created extra opportunities, and converted several strong and-one finishes around the rim. Her toughness and skill were on full display in transition which was highlighted by a difficult left-handed finish that showcased her ability to score in traffic.     Ally ran the floor like a true floor general by showing excellent handle and solid court vision to find teammates in transition. She contributed on the boards and used her speed to push the pace with control. Protecting the ball while attacking downhill, she consistently created scoring opportunities when getting to the rim. Her defensive instincts made her a ball hawk as she disrupted passing lanes and kept constant pressure on opponents when trying to set up the offense.     Devyn was unstoppable offensively, finishing with 36 points on efficient shooting splits: 67% from two, 50% from three, and 89% from the free-throw line. Her three-point form was compact with solid rotation and keeping her elbow in, and she consistently knocked down runners in the lane. Devyn showed the ability to elevate over defenders and make strong passes in traffic while also crashing the offensive glass to extend possessions and create extra opportunities for her team.

Friday night at the Lakewood HS MLK Classic delivered a strong slate of basketball with three matchups that showcased talent from around the Tampa Bay area. The evening featured Gibbs vs. Countryside, Palm Harbor vs. Riverview Sarasota, and Clearwater vs. Lakewood, with each game providing high-level performances and key moments from some of the area's top prospects. Below are evaluations of the standout players from Friday night who caught my eye: