Early Season Power Matchup: Lake Highland Prep Tops Miami Country Day

Florida Prospects gathered a bunch of good teams to play for their Thanksgiving Classic, but these two may have been the best of the bunch. Miami Country Day opened the season as a Top 25 team in the country even after losing some talent, and Lake Highland Prep is a top 5 team in the state who didn't back down to the challenge. Both of these schools are playing tough schedules, so this was an exciting early season matchup to see between these powerhouses stacked full of college basketball prospects. The Highlanders came out strong and took control with a 14-7 lead in the first quarter, and managed to stay ahead by a score of 27-23 at the half with a little run by the Spartans. Both of these teams are incredibly deep with each of them having at least 5-6 players that have D1 potential. After the half, Lake Highland Prep controlled the 3rd even more so than they did in the 1st quarter. MCDS would play well in the 4th by pressing LHP, but it would be too little too late with the final being 57-46 in favor of Lake Highland Prep. My favorite stat of the game was that Lake Highland shot a productive 16 for 17 from the free throw line. Here were some of the standout players from this exciting matchup: &nbsp; <span style="font-size: 14pt"><em>Lake Highland Prep (5-0)</em></span> <strong>Zanoria Cruz 5'10 Sr. - </strong>As one of the few seniors and committed players in this game, she really stood out as a leader with experience in this battle. She ended up with 12 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds with the best overall game out of anyone. Zanoria hit some big free throws, had a pretty jumper, and dialed in a trey in this balanced performance for the Highlanders. She will continue her career at Western Carolina after this big season. <strong>Nyla Harris 6'2 So. - </strong>She may be the biggest prospect in this game, and you can tell why when you see her in person. Nyla is an incredible athlete at her height with a college ready frame. She had 12 points and 2 big blocks in this matchup. The sky is the limit for this kid who finishes strong after getting to the rim and has a nice mid-range game. <strong>Eleecia Carter 5'8 Fr. - </strong>She is one of the best Freshman in the state, and she proved that on a big stage this weekend. Eleecia scored 11 points for her team with a couple three pointers and a strong and-1 finish. I am excited to watch her continue to develop as she is already a smooth operator who looks poised as a newcomer. <strong>Sierra Godbolt 5'6 So. - </strong>Another key Sophomore on this team is Sierra who passed the ball well, and slowed down the guard play of the Spartans. Sierra contributed 8 points in this one, but she means more to this team than just points with all of the scorers they have. <strong>Stefanie Ingram 5'7 So. - </strong>Here is my MVP of the game. Stefanie took care of the ball as the point, and was a pest on defense. She also had 8 points and added 3 steals to that line with a ton of great passes to her teammates. I like how she attacked the glass on both ends as a guard too. <strong>Kayla Blackshear 6'1 Jr. -</strong> A top 2021 in the state, Kayla didn't need to score a lot in this one to help her team. She put up 4 points, grabbed 6 boards, and had 3 steals. Kayla is hard to stop when she is around the hoop and rebounds at an elite level. &nbsp; <span style="font-size: 14pt"><em>Miami Country Day (2-1)</em></span> <strong>Sydney Shaw 5'9 So. - </strong>She had the strongest offensive game in this one, and it may have been a blow out if it wasn't for her playmaking. Sydney finished the game with 19 points on five 3's. I was really impressed with her ability to create her own shot as LHP couldn't stop her. She's a top 2021 in the state right up there with Nyla Harris. <strong>Emani Theodule 5'6 So. - </strong>This game was loaded with 2021 talent, and Emani is another one of those stars. She had 13 points with 3 treys from all over. Emani will have to be a leader on this young team that will be tough to beat after the taste this one left in their mouths. <strong>Andrea Daley 6'1 Jr. - </strong>She has a really nice vertical and was the most athletic player in this monster of a game. Andrea struggled from the free throw line, but she has some strong moves around the hoop and used her strength and athleticism to get by whoever defended her. &nbsp;