Week 1 Rankings and Recap

Brandon Fisher November 23, 2020 @ 03:23 PM

1. Lake Highland Prep The Highlanders return eight players from their 29-2 season that ended with a 4A State Championship and a number 16 spot in the final Top 25 rankings on MaxPreps. While they will certainly miss Zo Cruz, Lake Highland Prep entered this season with the number 1 overall ranking in the entire country. With this powerful lineup, they play one of the toughest schedules in the country that will test them. They’ll be led by their bigs in lone senior [player_tooltip player_id="91496" first="Kayla" last="Blackshear"] and 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="91555" first="Nyla" last="Harris"], but their guards is what will really push them forward. The guard trio of [player_tooltip player_id="91585" first="Stefanie" last="Ingram"], [player_tooltip player_id="91596" first="Sierra" last="Godbolt"], and [player_tooltip player_id="91649" first="Eleecia" last="Carter"] will use their experience to make this team successful on both ends of the floor. Keep and eye of two of the best 2024’s in the state with [player_tooltip player_id="217664" first="Lexi" last="Blue"] and Bri Rivera. They started this season with a solid win against a quality Wekiva team who backs down to no one. Week 1 Results: 1-0 | W vs. Wekiva (73-55) 2. Blanche Ely The Tigers are another State Champion on my list as they went 28-6 last year with some impressive postseason wins to capture the 6A Title. They do lose some pieces but they get a lot back from injury as well as a couple new players. The biggest returnee is [player_tooltip player_id="91491" first="Ja’Leah" last="Williams"] They also return [player_tooltip player_id="91561" first="Michiyah" last="Simmons"], [player_tooltip player_id="91568" first="Zaria" last="Blake"], [player_tooltip player_id="91563" first="Mya" last="Kone"], and [player_tooltip player_id="219986" first="Mikhia" last="Lumsdon"]. Pull in a couple other additions in [player_tooltip player_id="217668" first="Gianna" last="Corbitt"] and [player_tooltip player_id="219925" first="Janessa" last="Kelley"], and you have a tough squad. They might not be as challenged as last season with some COVID scheduling restrictions, but they will still make a lot of noise. Week 1 Results: No games played 3. American Heritage (Plantation) The Patriots did not have a team come within single digits of them in their entire playoff run to claim the 5A State Championship for the 3rd year in a row. They return their terrific trio of [player_tooltip player_id="91549" first="Taliyah" last="Wyche"], [player_tooltip player_id="145092" first="Tatyana" last="Wyche"], and [player_tooltip player_id="146971" first="Daniella" last="Aronsky"] who have been a part of this three-peat. They lost a few role players to graduation, but they gain even more. American Heritage brings in 3 of the best guards in the state with [player_tooltip player_id="91557" first="Sydney" last="Shaw"], [player_tooltip player_id="91566" first="Joey" last="Delancy"], and [player_tooltip player_id="91565" first="Emani" last="Theodule"]. This team is going to compete with anyone which they showed early with a big win over a good Gulf Coast team. Week 1 Results: 1-0 | W vs. Gulf Coast (71-44) 4. Montverde Academy The Eagles lose some pieces and add some new ones to a 17-6 Independent/Freelance school team from last year. Six seniors are gone, but new head coach Special Jennings has a team that was ranked number 23 in the national preseason rankings by MaxPreps. MVA will play a tough schedule against some of the best in the state as well as some out-of-state teams. They’ll be led by seniors [player_tooltip player_id="145091" first="Mariana" last="Valenzuela"] and [player_tooltip player_id="145093" first="Niveya" last="Henley"] who are both scoring 13+ ppg through their first three contests. Sharpshooting [player_tooltip player_id="219934" first="Rusne" last="Augustinaite"], rock-dishing [player_tooltip player_id="219933" first="Mjracle" last="Sheppard"], and board-snatching [player_tooltip player_id="219954" first="Fatima" last="Diakhate"] round out their high-tier top five on a team that has a solid 1-7 lineup. Two impressive early season wins over Braden River and MCDS who are easily top 20 teams in the state. Week 1 Results: 3-0 | W vs. Dr. Phillips (66-35), W @ Braden River (75-66), W vs. Miami Country Day (70-39) 5. Palm Bay Magnet The Pirates got a complete makeover from a 23-6 team that was led by [player_tooltip player_id="91490" first="Mikyla" last="Tolivert"]. She got a lot of help for her senior year with a majority of last years Florida Prep squad heading to Palm Bay. There are specifically six additions that are going to make this team really hard to beat: [player_tooltip player_id="91638" first="Emma" last="Risch"], [player_tooltip player_id="91508" first="Emani" last="Burks"], [player_tooltip player_id="145088" first="Shamya" last="Joiner"], [player_tooltip player_id="91597" first="Paige" last="McDonald"], [player_tooltip player_id="166170" first="Alonya" last="Waldon"], and [player_tooltip player_id="219923" first="Kiara" last="Williams"]. This schedule is light compared to what the Florida Prep girls are used to, but they will be tested in the next week with games against Cocoa, West Orange, and Lake Highland Prep. So far, they’ve made easy work in their first 3 games with four Pirates averaging double-digit points (Risch, Williams, Tolivert, McDonald). Week 1 Results: 3-0 | W vs. Viera (76-31), W vs. Astronaut (97-9), W @ West Shore (90-10) 6. Winter Haven The Blue Devils have not recently been as dominant as they once were, but this year might change that. They return [player_tooltip player_id="91537" first="Trinity" last="Hardy"], [player_tooltip player_id="91592" first="Kayla" last="Smith"], [player_tooltip player_id="219962" first="Shomari" last="Phillips"], and [player_tooltip player_id="91533" first="Jazmine" last="Spencer"] from a 22 win team last year. You also add in [player_tooltip player_id="91519" first="Jasmine" last="Peaks"] and [player_tooltip player_id="145100" first="Jayla" last="Murray"] as transfers from one of the best teams in the state. Aside from those top six players, you have Jaida Young, [player_tooltip player_id="166213" first="Bre’asia" last="Washington"], and Akiai Edouard on a team that I believe to be the deepest in the entire state. Week 1 Results: 1-0 | W @ Lake Wales (71-23) 7. DME DME Sports Academy will be tested in the Sunshine Independent League this season against Central Pointe, but they are another team on this list that is incredibly deep. You can’t teach what the duo of [player_tooltip player_id="91653" first="Chloe" last="Kitts"] (19.7 ppg, 10.3 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id="91487" first="Bella" last="Weary"] (17.7 ppg, 5 spg) have. Add in players like [player_tooltip player_id="219957" first="Taylor" last="Gardner"], [player_tooltip player_id="145086" first="Sophia" last="Rueppell"], Jhaid Westbrook, [player_tooltip player_id="219949" first="Emily" last="McIntosh"], and Rachel Leclerc and you have a much improved DME team with a ton of depth. Week 1 Results: 4-0 | W vs. The Rock (83-25), W vs. TPLS Christian Academy (94-78), W vs. West Oaks (66-42), W @ American Collegiate Academy (70-22) 8. Plant The Panthers have come back this season with determination. They seem to be getting overlooked even while they return their two best players in [player_tooltip player_id="91489" first="Kendal" last="Cheesman"] and [player_tooltip player_id="145094" first="Nyla" last="Jean"]. This is a well-coached team that has some of the best chemistry in the state as one of the few teams that doesn’t get caught up in a rebuilding process with transfers. Outside of their top two, look for [player_tooltip player_id="166173" first="Tanner" last="Strickland"], Silvia Farfante, Hayden Stern, [player_tooltip player_id="91647" first="Morgan" last="Sieper"], and Kendra Dodd to step up. This next week will be telling with games against Seffner Christian and Braden River at the Brooks Thanksgiving Tournament. Week 1 Results: 1-0 | W vs. Santa Fe Catholic (65-26) 9. Carrollwood Day The Patriots have followed up on their 3A State Championship with two easy home wins off of the bat. They lose a lot of talent to graduation (probably the most of any team in the state), but they keep key returnees in [player_tooltip player_id="91503" first="Ary" last="Dizon"] and [player_tooltip player_id="91583" first="Milahnie" last="Perry"]. Be on the lookout for [player_tooltip player_id="219928" first="Leah" last="Barnes"] to get some increased minutes as well as a huge transfer in [player_tooltip player_id="91567" first="Olivia" last="Delancy"] who will make an immediate impact on this talented team. Coach Nohra will have this team running on all cylinders in no time. Week 1 Results: 2-0 | W vs. Sunlake (77-26), W vs. Chamberlain (83-15) 10. Tampa Bay Tech The Titans may have lost three of their starters to transferring and early graduation, but they still have what I consider to be the best frontcourt in the state with [player_tooltip player_id="91554" first="Janiah" last="Barker"] and [player_tooltip player_id="91577" first="Amiya" last="Evans"]. They also have another important post in [player_tooltip player_id="219960" first="Mya" last="Lamar"] that makes the paint a troubling place for opposing teams. It will be vital for some young TBT guards to help those bigs succeed. [player_tooltip player_id="223783" first="Jade" last="Thompson"] is one of those guards to keep an eye on. Week 1 Results: 1-0 | W @ Lake Wales (61-23)   Next Five: Central Pointe Christian Academy (3-0), Bishop Kenny (2-0), Braden River (1-1), Miami Country Day (1-1), Fort Myers (2-0)