The South Florida Draft

There is a lot of basketball talent in South Florida. Quite frankly, there is a lot of <em>athletic</em> talent period. I have written this type of piece on the boys side and wanted to bring my opinion over here. This hypothetical piece is for returning area players only. It is a combination of current performance and potential. Let’s look into it... 1 - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91557" first="Sydney" last="Shaw"]</strong> -<em> American Heritage Plantation</em> 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="91557" first="Sydney" last="Shaw"] has been a winner at both American Heritage and Miami Country Day. The 5-foot-6 point guard helped the Patriots to a 25-2 record and a 5A state championship. Shaw is lightning quick with the rock and a elite scorer. Furthermore, she can get it done off the dribble and score at all levels. This past season, Shaw averaged 16.7 points, five rebounds, five assists and 2.1 steals per game. Moreover, she went 61-of-130 (47 percent) from behind the arc. Shaw is a marquee college prospect that remains unsigned. 2) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="151282" first="Alancia" last="Ramsey"]</strong> -<em> American Heritage Delray</em> 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="151282" first="Alancia" last="Ramsey"] has been getting it done for the Stallions since day one. The 6-foot-1 forward has averaged a double-double in her first two seasons with the school. This past season, Ramsey posted nearly 20 points per game and grabbed 13 rebounds. She also blocked 28 shots in fourteen games. I really like her size and efficiency around the rim. Ramsey shot 65 percent from the field and helped the Stallions to a 13-5 overall record. I just think her resume is very strong in terms of production at this point. I will give her the nod here based on that alone. 3) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="217667" first="Kayla" last="Nelms"]</strong> - <em>Miami Country Day</em> Could have went a couple different ways here but I will go with 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="217667" first="Kayla" last="Nelms"]. The 6-foot-1 forward averaged 11.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game last season. Nelms shot 49 percent from the field and 46 percent from behind the arc. I like her development already in the post as a young prospect. The fact she can extend out and knock down an outside really makes her special. 4) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="217668" first="Gianna" last="Corbitt"]</strong> - <em>Blanche Ely</em> Corbitt might end up being the highest major on this list. The 6-foot-1 small forward is a superb level talent that can guard multiple positions. She has the size to dominate as a four and the athleticism to run as a guard. Stopping her transition with her physical combination is a chore for opponents. Corbitt has her best basketball ahead of her when fully healthy. 5) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="219927" first="Ka’Zariah" last="Johnson"]</strong> - <em>Miami Norland</em> I am going with 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="219927" first="Ka’Zariah" last="Johnson"] because of her dominant size to round out my top 5. The 6-foot-2 power forward averaged 8.3 points and 9.6 rebounds while shooting 47 percent from the field. Johnson also blocked 24 shots in 12 games. There is a lot of talent in the Class of 2024 and Johnson is right at the top in terms of frontcourt prospects. College coaches really like prospects with her frame. 6) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="156588" first="Khyala" last="Ngodu"] -</strong> <em>Dillard</em> [player_tooltip player_id="156588" first="Khyala" last="Ngodu"] is one of the best players in the Class of 2023. The 6-foot-2 power forward is strong and can finish with her back to the basket at an efficient level. You are also looking at stout defender in the paint that can rebound and block shots. Opponents are going to have a tough time finding many opportunities in the paint against her. 7) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91563" first="Mya" last="Kone"]</strong> - <em>Blanche Ely </em> It really is pick your poison with all the talent on the Lady Tigers’ roster. 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="91563" first="Mya" last="Kone"] is a long 6-foot-2 forward that helped the school to a 18-2 overall record last season. I especially like her ability on the defensive end of the floor. Kone blocked 59 shots (3.1 bpg) and grabbed 171 rebounds last season. She scored a season-high 18 points on 9-of-11 from the floor against a very good St. Thomas Aquinas team. Kone should only get better with bit more consistency on the offensive end. 8) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91561" first="Michiyah" last="Simmons"]</strong> - <em>Blanche Ely</em> 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="91561" first="Michiyah" last="Simmons"] should see her numbers rise even more with the graduation of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91491" first="Ja’Leah" last="Williams"]</strong>. The 5-foot-8 point guard averaged a team-best 14.9 points per game while shooting 51 percent from the floor. Simmons also grabbed 4.6 rebounds, dished out 3.5 assists, and tallied 3.4 steals per game. The all-around playmaker simply operates at a high level on the court. I like Simmons’ handle and leadership skills. She is a team captain for a reason. 9) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91566" first="Joey" last="Delancy"]</strong> -<em> American Heritage Plantation</em> 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="91566" first="Joey" last="Delancy"] is high quality combo guard that is only getting better. The 5-foot-8 prospect has incredible vision with a keen ability to read defenses in the half court. Delancy led the Patriots with seven assists per game. She is also very good as a rebounder coming out of her position. Delancy grabbed 105 rebounds; 45 of which came on the offensive end. Overall, she averaged 11.5 points per game while shooting 53 percent from the field. A major problem for smaller guards given her frame and knock down ability from all levels. 10) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="219925" first="Janessa" last="Kelley"] -</strong> <em>Blanche Ely</em> Kelly is a super talented prospect that works well with her teammates. You can make an argument that the team chemistry the Tigers posses is one of the best in the state. The 5-foot-9 guard averaged 12.3 points and 2.5 rebounds per game last season. Moreover, she knocked down 50 3-pointers. Kelly’s game should continue to grow as she gets older. In addition, it helps to get reps when you practice against some of the best players in the region. <em><strong>For any South Florida Prep Girls hoops news or information....please contact Michael Costeines @Steins_23 on Instagram or follow him on Twitter @Mungertown_Mike23.</strong></em> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;