Florida Roundup: News Around Florida Volume 14
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Florida Roundup: News Around Florida Volume 14
By Michael Wholey 6/14/21 9:00 AM EST
Let’s take a look around Florida on what has been going on in April, May, and June.
Post Season Awards
After leading Plant High School to a 26-3 record and a FHSAA State Championship, Vanderbilt signee Kendal Cheesman Kendal Cheesman 6'2" | PF HB Plant | 2021 State FL has been racking up the post season awards. She was recently recognized as the Florida State Player of the Year by Gatorade as well as the 7A Player of the Year by the Florida Dairy Farmers. The 6’2 Wing/Forward averaged 17.9 PPG to go along with 9.7 RPG and an impressive 55% from the field and 43% from 3.
Florida State signee and Braden River star O’Mariah Gordon O’Mariah Gordon 5'6" | PG Braden River | 2021 State #27 Nation FL capped off her sensational high school career by taking home Miss Basketball by the Florida Dairy Farmers. The 5’6 guard has been one of the state’s top scorers over her four year high school career. She finished this season averaging 21.9 points per game to go along with 4.6 assists and 2.7 steals.
After a fantastic 2020-21 season, Wekiva High School coaches and players have continued to be recognized for their stellar season. After going 24-4 and falling to St Thomas Aquinas in the FHSSA State Championship game, Head Coach Tommie Butts was named Coach of the Year and Freshman sensation Jada Eads Jada Eads 5'6" | PG Lake Highland Prep | 2024 State FL and Senior Shadaria Smith Shadaria Smith 5'6" | CG Wekiva | 2021 State FL were selected as All Metro players by OCPS Metro West.
Class of 2022 Recruiting Updates
Maddie Millar Maddie Millar 5'9" | CG Bishop Kenny | 2022 State FL is one of the state’s top 2022 prospects. The Bishop Kenny star has verbally committed to the University of North Florida. Millar helped lead Bishop Kenny to a 20-10 record with one of the state’s toughest schedules. The 5’10 Guard averaged 11 points per game and shot 37% from 3. Millar is a big guard who can play both the point guard and shooting guard position. Her size is a major attribute as she can see and pass over opposing defenses and can rise above defenders to knock it down from deep and finish at the rim.
Class of 2024 Recruiting Updates
6’1 Wing Lexi Blue Lexi Blue 6'1" | SF Lake Highland Prep | 2024 State FL (Lake Highland Prep / FGB) has been one of the state’s hottest prospects in the past year. The long, versatile, athletic wing has followed up her freshman campaign at Lake Highland Prep with an excellent spring/summer for FGB. She has been recognized as one of the country’s top prospects and picked up scholarship offers from some of the country’s top women’s basketball programs including Georgia, Miami, Ohio State, Florida State, Georgia Tech, USF, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, and Arkansas.
Other Basketball News
2023 Taliah Scott Taliah Scott 5'8" | SG St. John's Country Day | 2023 State #31 Nation FL is widely considered one of the nation’s top prospects. She was recently invited to the U16 USA Basketball trials. The 5’8 combo guard had an impressive Sophomore season for Oakleaf High School leading them to a 24-3 record, losing to eventual state champion Plant High School in the FHSAA playoffs. She averaged 23.4 points per game along with 5.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.5 steals per game.
2023 Nationally Ranked 5’10 Guard Cori Allen from Nashville, TN will suit it up for Montverde Academy this upcoming season. Head Coach Special Jennings continues to load up as Allen joins two of Florida’s top prospects who have already announced their decisions to attend Montverde in the past few months Janiah Barker Janiah Barker 6'2" | SF Montverde Academy | 2022 State #3 Nation FL and Jordana Codio Jordana Codio 6'1" | SF Montverde Academy | 2022 State FL . Allen, Barker, and Codio along with returning players 2022s Fernanda Ovalle Fernanda Ovalle 5'11" | SF Montverde Academy | 2022 State FL and Fatima Diakhate Fatima Diakhate 6'6" | C Montverde Academy | 2022 State FL , as well as Rusne Augustinaite Rusne Augustinaite 5'10" | CG Montverde Academy | 2023 State FL and Mjracle Sheppard Mjracle Sheppard 5'8" | CG Montverde Academy | 2023 State FL will make up one of the nations most talented rosters.
We will look to continue to cover news all across the state. Our audience supplies us with some of our best information. Keep us updated on Florida news be emailing me at WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com or DM’ing me through Twitter or Instagram @WholeyPrepHoops.