Battle For Number One
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Battle For Number One – Who Is Florida’s Number One Team? By Michael Wholey 1/29/21 2:00 PM EST Florida has multiple teams ranked in the top 25 nationally and is loaded with talented teams and players this 2020-21 season. As…
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Continue ReadingBattle For Number One – Who Is Florida’s Number One Team?
By Michael Wholey 1/29/21 2:00 PM EST
Florida has multiple teams ranked in the top 25 nationally and is loaded with talented teams and players this 2020-21 season. As the regular season wraps up, who is number one? Let’s take a look at how the top eight teams matched up against each other.
DME Academy
Record: 20-2
Record vs Top 8: 6-1
11/13 Central Pointe Acad 63-58 WIN
11/30 Lake Highland Prep 49-48 WIN
12/21 Lake Highland Prep 54-41 WIN
1/1 Montverde Academy 67-59 WIN
1/14 American Heritage 73-68 WIN
1/15 St. Thomas Aquinas 77-75 WIN
1/27 IMG Academy 58-68 LOSS
2/5 IMG Academy
2/8 Central Pointe Academy
DME was undefeated versus the top 8 as well, as in the entire state of Florida until they fell to IMG Academy this week. Despite the loss, DME Academy holds the # 1 spot based on the fact that they are 6-1 vs the top 8 and have played the most challenging schedule of all the teams. They have two games vs top 8 teams next week with a rematch on the schedule vs IMG, followed by a game vs Central Pointe later in the week. It has been an impressive 2020-21 season for DME led by the trio of Chloe Kitts Chloe Kitts 6'2" | SF Faith Christian Academy | 2022 FL , Sydney Shaw Sydney Shaw 5'9" | SG DME Academy | 2022 State FL , and Amiya Evans Amiya Evans 6'2" | PF DME Academy | 2022 State FL and look for them to finish the season strong with several potential post season events they are likely to compete in including the Geico Nationals that will be in Fort Myers again this year set for late March and early April.
Montverde Academy
Record: 17-3
Record vs Top 8: 2-1
11/20 Central Pointe Acad 77-63 WIN
12/31 Central Pointe Acad 60-48 WIN
1/1 DME Academy 67-59 LOSS
1/29 Lake Highland Prep
Montverde is 17-3 overall and 2-1 vs the top 8 in Florida, falling to DME Academy on New Year’s day at the Tampa Bay Invitational. Coach Jennings laid out a national schedule and has played some of the top teams in the country matching up against teams from Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Arizona, Tennessee, and Ohio. They are as deep and talented as anyone in the country with four D-1 signees ( Janiah Barker Janiah Barker 6'2" | SF Montverde Academy | 2022 State #3 Nation FL , Jordana Codio Jordana Codio 6'1" | SF Montverde Academy | 2022 State FL , 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 a number of highly recruited underclassmen ( Rusne Augustinaite Rusne Augustinaite 5'10" | CG Montverde Academy | 2023 State FL , Cori Allen Cori Allen 5'10" | SG Montverde Academy | 2023 State FL Mjracle Sheppard Mjracle Sheppard 5'8" | CG Montverde Academy | 2023 State FL , Vivian Iwuchukwu, as well as several others). Today’s matchup vs Lake Highland Prep is a big one, as the two teams battled for the number one spot all last year and LHP took down Montverde 57-47, helping secure their spot at Geico Nationals.
IMG Academy
Record: 11-4
Record vs Top 8: 2-0
1/22 American Heritage 73-64 WIN
1/27 DME Academy 68-58 WIN
2/5 DME Academy
Like Montverde, IMG Academy has played a national schedule taking on teams from Washington DC, Texas, Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, Alabama, and Ohio. All four of their losses came in a three week stretch between December 10-28 falling to Duncanville (TX), Hoover (AL), The Webb School (TN), and Hazel Green (AL). They appear to be hitting their stride picking up two big wins this past week vs American Heritage and DME Academy. DME still holds the # 1 spot based on strength of schedule and quality of opponents, but the February 5 rematch vs DME Academy will be a big one with potentially a number of post season implications. The squad is led by recently nominated McDonald’s All-American Grace VanSlooten Grace VanSlooten 6'3" | PF IMG Academy | 2022 State #23 Nation FL and Kailyn Gilbert Kailyn Gilbert 5'8" | CG IMG Academy | 2022 State FL who dropped 40 points in the win over DME Academy!
Lake Highland Prep
Record: 18-3
Record vs Top 8: 0-2
11/30 DME Academy 49-48 LOSS
12/21 DME Academy 54-41 LOSS
1/29 Montverde Academy
Lake Highland finished last year as the number one team in Florida, but it will be tough for them to go back-to-back since they have fallen to DME Academy twice. And while number one overall might not be on the table, they are still the favorites to take home the 4A State Championship. Louisville signee Nyla Harris Nyla Harris 6'2" | PF Lake Highland Prep | 2022 State #34 Nation FL is averaging a double-double leading LHP in both scoring (18.1 PPG) and rebounding (11.1 RPG) while Bri Rivera, Eleecia Carter Eleecia Carter 5'7" | CG Lake Highland Prep | 2023 State FL , Lexi Blue Lexi Blue 6'1" | SF Lake Highland Prep | 2024 State FL , Ariana Woodard, Priya Gupta Priya Gupta 5'9" | SG Lake Highland Prep | 2022 State FL , Ari Woodard and Sierra Godbolt Sierra Godbolt 5'7" | PG Lake Highland | 2022 State FL have been a strong supporting cast all season. With everyone but Harris, Gupta, and Godbolt coming back, Lake Highland is set up to be one of the state’s top team for several years. A win over Montverde could bump them up into the top 3.
American Heritage (Plantation)
Record: 18-4
Record vs Top 8: 1-3
11/27 Wekiva 63-61 LOSS
1/14 DME Academy 73-68 LOSS
1/19 St. Thomas Aquinas 67-71 WIN
1/22 IMG Academy 73-64 LOSS
American Heritage is 18-4 on the season with a strong win vs St. Thomas Aquinas and tough losses to Wekiva, DME Academy and IMG Academy. Ta’Niya Latson Ta’Niya Latson 5'8" | CG American Heritage | 2022 State #47 Nation FL transferred in from Georgia and has been their go-to player all season. She was recently nominated to the McDonald’s All-American team and is signed to go to Florida State. Fellow Seniors Emani Theodule Emani Theodule 5'6" | CG American Heritage | 2022 State FL and Joey Delancy Joey Delancy 5'8" | CG American Heritage | 2022 State FL have given American Heritage three consistent perimeter threats. They are the defending 5A state champs and are the favorites to repeat!
St. Thomas Aquinas
Record: 19-4
Record vs Top 8: 1-2
12/29 Central Pointe Acad 56-46 WIN
1/15 DME Academy 77-75 LOSS
1/19 American Heritage 67-61 LOSS
St. Thomas Aquinas has played a strong schedule and have sought out tough opponents. They had a quality win over Christmas break vs Central Pointe Academy but have lost to DME Academy (2 points), American Heritage (6 points), and Miami Country Day (3 points) all by single digits in January. STA is deep and talented and are the favorites to repeat as 6A state champs. To get it done, they will continue to depend on a balanced attack of Seniors Maya Williams Maya Williams 5'6" | CG St Thomas Aquinas | 2022 State FL , Reina Green Reina Green 5'10" | CG St. Thomas Aquinas | 2023 State FL , and Bre Gustave with a strong group of underclassmen in Kamryn Corporan Kamryn Corporan 5'3" | PG St. Thomas Aquinas | 2024 State FL , Karina Gordon Karina Gordon 5'8" | CG St. Thomas Aquinas | 2023 State FL , Reina Green Reina Green 5'10" | CG St. Thomas Aquinas | 2023 State FL , Alancia Ramsey Alancia Ramsey 6'0" | PF St Thomas Aquinas | 2023 State FL and Nyla McFadden Nyla McFadden 5'11" | SF St. Thomas Aquinas | 2025 State FL .
Wekiva
Record: 19-2
Record vs Top 8: 1-0
11/27 American Heritage 63-61 WIN
Wekiva is 19-2 and has a strong early season win vs American Heritage. Their two losses came at the hands of Pickerington Central out of Ohio and Florida State University HS last week in a non-district in state game. In addition to taking down American Heritage, they have quality wins over Miami Senior HS, Brooks DeBartolo, Colonial, and Dr. Phillips. 6A is always one of the toughest classifications and Wekiva has a shot at winning the whole thing. Most of that will depend on they play of Jada Eads Jada Eads 5'6" | PG Lake Highland Prep | 2024 State FL . The Sophomore phenom is averaging 20+ points per game and is a human highlight film.
Central Pointe Academy
Record: 18-4
Record vs Top 8: 0-4
11/13 DME Academy 63-58 LOSS
11/20 Montverde Academy 77-63 LOSS
12/29 St. Thomas Aquinas 56-46 LOSS
12/31 Montverde Academy 60-48 LOSS
2/8 DME Academy
Central Pointe jumped onto the Florida prep scene last year. With a roster that is heavy on international players, they have put together tough schedules and have assembled a quality roster. They are led by USF signee Daniela Gonzalez Daniela Gonzalez 6'0" | SF Central Pointe Academy | 2022 State FL along with Naylee Cortes Naylee Cortes 5'11" | PF Central Pointe Academy | 2022 State FL , Silkiaris Vazquez, Betzaliz Delgado, and newcomer Sofia Munoz Sofia Munoz 5'7" | CG Central Pointe Christian | 2025 State FL . February 8 will be a big match up for Central Pointe as they fell to DME early in the season in November 63-58. It will be great to see how both teams have evolved over the course of the season playing in week 1 and then again at the tail end of the season.
All in all, Florida has as much talent both individually and team wise as any state in the country. With 3-4 teams ranked nationally in the top 25 throughout the season and 3 players making the McDonald’s All-American team, it has a been a fun season in Florida and will be fun to see how it wraps up! Stay tuned.
Michael Wholey is the lead scout for Florida Prep Girls Hoop Florida and a former division one Assistant Coach at American University, University of Memphis, and Georgia Tech. Wholey and the rest of the Prep Girls Hoop staff, seek to cover the entire state of player, keeping subscribers up to date with player evaluations, recruiting info, and statewide news. Our audience often supplies us with some of our best information. If you have any information on players, teams, or statewide news in the state of Florida, emailing Michael Wholey at WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com or DM him through Twitter or Instagram @WholeyPrepHoops.