2023 New Years Classic Top Matchups

By Michael Wholey 1/2/23 11:00 PM EST   The 2023 New Year's Classic was recently released by SUTS Report. The 40-team event has consistently been one of the top high school events in Florida. The two-day event hosts four of last year's state champions, ten teams that are ranked in the top twenty-five in the state. Here is a look at some of the top matchups.     Friday January 6th – Court 1 (St. Thomas Aquinas)   10:00 AM        Somerset Prep North Lauderdale v Doral Academy   11:30 AM        Holy Trinity v Miami Christian   1:00 PM          Lourdes v Everglades   2:30 PM          Palmer Trinity v Kings Academy   4:00 PM          Miami Sr HS v Westminster Academy   5:30 PM          Somerset Silver Palms v Batavia (IL)   7:00 PM Miami Country Day v Montverde Academy   8:30 PM St. Thomas Aquinas v Horeb Christian     Friday January 6th – Court 2 (Cardinal Gibbons)   10:00 AM        Seminole Ridge v North Miami   11:30 AM        SLAM! Miami Academy v Santaluces   1:00 PM          Carrolton School v Nova   2:30 PM          Archbishop McCarthy v Gulliver Prep   4:00 PM          Palmetto v Cypress Bay   5:30 PM          Flanagan v Cardinal Gibbons   8:30 PM St. Andrews v Western     Saturday January 7th – Court 1 (St. Thomas Aquinas)   10:00 AM        Palmetto v Holy Trinity   11:30 AM        Somerset Silver Palms v Seminole Ridge   1:00 PM          Kings Academy v Miami Sr HS   2:30 PM          Western v SLAM! Miami Academy   4:00 PM          Palmer Trinity v Somerset Prep North Lauderdale   5:30 PM          Horeb Christian v Miami Country Day   7:00 PM          Batavia (IL) v Westminster Academy   8:30 PM Montverde Academy v St. Thomas Aquinas     Saturday January 7th – Court 2 (Cardinal Gibbons)   10:00 AM        Gulliver Prep v North Miami   11:30 AM        St. Andrews v Lourdes   4:00 PM          Cardinal Gibbons v Miami Christian   5:30 PM          Doral Academy v Everglades   7:00 PM          Archbishop McCarthy v Carrolton School   8:30 PM Nova v Santaluces     Montverde Academy v St. Thomas Aquinas   This one has got to be circled as one of the top matchups with St. Thomas Aquinas hosting a Montverde Academy squad that is ranked as one of the top teams in the country. Both teams are loaded with talent with potentially 10+ D1 prospects between both teams. Montverde Academy Senior class has five D1 signees alone [player_tooltip player_id='245281' first='Cori' last='Allen'] (University of Illinois), [player_tooltip player_id='219933' first='Mjracle' last='Sheppard'] (Mississippi State), Lety Vasconcelos (Baylor), [player_tooltip player_id='142823' first='Sahnya' last='Jah'] (South Carolina) and Jordy Griggs (Kentucky). While St. Thomas Aquinas is led by East Carolina signee [player_tooltip player_id='91641' first='Karina' last='Gordon'] and a talented Junior class of [player_tooltip player_id='221678' first='Kamryn' last='Corporan'], [player_tooltip player_id='219924' first='Khadee' last='Hession'], [player_tooltip player_id='349421' first='Kalia' last='Harrington'], [player_tooltip player_id='219927' first='Ka'Zahria' last='Johnson'], and Mya Johnson along with unsigned Senior [player_tooltip player_id='219942' first='Reina' last='Green'] and talented Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='248694' first='Nyla' last='McFadden'].     Holy Trinity v Miami Christian   Holy Trinity is 10-2 and Miami Christian is defending state champions. Holy Trinity travels to town from Melbourne seeking some competition out of county. The two teams are very talented and should bring opposing styles of play. Miami Christian has a big 3 of Samatha Vales, [player_tooltip player_id='219941' first='Madison' last='Aguilera'], and [player_tooltip player_id='426383' first='Ziul' last='Gonzalez'] while Holy Trinity has a big 3 of their own with [player_tooltip player_id='247204' first='Lynn' last='Rieth'], [player_tooltip player_id='372064' first='Alinah' last='Sarratt'], and [player_tooltip player_id='400816' first='Leila' last='Bryant']. Circle this game on the schedule as it should be a good one!     Palmer Trinity v Kings Academy   This battle is matchup of two private schools from opposing counties that have a ton of skill, play a balanced offensive style and spread the floor knocking down open 3s. [player_tooltip player_id='91640' first='Emily' last='Montes'] is the go-to player for Palmer Trinity while [player_tooltip player_id='217669' first='Jade' last='Leon'] and [player_tooltip player_id='221657' first='Angelina' last='Deleon'] gives the Falcons a balanced offensive attack. Kings Academy has three players averaging double digits in [player_tooltip player_id='247134' first='Janessa' last='Williams'], [player_tooltip player_id='243896' first='Jade' last='Jones'], and [player_tooltip player_id='243926' first='Jordan' last='Race']. They don't have a deep roster but play hard and together. Not sure who will pull this one out but it will be a competitive matchup of two teams that will leave it all on the court regardless of the outcome.     Miami Sr HS v Westminster Academy   This is a big class vs small class matchup vs two teams that were in Lakeland last year for the final 4. Miami Senior will rely on the inside game of [player_tooltip player_id='515779' first='Joelle' last='Wilson'] and the perimeter game of her sister [player_tooltip player_id='221633' first='Sydney' last='Wilson'] and Alexie Sanchez. While Westminster will look for their Sophomore duo of [player_tooltip player_id='221649' first='Markeli' last='Jones-Tynes'] and [player_tooltip player_id='243895' first='Lena' last='Girardi'] to handle the Stingrays pressure and account for the bulk of the teams scoring.     Miami Country Day v Montverde Academy   Montverde Academy will face two of the state's top programs, matching up against Miami Country Day in day one of the event. Miami Country Day will rely on their Senior backcourt of Florida Atlantic signee [player_tooltip player_id='91642' first='Kristina' last='Godfrey'] at the point guard position and University of Oakland signee Naveyah Damon, Junior standout [player_tooltip player_id='217667' first='Kayla' last='Nelms'] holding down the interior, and 8th grade sensation [player_tooltip player_id='214184' first='Jalynn' last='Belton'] getting it down on both sides of the court. For Montverde, in addition to their five D1 signee's in the class of 2023, they will rely heavily on uber athletic [player_tooltip player_id='434911' first='Vivian' last='Iwuchukwu'] in the class of 2024 and 6'3 [player_tooltip player_id='742509' first='Lourdes' last='Da Silva Costa'] in the class of 2025.     St. Thomas Aquinas v Horeb Christian   St. Thomas Aquinas has one of the most talented rosters in the state while Horeb Christian has one of the most talented players in the state in Emely Rodriguez. [player_tooltip player_id='91641' first='Karina' last='Gordon'] and [player_tooltip player_id='219924' first='Khadee' last='Hession'] will have the task of slowing down Rodriguez while it will be interesting to see if Horeb Christian will have an answer in the paint for [player_tooltip player_id='219927' first='Ka'Zahria' last='Johnson'] and Mya Johnson.     Flanagan v Cardinal Gibbons   Flanagan got off to a slow start but has won 5 of their last 6. Freshman forward D'naela Myers is establishing herself as one of the state's top young talents for Flanagan while Cardinal Gibbons will rely on their Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='363903' first='Konstantina' last='Mantziori'], [player_tooltip player_id='352563' first='Brooke' last='Buckman'], and Taylor Williams and a balanced offense attack from Junior [player_tooltip player_id='398981' first='Jordan' last='Kosoy'] and Sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='248695' first='Teagan' last='Wakefield'] and [player_tooltip player_id='221642' first='Savanna' last='Nicholson'].     Western v SLAM! Miami Academy   Western vs SLAM! is a re-match from last year's New Year's Classic overtime thriller and a battle of youth vs experience. Both teams will rely heavily on guard play with Seniors Tamara Elliot and [player_tooltip player_id='243941' first='Kimora' last='Lee'] handling the bulk of ball handling and scoring duties for Western. On the other side, SLAM! relies heavily on Sophomores Samantha Bautista, [player_tooltip player_id='331712' first='Adaya' last='Montalvo'], and [player_tooltip player_id='243897' first='Jim'Myah' last='Branton'].     St. Andrews v Lourdes Academy   Both teams play a similar style, spread the floor, share the ball, and launch a lot of 3s. In a battle of private schools from Palm Beach County and Dade County, this will be a good one. Emma Smith and [player_tooltip player_id='430260' first='Savanna' last='Smith'] account for 50% of St. Andrews scoring, while Lourdes has a big 3 of Ana Sofia Sanchez, [player_tooltip player_id='426362' first='Luciana' last='Picasso'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1218115' first='Sophia' last='Sandoval'].     Nova v Santaluces   Nova is undefeated through 13 games and Santaluces is 7-4 and have won 4 of their last 6. This matchup will be a battle between two of the state's top unsigned Seniors in [player_tooltip player_id='166162' first='Kendra' last='Bentley'] for Santaluces and Nova High School's [player_tooltip player_id='243928' first='Madisyn' last='McLeod']. Whoever can will their team to the win will come out on the right side of victory in this one!     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 <a href="mailto:WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com">WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com</a> or DM him through Twitter or Instagram @WholeyPrepHoops.

By Michael Wholey 1/2/23 11:00 PM EST