Grassroots Preview: CFE Blue Heat Gold 16U

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From the Panhandle to the Keys and from the Atlantic coast to the Gulf coast, the 2023-24 season saw yet another several months of extremely competitive basketball across the Sunshine State.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Simply because state champions may have been crowned does not mean the ball ceases to dribble for the next several months. Many of Florida's premier hoopers have taken their talents to the travel realm for another few months of scintillating basketball on the travel circuit.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of those teams is [program_tooltip program_id='714141' first='Blue' last='Heat Basketball Academy'] based out of Jacksonville. Their team already participated in the Sunshine State Showdown in Wesley Chapel and will soon participate in an Adidas meet in Texas. Here is a look at this year's CFE Blue Heat Gold 16U team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Grace Nixon</strong> – Nixon was part of a 2023-24 6A Beachside rendition that finished with a 20-6 record. The team also qualified for this past season's 6A state tournament. The team has plenty of height and her 5-foot-10 frame certainly adds to it. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":653438,"width":"380px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/04/IMG_1543-crop-3566x2342-1683666466.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-653438" style="width:380px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='514607' first='Teaghan' last='Moses']</strong> – The talented sophomore guard is one of two team captains for 5A Clay. Moses put together a stellar sophomore campaign for the Blue Devils as she averaged 14.6 points and 3.2 steals per contest. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":653416,"width":"384px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/04/IMG_1750-crop-3475x2282-1683665674.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-653416" style="width:384px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Evie Freeman</strong> – Freeman is a two-sport athlete. In addition to her basketball accomplishments, she also thrives as part of the Bolles lacrosse team. This past season's Bulldogs finished with a 19-9 record and made a deep run in the 4A state tournament. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":817161,"width":"389px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/12/IMG_5568.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-817161" style="width:389px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ari Walker</strong> – As evidenced by both Walker and Nixon, Beachside is well-represented on this season's CFE Blue Heat Gold 16U roster. Walker primarily plays at the three and is listed at 5-foot-8. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='739964' first='Arden' last='Doherty']</strong> – Doherty's Ponte Vedra team concluded the 2023-24 season with a solid mark of 22-9 and her 3-point shooting accuracy was a big reason for why the Sharks put together yet another winning season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='751625' first='Terrell' last='McCoy']</strong> – Bolles is another team that is well-represented on this year's CFE Blue Heat Gold 16U team. McCoy also had a stellar season in 2023-24 as she averaged 9.9 points and six rebounds in 27 games. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":653436,"width":"399px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/04/IMG_1546-crop-3870x2542-1683666409.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-653436" style="width:399px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='515067' first='Makala' last='DesJarlais']</strong> – As someone who recently concluded her freshman season with 4A Bishop Kenny, DesJarlais is playing up in class. The Crusaders put together a solid season, finishing with a 26-5 record and a berth in the 4A championship game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":653437,"width":"397px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/04/IMG_1544-crop-3488x2290-1683666441.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-653437" style="width:397px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='823463' first='Presley' last='Norman']</strong> – Norman's game has only improved with the experience she has amassed. She has played at the varsity level since she was a seventh grader and is another representative from 4A Bolles. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='514609' first='Zara' last='Griffith']</strong> – Griffith is the lone representative from 3A Episcopal School of Jacksonville on this year's roster. This past season, Griffith averaged 14.6 points and 8.2 rebounds in the 26 games she played. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>CFE Blue Heat Gold 16U Schedule</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>April 5-7: Sunshine State Showdown – Wesley Chapel, FL </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>April 19-21: Adidas Girls Spring Series – Bryan, TX</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>May 19-21: Adidas Girls Spring Series – Norman, OK</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>July 11-16: Run 4 The Roses – Louisville, KY</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->