FSU Lands Two of State’s Top Prospects
FSU Lands Two of State’s Top Prospects By Michael Wholey 10/15/20 9:00 AM EST Florida State University Women’s Basketball recently landed commitments from two of Florida’s top prospects in the class of 2021 O’Mariah Gordon O’Mariah Gordon 5'6" | PG…
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Continue ReadingFSU Lands Two of State’s Top Prospects
By Michael Wholey 10/15/20 9:00 AM EST
Florida State University Women’s Basketball recently landed commitments from two of Florida’s top prospects in the class of 2021 O’Mariah Gordon O’Mariah Gordon 5'6" | PG Braden River | 2021 State #27 Nation FL and Mariana Valenzuela Mariana Valenzuela 6'2" | PF Montverde Academy | 2021 State FL .
It has been a very eventful spring and summer for the Florida State University Women’s Basketball program. Over the past few years FSU has consistently been ranked in the top 15 nationally, challenged for ACC regular season and tournament championships, and seen consistent success in the NCAA tournament. Very often the FSU roster has been comprised of transfers, out of state players from across the US, as well as international players. So when two of the state’s top players in the 2021 class O’Mariah Gordon O’Mariah Gordon 5'6" | PG Braden River | 2021 State #27 Nation FL and Mariana Valenzuela Mariana Valenzuela 6'2" | PF Montverde Academy | 2021 State FL verbally committed to FSU just weeks apart, it came as a bit of a surprise and it bucked the trend of the traditional make up of the FSU roster.
O’Mariah Gordon O’Mariah Gordon 5'6" | PG Braden River | 2021 State #27 Nation FL (Braden River HS / Team Knight 17U)
O’Mariah Gordon O’Mariah Gordon 5'6" | PG Braden River | 2021 State #27 Nation FL has been named Gatorade’s Florida Player of the Year two years in a row and is largely considered one of the nation’s top prospects. She is a special player who has an extremely rare combination of speed, strength, skill, motor, and intensity all packed into one player.
She is pure lightning in a bottle, constantly on the attack in transition, getting from baseline to baseline in a blink of an eye. Don’t let her quiet demeanor fool you, she has a major killer instinct and often at times appears to be bored when the competition level isn’t high enough for her standards.
On the offensive end, the is the total package. The consensus top 10 prospect nationally, is a major threat with the ball in her hands attacking the basket. She does a tremendous job changing her body angle and pushing the ball in transition. In the open court, she can find the open player, knock down the 3, get to the rim, or make a move and bring the crowd to a hush!
On the defensive end, she is an aggressive on ball defender who can lock up any guard she wants. She can pick up point guards baseline to baseline, making it extremely difficult for the point guard to get across half court and start an offensive possession. Off the ball, she can fly sideline to sideline, running through passing lanes, and getting to help possession to support her teammates as quickly as anyone in the country.
The 5’5 guard had remained relatively quiet about her recruiting process but had long been rumored to be a Florida State University lean. At different times, South Carolina, Miami, LSU, Kentucky, North Carolina, Southern Cal, Tennessee and Ole Miss were all mentioned in her recruiting, but Florida State seemed to be the consensus favorite and logical choice.
Her athleticism, scoring ability, energy, competitive nature, and skill will allow make her an immediate impact player the second she steps on campus in Tallahassee.
Mariana Valenzuela Mariana Valenzuela 6'2" | PF Montverde Academy | 2021 State FL (Montverde Academy / FBC Team Mo)
The 6’2 post from Mazatlan, Mexico in my opinion has one of the highest ceilings in the 2021 class of the impact she can make at the collegiate level at Florida State. She is an incredibly talented face-up forward / center who is an impact player in the paint and can step out to the 3.
She has spent extensive time with the Mexican National team including averaging 13.3 PPG and 15.3 RPG at U16 Americas Women’s Championship in Chile followed by 14.4 PPG and 11.4 RPG at the U17 FIBA Centrobasket Championships in San Juan. She had several breakout games at the U16s in Chile including 18 points and 21 rebounds vs El Salvador, 17 points and 14 rebounds vs Puerto Rico, 9 points and 22 rebounds vs Brazil.
At Montverde her play has been a bit inconsistent but her skill is impressive and her potential is obvious. She has a very high IQ and an excellent feel for the game. She has the ability to finish with both hands around the rim with soft hands and excellent touch. She is an impactful rebounder and shot block who is most effective in the key.
She is a mobile at 6’2 and a very good passer. When she puts her mind to it, she is very good rebounder on both the offensive and defensive end. She has a knack for being around the ball and getting to the free throw line. Her energy, intensity, and competitiveness can go in waves but when she is engaged it is impressive to watch her play and she is capable of dominating the game.
Prior to Valenzuela arriving in the states at Montverde, she was known internationally through FIBA events. Her recruiting picked up with Montverde Academy playing a national schedule and then picked up another gear when she began playing travel ball with FBC Team Mo out of Georgia. Her decision to choose FSU did not come as a surprise, as they have had success recruiting international players and Interim Head Coach Brooke Wyckoff is fluent in Spanish having played professionally in the Canary Islands and has had success recruiting Spanish speaking players including several players in Spain’s national team system.
Recruiting wise, in state players have not made up the bulk of their roster but with landing two of the state’s top prospects in the 2021 class will that change? Only time will tell what landing Gordon and Valenzuela mean for FSU going forward. It is an interesting time in the FSU program with head coach Sue Semrau taking a leave of absence through March 2021 to support her family as her mom recovers from ovarian cancer in the family’s hometown of Seattle, Wash. Associate Head Coach Brooke Wyckoff will serve as Interim Head Coach during the challenging 2020-21 basketball season where in addition to playing the season without their head coach, the program will battle the roller coaster ride of trying to play a collegiate basketball season in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Look for Gordon and Valenzuela to potentially both be impact players getting rotational minutes their Freshman year and we will continue to follow FSU and Florida prep players on the recruiting trail and keep you informed.