Week 1 Rankings and Recap
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1. Lake Highland Prep The Highlanders return eight players from their 29-2 season that ended with a 4A State Championship and a number 16 spot in the final Top 25 rankings on MaxPreps. While they will certainly miss Zo Cruz,…
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Continue Reading1. Lake Highland Prep
The Highlanders return eight players from their 29-2 season that ended with a 4A State Championship and a number 16 spot in the final Top 25 rankings on MaxPreps. While they will certainly miss Zo Cruz, Lake Highland Prep entered this season with the number 1 overall ranking in the entire country. With this powerful lineup, they play one of the toughest schedules in the country that will test them. They’ll be led by their bigs in lone senior Kayla Blackshear Kayla Blackshear 6'1" | PF Lake Highland Prep | 2021 State #61 Nation FL and 2022 Nyla Harris Nyla Harris 6'2" | PF Lake Highland Prep | 2022 State #34 Nation FL , but their guards is what will really push them forward. The guard trio of Stefanie Ingram Stefanie Ingram 5'7" | CG Lake Highland | 2022 State FL , Sierra Godbolt Sierra Godbolt 5'7" | PG Lake Highland | 2022 State FL , and Eleecia Carter Eleecia Carter 5'7" | CG Lake Highland Prep | 2023 State FL will use their experience to make this team successful on both ends of the floor. Keep and eye of two of the best 2024’s in the state with Lexi Blue Lexi Blue 6'1" | SF Lake Highland Prep | 2024 State FL and Bri Rivera. They started this season with a solid win against a quality Wekiva team who backs down to no one.
Week 1 Results: 1-0 | W vs. Wekiva (73-55)
2. Blanche Ely
The Tigers are another State Champion on my list as they went 28-6 last year with some impressive postseason wins to capture the 6A Title. They do lose some pieces but they get a lot back from injury as well as a couple new players. The biggest returnee is Ja’Leah Williams Ja’Leah Williams 5'9" | CG Blanche Ely | 2021 State FL They also return Michiyah Simmons Michiyah Simmons 5'8" | PG Blanche Ely | 2022 State FL , Zaria Blake Zaria Blake 6'0" | SF Blanche Ely | 2022 State FL , Mya Kone Mya Kone 6'1" | SF Blanche Ely | 2022 State FL , and Mikhia Lumsdon Mikhia Lumsdon 5'7" | CG Blanche Ely | 2021 State FL . Pull in a couple other additions in Gianna Corbitt Gianna Corbitt 6'1" | SF Blanche Ely | 2024 State FL and Janessa Kelley Janessa Kelley 5'9" | SG Blanche Ely | 2024 State FL , and you have a tough squad. They might not be as challenged as last season with some COVID scheduling restrictions, but they will still make a lot of noise.
Week 1 Results: No games played
3. American Heritage (Plantation)
The Patriots did not have a team come within single digits of them in their entire playoff run to claim the 5A State Championship for the 3rd year in a row. They return their terrific trio of Taliyah Wyche Taliyah Wyche 6'2" | C American Heritage | 2021 State FL , Tatyana Wyche Tatyana Wyche 6'2" | C American Heritage | 2021 State FL , and Daniella Aronsky Daniella Aronsky 5'8" | CG American Heritage | 2021 State FL who have been a part of this three-peat. They lost a few role players to graduation, but they gain even more. American Heritage brings in 3 of the best guards in the state with Sydney Shaw Sydney Shaw 5'9" | SG DME Academy | 2022 State FL , Joey Delancy Joey Delancy 5'8" | CG American Heritage | 2022 State FL , and Emani Theodule Emani Theodule 5'6" | CG American Heritage | 2022 State FL . This team is going to compete with anyone which they showed early with a big win over a good Gulf Coast team.
Week 1 Results: 1-0 | W vs. Gulf Coast (71-44)
4. Montverde Academy
The Eagles lose some pieces and add some new ones to a 17-6 Independent/Freelance school team from last year. Six seniors are gone, but new head coach Special Jennings has a team that was ranked number 23 in the national preseason rankings by MaxPreps. MVA will play a tough schedule against some of the best in the state as well as some out-of-state teams. They’ll be led by seniors Mariana Valenzuela Mariana Valenzuela 6'2" | PF Montverde Academy | 2021 State FL and Niveya Henley Niveya Henley 6'0" | SF Montverde Academy | 2021 State FL who are both scoring 13+ ppg through their first three contests. Sharpshooting Rusne Augustinaite Rusne Augustinaite 5'10" | CG Montverde Academy | 2023 State FL , rock-dishing Mjracle Sheppard Mjracle Sheppard 5'8" | CG Montverde Academy | 2023 State FL , and board-snatching Fatima Diakhate Fatima Diakhate 6'6" | C Montverde Academy | 2022 State FL round out their high-tier top five on a team that has a solid 1-7 lineup. Two impressive early season wins over Braden River and MCDS who are easily top 20 teams in the state.
Week 1 Results: 3-0 | W vs. Dr. Phillips (66-35), W @ Braden River (75-66), W vs. Miami Country Day (70-39)
5. Palm Bay Magnet
The Pirates got a complete makeover from a 23-6 team that was led by Mikyla Tolivert Mikyla Tolivert 5'7" | CG Palm Bay | 2021 State FL . She got a lot of help for her senior year with a majority of last years Florida Prep squad heading to Palm Bay. There are specifically six additions that are going to make this team really hard to beat: Emma Risch Emma Risch 6'2" | PG Palm Bay | 2023 State #23 Nation FL , Emani Burks Emani Burks 6'2" | PF Palm Bay | 2021 State FL , Shamya Joiner, Paige McDonald Paige McDonald 5'11" | SF Cocoa HS | 2022 State FL , Alonya Waldon Alonya Waldon 5'5" | CG Palm Bay Magnet | 2023 State FL , and Kiara Williams Kiara Williams 6'1" | PF Palm Bay Magnet | 2024 State FL . This schedule is light compared to what the Florida Prep girls are used to, but they will be tested in the next week with games against Cocoa, West Orange, and Lake Highland Prep. So far, they’ve made easy work in their first 3 games with four Pirates averaging double-digit points (Risch, Williams, Tolivert, McDonald).
Week 1 Results: 3-0 | W vs. Viera (76-31), W vs. Astronaut (97-9), W @ West Shore (90-10)
6. Winter Haven
The Blue Devils have not recently been as dominant as they once were, but this year might change that. They return Trinity Hardy Trinity Hardy 5'10" | SF Winter Haven | 2021 State FL , Kayla Smith Kayla Smith 5'10" | SF Winter Haven | 2022 State FL , Shomari Phillips Shomari Phillips 5'11" | SF Winter Haven HS | 2021 State FL , and Jazmine Spencer Jazmine Spencer 5'6" | CG Winter Haven | 2021 State FL from a 22 win team last year. You also add in Jasmine Peaks Jasmine Peaks 5'6" | CG Winter Haven HS | 2021 State FL and Jayla Murray Jayla Murray 6'1" | SF Winter Haven | 2021 State FL as transfers from one of the best teams in the state. Aside from those top six players, you have Jaida Young, Bre’asia Washington Bre’asia Washington 5'5" | CG Winter Haven | 2023 State FL , and Akiai Edouard on a team that I believe to be the deepest in the entire state.
Week 1 Results: 1-0 | W @ Lake Wales (71-23)
7. DME
DME Sports Academy will be tested in the Sunshine Independent League this season against Central Pointe, but they are another team on this list that is incredibly deep. You can’t teach what the duo of Chloe Kitts Chloe Kitts 6'2" | SF Faith Christian Academy | 2022 FL (19.7 ppg, 10.3 rpg) and Bella Weary Bella Weary 5'6" | CG DME | 2021 State FL (17.7 ppg, 5 spg) have. Add in players like Taylor Gardner Taylor Gardner 5'8" | SG DME Academy | 2021 State FL , Sophia Rueppell, Jhaid Westbrook, Emily McIntosh Emily McIntosh 5'11" | SF St. Augustine | 2022 State FL , and Rachel Leclerc and you have a much improved DME team with a ton of depth.
Week 1 Results: 4-0 | W vs. The Rock (83-25), W vs. TPLS Christian Academy (94-78), W vs. West Oaks (66-42), W @ American Collegiate Academy (70-22)
8. Plant
The Panthers have come back this season with determination. They seem to be getting overlooked even while they return their two best players in Kendal Cheesman Kendal Cheesman 6'2" | PF HB Plant | 2021 State FL and Nyla Jean Nyla Jean 5'7" | PG HB Plant | 2021 State FL . This is a well-coached team that has some of the best chemistry in the state as one of the few teams that doesn’t get caught up in a rebuilding process with transfers. Outside of their top two, look for Tanner Strickland Tanner Strickland 5'5" | PG HB Plant | 2023 State FL , Silvia Farfante, Hayden Stern, Morgan Sieper Morgan Sieper 6'0" | PG Plant | 2023 State FL , and Kendra Dodd to step up. This next week will be telling with games against Seffner Christian and Braden River at the Brooks Thanksgiving Tournament.
Week 1 Results: 1-0 | W vs. Santa Fe Catholic (65-26)
9. Carrollwood Day
The Patriots have followed up on their 3A State Championship with two easy home wins off of the bat. They lose a lot of talent to graduation (probably the most of any team in the state), but they keep key returnees in Ary Dizon Ary Dizon 6'2" | PF Carrollwood Day | 2021 State FL and Milahnie Perry Milahnie Perry 5'7" | CG Carrollwood Day | 2022 State FL . Be on the lookout for Leah Bullard Leah Bullard 6'1" | PF Dr Phillips | 2024 State FL to get some increased minutes as well as a huge transfer in Olivia Delancy Olivia Delancy 6'0" | SF Bogie HS | 2022 State FL who will make an immediate impact on this talented team. Coach Nohra will have this team running on all cylinders in no time.
Week 1 Results: 2-0 | W vs. Sunlake (77-26), W vs. Chamberlain (83-15)
10. Tampa Bay Tech
The Titans may have lost three of their starters to transferring and early graduation, but they still have what I consider to be the best frontcourt in the state with Janiah Barker Janiah Barker 6'2" | SF Montverde Academy | 2022 State #3 Nation FL and Amiya Evans Amiya Evans 6'2" | PF DME Academy | 2022 State FL . They also have another important post in Mya Lamar Mya Lamar 6'2" | C Tampa Bay Tech | 2021 State FL that makes the paint a troubling place for opposing teams. It will be vital for some young TBT guards to help those bigs succeed. Jade Thompson Jade Thompson 5'6" | CG Seffner | 2024 State FL is one of those guards to keep an eye on.
Week 1 Results: 1-0 | W @ Lake Wales (61-23)
Next Five: Central Pointe Christian Academy (3-0), Bishop Kenny (2-0), Braden River (1-1), Miami Country Day (1-1), Fort Myers (2-0)