Harry Santiago, Miami Prep–The true Class of 2021 senior brings a relentlessness and energy that mirrors the style enforced by head coach Juan Cardona. High octane and playing every possession with the same full throttle style, Santiago is a gritty guard who makes timely passes and knows how to attack the run and kick start the souped up attack his team thrives with.
Santiago kicked in a single game record 16 assists during a win at the Miami Prep tournament last week. He scored 20 points and applied suffocating on-ball defense during the team’s win over Game Changers Academy this week.
With a consistent deep jumper and an ability to carve his way to the rim and finish, Santiago plays a lot bigger than his 6-foot frame. He currently holds offers from Arkansas State and Samford. With his skill set and dog mentality on the floor, potentially reclassifying into the 2022 class will certainly up his profile.
Nick Silva, Miami Prep–The Class of 2021 guard/forward is a tremendous one on one scorer, creating space and finishing via his trademark spin move. Silva is a high level shot-maker with range and the ability to spread the floor out.
At 6-foot-7 and 210 pounds, he possesses a college ready build. With a refined skill set and the ability to put the ball on the deck like a guard, Silva has intriguing versatility on both ends of the floor.
Jose Amat III, Florida Christian: Possessing an instinctive defensive style and the type of quick hands and feet that translates to tremendous anticipation, Amat III has become the spirit of Florida Christian’s defense.
He’s handled the chore of bottling up, negating, and neutralizing the opposing team’s focal point, spearheading the lockdown operation as a certifiable on-ball pest.
Amat III has proven himself as a heady point guard who makes everyone around him beneficiaries of his presence, second o the team in assists and submitting several games with nary a single turnover. Scoring wise, he’s had several games of 4-for-4 from 3-point territory. Amat scored a game-best 21 points during a win against Norland on the strength of 5-for-7 from 3-point land. He culminated the 2021 season shooting it at over a 50 percent clip from beyond the arc and 90 percent from the free throw line.
The Miami native scored 17 points against a top-tier Calusa Prep team. He scored 19 and 17 against Columbus and Windermere, respectively.
Each game he went without turning the ball over once. Given his decision making (and ability to take care of the ball and orchestrate a high powered offense), Amat III has benefitted from the experience and toughness that comes with playing varsity basketball as a middle schooler, as he did during his days at Westwood Christian.
Kendrick Green Jr., Central Pointe Christian HS–After 2020 graduation claimed one of the best passers and timely decision makers in the country in Luis Rolon (now at Florida Gulf Coast University), the biggest question surrounding the reigning SIAA state champions was how well they would fill the game management void which Rolon mastered.
Green, a well built and underrated point guard, is a steady catch and shoot threat with a reliable outside shot. He’s also adept at creating his shot off the dribble and barreling his way to the rim, finishing through both traffic and contact. He scored 18 points, on the strength of four 3-pointers, en route to the team’s win on Saturday.
He’s turned in multiple games of double digit assists and a nine assists to one turnover game for the White Tigers, who have ascended the national ladder while playing on the talent loaded Grind Session circuit.
Green has been the engine that’s propelled the team to multiple victories this season, including a signature win over cross town rival and national power West Oaks Academy. If there’s a word to describe Green’s game it’s so obvious it nearly falls off the page: gritty.
Jeremy Foumena, Central Pointe Christian HS: At 6-foot-9 and 230 pounds, the Class of 2022 Foumena brings a powerful and explosive game that is ready made for the next level.
A springboard bouncy above the rim scorer, Foumena is a high efficiency finisher who is constantly on the receiving end of lob passes. He’s a one dribble and attack the rim scorer who scores between a defender and the basket consistently.
He’s also an inside-outside scorer who has opened up a dependable deep jumper. Foumena registered his presence with a 21-point, 9-rebound performance against one of top teams in the country in Arizona Compass.
Bryson Warren, North Little Rock—The Arkansas native proved he can handle the big stage as a freshman last year. He established himself as a scoring threat with an advanced set shot and good elevation on his shot. He’s a catch and stick threat from all areas on the floor and also brings spirited defensive toughness, with multiple games of three or more steals as a freshman.
With his deft handle and knack for creating space and ambidextrous finishing, Warren also has a knack for carving out space on his surges to the rim.
The 6-foot-2 guard played a pivotal role for North Little Rock (AR), the No.2 team in the state, so the experience factor is working in his favor.
Simeon Wilcher–The 6-foot-4, 165-pound Class of 2023 prospect has become the No.8 player in the country in his class under some scouting services. He has proven himself as a north-south scorer with bouncy athleticism and the ability to really glide to the rim and finish.
At Roselle Catholic in New Jersey, Wilcher’s sheer length and wingspan enable him to guard multiple positions and pickpocket guys defensively with quick hands. He possesses good transition speed and his jumper has gone from a work in progress to a staple in his all around scoring arsenal. The Johnnies have tremendous competition for Wilcher, who holds offers from Georgia Tech, UConn, Kansas, Oregon, Iowa, Miami and several others.
TJ Morris, Believe Prep–The Queens native is now playing for legendary New York City basketball coach Kevin Jackson, who has been instrumental in grooming the likes of Ron Arrest and Smush Parker throughout his career. Morris has grown to 6-foot-5 and has improved vastly as a vertically explosive threat who can get to the rim with relative ease.
Morris was offered by St. John’s, UConn and Seton Hall, early on in his career. He’s since becoming more explosive and more reliable as a defender. He’s opened up a reliable mid range jumper to supplement his forays to the rim. The combination guard showed off the added size and strength to his game during the recent Isaiah Whitehead Whitehead Basketball Academy event.
Tyler Hawkins, Mount St. Michael Acad–The 5-foot-7 point guard is built in the same style and make up as the aforementioned Alexander, a fearless slasher who brings quickness and quickness. The waterbug quick guard does a commendable job of controlling the floor and creating for his teammates in both transition and the halfcourt set.
Nasir Cowan, Sanford–The experienced senior brings toughness, length, and a wide ranging offensive game. He showed this against Salesianum with his mid range pull up game and the ability to cut and get free on backdoor finishes.
Cowan possesses a good handle and knows how to orchestrate the high low game, feeding the post. Cowan is also an agile guard with wingspan and the ability to handle the changing of the speeds at this level.
Brandon Dwyer, Sanford: One of the state’s longest tenured varsity players, Dwyer and Villanova bound 2021 big Nnanna Njoku inherit some ownership of a veteran-laden and cohesive Sanford team underscored by team defense and the constant pressure preached by longtime head coach Stan Waterman.
Partly due to his work rate and knack for the unrequired work and partly due to his natural leadership and poise as a proven and poised shot maker, Dwyer is a co captain alongside the aforementioned Njoku.
One of the best shooters in the country throughout all classes, Dwyer has the deadeye caliber 3-point gunslinging that breaks open games. This was evident during the team’s throttling of Salesenium, when Dwyer reeled off a personal 9-0 second half run that included a pair of NBA range 3-pointers.
TJ Lamb, CPCA Post Graduate: The West Virginia native brings an oft attacking mindset, with his ability to barrel through traffic and finish at the rim. Having bulked up tremendously in his post graduate season and added a refined skill set, Lamb has the upside to be a multi positional asset at the ensuing level of play. He has the hard hat and work boots mentality, saying over bigger players to snatch rebounds and kick start the uptempo attack.
He’s additionally a mid range shooter who can also utilize mismatches inside, dragging smaller and less physically imposing defenders to the rim on one on one sequences.
With a blackout work ethic and the ability to guard the 1-4 and front bigger players in the post, Lamb has been a veritable jack of all trades for Central Pointe. His unique blend of physical interior play and a guard/wing’s skill set is translatable to the next level of play, where versatility is king. Playing his trade on a national level, with home and away games against traditional prep breeding grounds, has prepared him for the rigors and the grind of the next level of play.
Spencer Joyner, Newark Arts–The 6-foot-4, 190 pound guard brings an all around skill set as a rim attacker and a guy who can knock down the outside shot with consistency. Now at Newark Arts High (NJ), Joyner has a scattered recruitment which includes high major programs such as Seton Hall, LSU, and Texas A & M. With athleticism and heady passing, Joyner is an all around talent who is capable of guarding the 1-4 defensively. He’s able to manufacture as a spot up shooter and a guy who can heat it up from mid range.
Kaheim Roach, Lake Forest: A tough one on one scorer with a unique arsenal and consistent 3-point shot, Roach has all the tools to keep defenders on their heels. He can bull his way to the rim and beat defenders off the dribble.
He’s been on a tear thus far, with back to back 25-point games against both Seaford and Woodbridge. Roach has catalyzed Lake Forest with his ability to rip off scoring sprees and get into the teeth of the defense.
