Recap: Best of the Best Florida

Recap: Best of the Best Florida

By Robert Alfonso Jr.

APOPKA, FL – The end of the middle school travel basketball season ended. Some players and their families took off until the remainder of the summer. Others still had enough fire in the tank to compete.

They all arrived at the Best of the Best Showcase to demonstrate they are the next batch of rising players in Florida. Here are some of the players who stood out during the showcase.

Jack Webster | 2020 | Mt. Dora Christian | is a fundamentally sound post player most programs would be interested in recruiting. The 6-foot-4 post is capable of executing plays from the interior. His touch around the basket is smooth and nibble. He is also capable of stepping out on the perimeter to knock down shots. Webster has a strong IQ on and off the court. 

Shalom Serphin | 2020 | Elite Academy | is a physical individual who is not worried about flexing his muscle. The 5-foot-10 guard was a man amongst boys on the court. He plays with high energy and high effort on both ends of the floor making life difficult for opponents.

Adam Deininger | 2021 | Forest Lake Academy | can shoot the gripping off of a basketball. The 6-foot-1 guard drilled shots from all over the floor. There was not a shot he could not hit connecting on all levels of the floor. His stroke is smooth and almost picture perfect.

Kalen Carroll | 2022 | Oak Ridge HS | is a shifty guard who knows how to make defenders move in ways they never expect. The 5-foot-9 two-sport athlete just blew by defenders. He then dropped off a pass for an easy basket. Look for his Midwest transplant to show off his speed on and off the hardwood, since he is also a defender on the football field.

Bradley Remy | 2020 | Elite Academy | is a big physical guard. At 5-foot-10, he punishes defenders any chance he can on the hardwood. His ability to plow his way to the rim makes him hard to stop finishing with contact. He has a decent mid-range jumpier whenever he is not attacking the basket.

Gabriel Ferguson | 2021 | Lake Highland Prep | was impressive throughout the showcase. The 6-foot-7 showed a lot of promise with his size. He had some great hands for errand passes to finishing around the basket through contact. His athleticism was on display where he finished in the open floor. He rebounded the ball well out of his area.

Rodney Bryant II | 2021 | Mt. Dora Christian | is a flat out athlete. His 6-foot frame was a blur to defenders. He moved through traffic like that of a Super Hero. Just when you thought you had him stopped, Bryant was at the rim finishing an easy basket. He used that speed on the defensive end to disrupt opponents.

Jerry Dorelus | 2022 | Elite Academy | is a point guard with plenty of control and poise. He can change the pace of the game where his ability to play fast or slow was smooth. His poise was refreshing because he never allowed the defense to frustrate him.

Jayden Little | 2020 | Ed White HS | is a legit 6-foot-7 post player. The first notable thing about this young man is the amount of energy he displays on the court. He showed off that energy on the defensive end of the floor talking and rotating. His motor was always on. Little played even bigger when opponents entered the lane. He met them with either a blocked shot or changing one. Offensively, Little was just as active carving out space on the black and finishing above many double teams.

Andy Gonzalez | 2023 | Providence School | is one tough floor general from the Jacksonville area. At 6-feet, he is a bully getting into the paint. He has a tight handle and secures the ball. He knows how to run a team and is a leader.

Middle School

Dynamic Duo: Brutus and Moton

The next few years at Tavares Middle School will be fun to watch with the Class of 2026 of Herly Brutus and Angelo Moton on the roster. These two guys, while playing on opposite teams, gave everyone a glimpse on what opponents will see once they play on the same court together through middle school.

Brutus is 6-foot-1 with long arms and a wiry frame. He is an active rebounder who played with plenty of energy. He also knew how to use his length on both ends of the floor. Never once did he put a rebound he grabbed low enough for a guard to take. He just played solid fundamental basketball.

Moton is a 6-foot bruiser. This gentle giant punished the opposing post player any chance possible. Many times he was just making his way around the point with all of the confidence and control. His ability to catch some tough passes was impressive since many times he had to reach a lot further than normal.

Jalen Reece | 2025 | Lockhart MS | is definitely looking to make sure he emerges as the best point guard in the state for his class. The 5-foot-6 floor general continues to display his eye-catching court vision. He puts passes right on defenders hands in transition. Whenever, he is not dropping off a pass, he is scoring any way possible. His game has evolved since last August. He even showed off of his attributes playing against the high school players. The confidence and poise will continue to grow with his game.

William Gray | 2024 | Pompano | is a strong guard with a deadly step back. The 5-foot-9 floor general knows how to get to his spots.

Justin Smith | 2025 | Ocoee MS | is so fun to watch. This 5-foot guy plays a lot larger and stronger than his size. He plays with a freedom and a smile on his face, while putting a hurting on defenders. His quickness usually keeps defenders on his heels. He then will pull up to drop off a pass or knock down a deep jumper.

Julian Clark | 2024 | OCP | is considered one of the rising prospects. He is a shifty guard with strong court awareness. His vision and craftiness created strong scoring opportunities for teammates. Look for Clark to continue making waves in the class.

Gabriel Benkovskiy | 2026 | Franklin Academy | is a leader on the hardwood. The 5-foot floor general communicates well for someone his age which is a sign of confidence. Many of the decisions he made displayed his high IQ.

Justin Snell | 2025 | Florida Virtual School | is a scoring machine. His knack for getting that basketball into that cylinder is a thing of beauty. It did not matter which way Snell moved on the court the ball was slicing through the net. The 5-foot-4 guard provided every move one would see from a high level player. He is a young fella worth tracking because of the way he score.

JJ Livingston | 2025 | Mason Classical Academy | shot the ball like a current NBA veteran with the same initials for a first name. The lefty 5-foot-6 shooter pulled up from the three-point line with ease. He is capable of burning the nets for a young player. However, Livingston is more than a shooter. He puts the ball on the floor and finishes with either hand.

Chris Arias | 2024 | Fruit Cove MS/Creekside | is a long wiry wing. He played well in the open floor. His ability to defend on the wing also caused problems to opponents because he defended just about every spot on them floor.

Kyle Shirley | 2027 | East Hill Christian | came down from they Panhandle and put his ball handling skills on display. The 5-foot floor general danced through traffic with a smoothness of a ballroom dancer. He then finished against taller and stronger players. His quickness helped him get some easy baskets in the open court. He has a lot of grit to his game for sure.

Jeremy Felix | 2025 | Manatee Academy | is a shooters shooter. The 5-foot guard lets it fly within the flow of team play. He never forced shots. Every shot he took it sliced through the net. His range was impressive for a player this age and size.

Carey Davis | 2023 | Lockhart MS | showed off his athleticism as a rebounder. He cradled the ball out of his area in traffic. His hands were strong enough to help secure the mishap. He then ran the floor and finished at the rim like the mailman dropping off the mail.

Ricky Williams | 2024 | Calvary Christian | was crafty with the basketball. The 5-foot-3 floor general created easy scoring opportunities for teammates. He always made the right play.