By Jordan Davidsen and Kennedy Lerner
ORLANDO – The Hoop Exchange Spring Player Showcase was the pinnacle of basketball excellence, bringing individuals from around the state into one gym to show their talents. From the thunderous slam dunks to the never-ending three-point barrage, each athlete from the 2024/2025 class epitomized the dedication, determination, and relentless pursuit of excellence that define our sport. Many seniors and juniors used the event to leave a lasting impression on scouts and media personnel, showcasing their talents and abilities. Here are the 2024/2025 standouts:
STANDOUT SENIORS
Some of the state’s best available 2024s made the most of their time at the showcase, showing that they should be getting college looks soon! 2024 Fabian Spee’s (Life Christian Academy) impressive speed, fluidity, and 6’9” frame aided him as a rim-runner and scorer in the open floor. Limber and athletic for his size, Spee made scoring look easy by cutting hard for open layups and hunting for putbacks. Sharpshooting 2024 Kaiden White (Olympia) displayed more than just a pure perimeter stroke. An underrated athlete and a capable lead guard, White was effective as an isolation scorer as well as an on-ball defender. He utilizes his length well as a ball-stopped and interior finisher and showed that he is more than just a spot-up shooter. A high motor two-way big, 2024 Caleb Pennyfeather (Oviedo) is one of Florida’s most intriguing unsigned 2024s. With great ball skill for a post player, Pennyfeather showed some shooting ability to add to his great athleticism and impressive downhill fluidity.
HIGH FLYERS
The athleticism of the 2024/2025 sessions was the most enticing aspect. 2025 Joseph Gayle (Fort Pierce Central) was a dominant force on the offensive end all weekend. The high-flying combo guard showed off his improved perimeter shooting and advanced ball handling throughout the weekend. Gayle was a true one-man offensive engine who could score at all three levels and was arguably the most athletic player in the gym on both days. Gayle’s biggest competition for Best Athlete was none other than 2024 Gavin Dunn (West Oaks Academy). Dunn was a threat going downhill in both sessions, showing off his unlimited bounce and ability to finish through contact. 2025 Mo Kamara (University School) was very coachable and grew throughout the weekend. While initially showcasing some of his isolation and shooting skills for his size, Kamara realized his athleticism aided him better as an interior scorer and defensive stalwart. Kamara showcased the range of ways he can impact a game on both ends and is an early candidate for the most underrated player in Florida’s 2025 class. 2025 Andrean Smith (Ocoee) had some electric plays throughout the event. He’s a true athlete with combo guard potential and showed off some of his playmaking and three-level scoring abilities. Another high-flyer was 2025 Cornel Wheeler (Wolfson). With his length and bounce, Wheeler was a great finisher around the basket and had some electric dunks in the open floor. Wheeler also showed his smooth turnaround jumper and ability to play off two feet in the lane.
GREAT 2025 GUARDS
Guard play was the name of the game all weekend. The isolation-heavy showcase style let some of Florida’s toughest guards flex their muscles. 2025 Sam Shoptaw, fresh off of running the point guard for his state runner-up Windermere Prep squad in Lakeland last weekend, got right to showing his primary guard skills. An efficient scorer in the pick and roll and an impressive distance shooter, Shoptaw’s maturity with the ball in his hands elevated the play of his short-term teammates and made his team one to watch. 2025 Maylon Marte was a non-stop competitor on both ends all weekend. A relentless motor and some impressive ball skills, Marte really stood out while accepting the challenge of guarding anybody on the floor. An impressive young guy with the heart of a warrior. 2025 Tate Darner has been considered one of Florida’s best scorers for years now, and his ability to light it up from beyond the arc was on full display. While he thrives in the well-developed structure of both Santa Fe Catholic and 1Family, Darner was able to showcase his isolation scoring abilities as a primary ball handler and took advantage of nonchalant defenders to get open and hit open shots. Fresh off of a head-turning performance in the Sunshine Division of the SIAA playoffs,
2025 Luis Carias (Vine Christian Academy) brought his relentless downhill attack to Orlando for the weekend. Carias is a head-down scorer with a range of dribble combos he uses to get downhill. An absolute flash, Carias often hurried past defenders in transition and beat bigs to the rack to avoid being blocked. A refreshing floor general, 2025 Thiago Sucatzky (Miami Prep) greatly elevated the level of play of those on his team. A great scorer in the pick-and-roll as well. He plays the game the European way and is great at finding the open man or making the extra pass. Arguably the biggest stock riser of the event, 2025 Dwight Carter (Miami Central) showed that he’s an effective two-way point guard with great bounce. A hard-nosed scorer and defender, Carter excelled as an on-ball presence and a transition scorer. With a great handle to boot, Carter may jump onto the radar of scouts throughout the summer. 2025 Ethan Bertrand (Westminster Academy) is one of the many offensive engines on a deep Lions roster, but on the showcase stage, he was able to show off his great playmaking and scoring chops more effectively. A great passer with a knack for moving the ball in transition, Bertrand should continue to develop his scoring arsenal and could become a great two-way guard in Florida. One of the weekend’s smoothest guards, 2025 Trevon Torchon (Potter’s House Christian) was a dynamic isolation scorer with spurts of athleticism and a smooth midrange jumper. The 2025 twins Christopher and Christian Maxon (Fort Pierce Central) did not let the showcase style of play divert them from their plan. Elite playmakers, long-range shooters, and crafty finishers, the state’s best twin duo showed that they can function well as individuals. A tough two-way guard, 2025 Kaden Toure (Sandalwood) showed that his athleticism and intensity are hard to stop. A relentless finisher, open floor playmaker, and on-ball defensive specialist, Toure’s unmatched intensity made him one of the event’s standouts.
ELITE 2025 WINGS AND BIGS
With developed hands and mobility, 2025 Kelvin Vengeto (The Rock) looked like a true prospect. An imposing interior presence on both ends, Vengeto was able to roll to the basket hard for easy baskets and put a lid on the rim at the other end. He’ll be one to monitor throughout AAU. 2025 Matthew Able (Berkeley Prep) is one of the smoothest wing players in his class. The 6-5 wing is a high-academic prospect with a capable midrange jump shot and great change of speed in isolation. One of the premier two-way prospects of the weekend, 2025 Caleb Sanders (Bell Creek) showed that he’s one of the most skilled players for his size. An obvious threat on the interior and going downhill, Sanders showed his ability to pressure primary ball handlers, guard 1-5, and be a serviceable shot blocker. He’s completely versatile and virtually positionless, making him a true all-level threat. One of the event’s strongest standouts, 2025 CJ Ingram (Hawthorne) looks like an elite two-way threat. The small-town standout is one of Florida’s most physically developed players, making him tough to score on. He’s a strong downhill finisher and makes some of the toughest shots imaginable. 2025 Romari Robinson (Miami) also had a great weekend and showed his two-way athleticism and pure scoring arsenal. 2025 Adiel Lopez (BCAT) displayed his gliding athleticism and high-level airtime with tough finishes at the rim. A true three-level scorer, Lopez has the physical tools at 6’6”/190 to bulk up against big wings and the handle to slot in as a capable scoring combo guard.
