Riviera Prep’s Dante Allen is Miami-Dade’s 4A-2A Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year
There was a moment where the Riviera Prep boys’ basketball team’s state championship dream could have ended the way it did a year earlier - with a frustrating one-point loss in Lakeland.
But sophomore Dante Allen learned at a very young age how to make the winning decision on the court even if it’s not the most glamorous for his own statistics.
With the Bulldogs trailing by one in the closing seconds of their state semifinal against Tampa Catholic in early March, Allen could have forced up a last-second shot from deep with a defender’s hand in his face.
Instead, he made the unselfish play and found teammate Mason Fuentes, who set up a high-percentage shot at the rim for his brother Myles, and lifted Riviera Prep to the win.
Three days later, the dream was a reality for Allen and his teammates as they celebrated the school’s first state title.
“Both my parents always tell me to play the game the right way,” Allen said. “I always will trust my teammates. As much as I believe I can make the play, I know they can too.”
Allen’s ability to make the right call on the court more often than not was a big reason he averaged 22 points, eight rebounds and four assists per game while leading the Bulldogs to the state title. And as such, Allen is the Miami Herald’s Class 4A-2A boys’ basketball Player of the Year.
Allen’s unselfish play propelled the Bulldogs to multiple clutch wins this season including an 18-point comeback against Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy in the regional final round. Allen, a 6-4, 210-pound wing, already has several offers from Division-I programs including Miami, Michigan, Memphis, Villanova, Florida and Florida State.
The son of Miami Heat assistant coach and former player, Malik Allen, Dante became more of a leader on and off the court this season for the Bulldogs.
“I had to facilitate a little bit more and just do a little bit more, read things better and be the primary guy on my team when my team needed something from me, not just points but calming things down and making the right plays.”
Allen figures to be the focal point next season again for Riviera Prep, which brings back the bulk of its roster and could be in the early stages of a sustained run of success.
“When it all came down to the playoffs we finally brought everything together and our bond was the strongest then,” Allen said. “Some games were tighter than others, but that helped us in those situations.”
