Stranahan boys basketball looking for repeat while Calvary Christian goes national

Broward County boys’ basketball teams won two state titles last season, but only one of them will be back to return that championship.

The Stranahan Mighty Dragons, in Class 5A, will return to try to win their fourth state title in the past five years.

But the Calvary Christian Eagles, who have won two straight 4A state titles, have pulled out of the FHSAA in order to play a national schedule.

Now playing an independent, national schedule, Calvary Christian will travel this season to Georgia; Nevada; Kentucky; Virginia; South Carolina; Missouri; and New Jersey.

In total, the Eagles will play 14 out-of-state tournaments.

“It’s tough not being able to win another state title,” Eagles coach Cilk McSweeney said. “But now we have a new challenge – winning the Geico national championship against the top schools in the country.”

The Eagles are now a Nike Elite program, and their home gym is scheduled for a $3.1 million renovation.

Calvary Christian went 26-2 last season, losing those two games by a total of just eight points. One loss was in overtime to Montverde, which went on to win the Geico national title.

The Eagles have an abundance of talent, including Carl Cherenfant, a 6-6 senior forward who has committed to play his college ball at Memphis.

“He’s a big-time leader,” McSweeney said. “He’s a special player who has been with us since the seventh grade.”

In all, McSweeney believes he has six Division I prospects on his roster, including 6-2 senior guard Jaylen Curry, who averaged 19.0 points and 11.3 assists last season while playing for a high school in Charlotte.

“He’s one of the best point guards in the country,” McSweeney said. “He’s a gifted passer with amazing court vision and NBA athleticism.”

Calvary Christian’s other top prospects are 6-10 junior Ethan Lathan, who transferred in from Missouri; Shon Abaev, a 6-7 sophomore forward who averaged 23.2 points at Miami Country Day; Jake Warren, a 6-10, 220-pound forward who averaged 10.0 points and 10.9 rebounds; and 6-4 senior wing Derrick Edouard, who averaged 13.1 points last season at North Miami.

Meanwhile at Stranahan, the Mighty Dragons won state titles in 2019 and 2020 under coach Terrence Williams. But when Williams stepped down, the Dragons lost in the 2021 district semifinals under first-year coach Edward Schuler.

That loss created a stir around the Stranahan program.

“They said our program was dead because Coach Williams wasn’t with us,” Schuler said. “Basically, they threw dirt on us.”

Those doubters turned out to be spectacularly wrong as Stranahan went 27-3 last season, including a 61-60 win over Pensacola’s Pine Forest in the state semifinals. In that game, Stranahan’s Houston Culpepper missed a wild shot that became an air ball, but Darrin Garrett crashed the boards and beat the buzzer with the game-winning put-back.

Ironically, it was the only shot of the game for Garrett.

“That was the most emotional moment of my whole coaching career,” said Schuler, who served as Williams’ assistant at Stranahan the previous four years. “I had been carrying the burden of everyone doubting us.

“When Darrin made his shot, he took off running to the opposite end of the court. Our whole bench – players and coaches – ran after Darrin.

“I threw my shoulder out of place in the celebration. I had to see the trainer.”

As for the upcoming season, the Dragons suffered a blow when star guard Hykeem Williams made the decision to focus solely on football, where he is a Florida State recruit at wide receiver.

There are just three returners on the team this season: 5-9 sophomore point guard Esron Simeon; 5-8 senior guard Andre Brown; and 6-4 junior forward Mekhi Murray.

Simeon, who averaged 19.0 points last season for an undefeated junior varsity, could be one of the best guards in Stranahan history, Schuler said.

The other starters are 5-10 junior guard Ricardo Williams; 6-2 sophomore guard Justin Snell; 6-4 junior wing Roland Majors; and 6-5 senior wing Joshua Verdrine.

Williams averaged 20.0 points at Paul VI in Virginia. Snell is a highly athletic talent who transferred in from Dillard. Majors has earned a “Zion Williamson” nickname because he weighs 230 pounds but yet he is an explosive leaper. Verdrine is a Dillard transfer with a 6-8 wingspan and great leaping ability.

“We’re deep,” Schuler said. “It’s the most talented team we’ve had in a while at Stranahan.”

TOP TEN

▪ 1. Calvary Christian (see above)

▪ 2. Westminster Academy went 22-7 and advanced to the regional finals. Ehren Wallhoff, who has coached WA for 20 years, said this is “probably my most talented” team. The top two talents are 6-9 senior forward Jaylen Curry, who averaged 19.0 points and 12.0 rebounds; and 6-3 sophomore combo guard Alex Lloyd, who averaged 25.3 points. Wallhoff also picked up a pair of transfers: 6-7 forward DJ Wimbley, who averaged 20.2 points and 7.7 rebounds at Dillard; and 6-8 freshman guard Alexander Constanza, who averaged 15.5 points and 9.0 rebounds at Mater.

▪ 3. Cardinal Gibbons, which went 22-6 and reached the regional semifinals, returns seven of its top nine players. The team should get better once its football players – such as 6-3 junior Casey Etienne – get in basketball shape. Etienne led Gibbons in points (17.3), rebounds (7.0), assists (5.4) and steals (3.0). He could be the best junior point guard in the state, according to coach Bill Mallon. In addition, Caleb Alceus, a 6-5 senior forward, averaged 16.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists. “Casey and Caleb will get recruited,” Mallon said. “Casey has a 4.4 GPA. Caleb has a 3.8 GPA.” Sam Vill, a 6-0 junior guard, averaged 18.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 7.3 assists. Marcus Perrier, a 6-3 sophomore power forward, averaged 10.1 points and 9.4 rebounds.

▪ 4. North Broward Prep, which went 27-3 and reached the regional semifinals, will be led in the backcourt by 6-4 senior Ryan Weiss, who averaged 27.6 points and 8.6 rebounds, and 6-0 senior Ben Daniels. The Eagles have size and skill up front with 6-8 junior Enrico Borio, 6-5 junior Raul Perez, 6-5 freshman Junxi Yang and 6-7 sophomore Pavle Djeric. Weiss, a dead-eye shooter, is the player to watch. But Borio is an explosive athlete, and Perez is a stat-stuffer who does a bit of everything.

▪ 5. Stranahan (see above)

▪ 6. Sagemont, which went 25-7 and finished second at the Class 2A state finals, is led by 6-1 senior point guard Ashton Smith, who averaged 9.7 points, 3.9 assists and 2.0 steals. The Lions have a strong senior class, including 6-4 shooting guard Max Martinez, 6-7 forward Tynan Becker and 6-8 center Danikos Kaspares. Becker is the Lions’ leading returning scorer at 11.8.

▪ 7. Pembroke Pines Charter (25-4) graduated their top four scorers but have a lot of young talent, including two of the top-five freshmen in Broward: 6-0 guard Jayden Joseph and 6-1 guard David Nealy. The top veterans, relatively speaking, are 5-9 junior guard Solomon Hughes and 6-3 senior guard Derrick Edouard.

▪ 8. Boyd Anderson (15-8) returns its leading scorer, 6-0 point guard William Gray, who is ranked the second-best junior in Broward County. Senior Kellen Cashman and junior Jaden Glaze fill out a potent backcourt. Sophomore guards Terrence Walker and Zoland Bennett add quality depth.

▪ 9. South Plantation, which went 13-14, has a deep roster, with coach Derek Felder committed to playing 10 to 12 players. Kaiden Francis, a 6-1 junior point guard, is a third-year starter who averaged 10.0 points. Omare Wallace, a 6-7 senior center, and Harry Gelin, a 6-3 junior wing, also averaged double figures.

▪ 10. Stoneman Douglas, which went 17-4, is pinning its hopes on 6-6 senior forward Damerius Summers and 6-5 freshman forward Kevin Thomas.

BEST OF THE REST

▪ Calvary Christian (Gold): The varsity squad – not to be confused with school’s national team – is led by 6-5 sophomore guard Malachi Martis, 6-7 junior forward John Roland and 6-5 junior Ian Parham Jr. Martis has an offer from St. John’s.

▪ Coral Glades, which appears to be highly improved from last season’s 6-17 record, is led by 6-1 junior point guard Ramez Zayed, who can score and distribute. Tahir Boyd, a 6-3 junior shooting guard, is an athletic two-player who soars above the rim. Dom Smith, a 6-4 senior wing, and 6-8 junior Dylan Burrowes provide rebounds and points in the paint.

▪ Coral Springs lost all five starters from last season’s 16-11 district championship team that lost in the regional quarterfinals. The top players this season are 6-3 sophomore wing Alex Pierre Louis; 6-4 junior wing Romae Brown; and 6-3 junior shooting guard Walter Pierre Louis.

▪ Hallandale (18-10) will be powered by a a pair of top seniors: 6-0 point guard Anthony Floyd and 6-6 forward Anthony Edouard.

▪ Cypress Bay (23-6) graduated its top three scorers but will be powered by 5-11 junior guard Caleb Krivitzkin.

▪ Fort Lauderdale (17-10) has loaded up with talented players such as 6-4 senior guard Andrew Azebeokhai; 6-0 junior guard Khamari Green; 6-1 sophomore guard Jamiro Smith; and 6-5 sophomore forward Matt Pointer.

▪ Blanche Ely (8-11) is led by 6-2 senior guard Harlem Howard, who has 15 scholarship offers (including FIU and Charlotte) to play safety in football. Ely also boasts sophomore guards Tre George and Dylan Hannah and 6-5 freshman forward Kaleb Corbett.

▪ Everglades (8-16) is led by 6-1 senior guard Liam Stephen, 6-0 junior guard Luis Lastra, 6-3 junior wing David Darling and 6-4 sophomore guard Lance Bailey. Chaz Chambers, a 6-1 sophomore guard, is the son of former NFL wide receiver Chris Chambers.

▪ Pine Crest (5-16) is led by 6-foot freshman guard Benji Graper. Zion Sampaio, a 6-6 sophomore forward, is another potential star in the making.

▪ Highlands Christian (13-16) lacks height, but the squad can shoot and defend. Senior guard Jessiah-Pierre Johnson is getting some Division I interest. Senior wing Brian Estime is getting Division II interest.

This story was originally published November 14, 2022 at 12:00 PM.