Broward boys’ basketball preview: Westminster duo among county’s top returning stars
It’s a delicious debate.
Who is the best boys’ basketball prospect/player in Broward County?
Westminster Academy, which went 23-6 and advanced to last season’s Class 3A regional final, can make a strong case with 6-3 shooting guard Alex Lloyd, who has committed to Florida; and 6-9 point guard/wing Alex Constanza, who has more than a dozen big-time offers (including Miami, Florida State and Florida).
Constanza is ranked the No. 11 junior in the nation by 247 Sports. Lloyd is ranked the 33rd-best senior in the nation by ESPN.
Westminster coach Ehren Wallhoff didn’t want to have to choose between his two superstars, but he said Constanza has some special tools because of his extreme length for a point guard.
“He scored 47 points in a recent summer-league showcase,” Wallhoff said. “His height gives him great court vision to pass, and he can attack off the dribble or kick it out to shooters. He’s a rare talent.”
Lloyd is a knock-down shooter who is also dynamic athletically.
“If you don’t guard him on the 3-point line, he will bury you,” Wallhoff said. “And once he hits a few 3-pointers, it’s ‘game over’ because he attacks the rim with violence. He has such a burst at the rim that it seems like he is 6-7 instead of 6-4.”
Meanwhile, the Sagemont Lions, who have won two straight Class 2A state titles and have played in three consecutive state finals, have three candidates for top prospect/player.
There’s 6-5 senior shooting guard Matthew Able, who has committed to the Miami Hurricanes; Patrick Liburd, a 6-6 senior wing who has committed to Coastal Carolina; and Kevin Thomas, a 6-8 junior forward who has offers from Cal, Auburn and Mississippi State.
“(Able) is an elite scorer from all three levels,” Sagemont coach David Roe said. “He’s a playmaker with deep range.
“(Liburd) finishes well even with contact, and he’s also good at catch-and-shoot 3-pointers.
“(Thomas) is incredibly athletic, and he handles the ball well for a player his size. He’s a shot-creator.”
Calvary Christian boasts three stars in 6-7 forward Shon Abaev, who is ranked 30th among seniors; 6-0 point guard Cayden Daughtry, who is ranked the 14th-best sophomore in the nation; and 6-8 wing Collin Paul, who is ranked by 247 Sports as the 66th-best junior forward.
Calvary Christian coach Cilk McSweeney raved about Abaev, who has narrowed his choices to Arkansas, Arizona State, Auburn, Cincinnati and Oregon.
“Shon will probably be the next star to come out of this area,” McSweeney said. “He was recently named the MVP of an all-star game televised by ESPN. He has the ability to handle the ball, make passes off the pick-and-roll, shoot 3-pointers and defend with great length.”
Daughtry has offers from Arizona State, Mississippi State and West Virginia.
Paul has offers from Miami, Georgia Tech, Arizona State and Mississippi State.
Over at St. Thomas Aquinas, 6-6 senior wing Dwayne Wimbley Jr. is set to lead the Raiders after playing last season for Westminster Academy.
Wimbley, who is ranked No. 20 among all Florida seniors, has committed to Florida State … even though his father and namesake played for the Hurricanes as a 6-9 center in the late 1990s/early 2000s.
“Dwayne (Jr.) is really good,” Aquinas coach Julius Sandi said. “His jump shot has improved. He can now create off the bounce and make his teammates better. He’s just so consistent and athletic.”
Aquinas has two other players with scholarship offers: 6-2 sophomore point guard Drake “DJ” Sandi – who is the coach’s son – and 6-5 sophomore wing Zane Elliott.
Sandi is a first-team All-Broward player and one of four returning starters who last season led Aquinas to the regional semifinals.
He averaged 11.8 points, 4.8 assists and 3.3 steals last season. Those are not eye-popping scoring numbers, but he’s a defense-first player and a skilled passer with offers from Bethune-Cookman, Jacksonville and Albany.
Elliott, who recently got an offer from Albany, averaged 8.0 points last season, shooting 78 percent on free throws and 49 percent on 3-pointers.
THIS AND THAT
▪ Pembroke Pines Charter (25-4) is the reigning Class 6A state champion. But the Jaguars graduated their top three scorers, and they return no players who had double-figure averages last season.
▪ South Plantation (25-6, regional semifinals) will be led by 6-6 senior wing Lathan Coleman, 5-11 junior point guard Travis Chin and 6-0 junior combo guard Gabriel Collier. The team will try for its third straight 20-win season.
▪ South Broward (5-12) will be led by junior guards Nelson Maldonado, William Womack and Artem Sirak. With a new coach (Seth Haimovitch), there are only five returners from last season.
▪ American Heritage (7-12) will be led by 6-1 senior shooting guard David Simpkins, who is an all-star candidate; 5-10 senior point guard Alijah Brown, a transfer from Las Vegas; and 5-11 sophomore guard Ray Taveras, who has star potential. Also watch for 6-6 junior center Malik Brown.
▪ Miramar (15-13) will be led by three prolific scoring senior guards - 6-4 Joshua Skinner, 6-3 Siah Blot and 6-0 Jonathan Berwig. Junior guard Martel Smith moves up from JV and should also add scoring punch.
▪ Highlands Christian (6-16) will be led by junior guard Angel Scomparin, senior forward Brady Dorvil and sophomore guards Corbin Shein and Aydin Crawford.
This story was originally published November 5, 2024 at 11:33 AM.