Friday night the University of Miami was out to see their 2010 post commit Selina Archer (6’4’’ C East Ridge) and check out super-frosh Alexis Prince of Edgewater. While it was close at half time (19-17) Edgewater pulled away at the end to win by more then 20 points. Edgewater is also led by senior Kalyn Dinkins who sustained a concussion versus Olympia in Edgewater’s district championship game. Dinkins has already signed early with Florida Atlantic. Edgewater also has one of the top unsigned kids in the state Tera McDaniel who is a 5’6’’ point guard. UF head coach Amanda Butler attended the Olympia – Edgewater game to check out Prince as well who picked up an offer from them when she attended their game against Ole Miss earlier in the season. UCF was also in the house for the Edgewater-East Ridge game likely eyeing Prince as well. In the second game Ocoee who is led by ETSU signee Ashley Crider (6’2’’ Forward) and Kamari Smith 5’6’’ G who has signed at the University of Tampa faced Olympia who beat them for the first time ever and advanced to the playoffs for the first time ever behind a strong game by sophomore Monique Bunk and Senior Kayla Cruz. Bunk is one of the top point guard prospects in 2011 in the south. Taj Kallore – Baldwin is an on again off again contributor for Olympia but is a player to watch for Division I schools in the 2012 class.
Saturday I took the trek down I4 to Lakewood High School who had been defeated by Boca Ciega in the district semi’s to face St. Pete Gibbs. NC State and Seminole Community College were in the house for this game which was a 68-43 win for Boca Ciega. Latavia Dempsey scored 21 points for Boca Ciega who picked up her first offer from NC State after the game. Torie Stephens who has already signed with Morehead State scored 21 as well for Boca Ciega. Although Lakewood did not play they have a pair of top flight 2010 prospects in 5’9’’ Point Guard Latesha Johnson and 6’3’’ forward Janae Wilson.
Sunday I attended the University of Florida versus Tennessee game where there were a slew of prospects attending the game. Alexis Prince attended the game with her parents and was decked out in Gator gear for the biggest win in Amanda Butler’s career. Morgan Jones the sister of freshman Tailor Jones was attendance. Morgan likely will be one of the top 25 2011 players in the country. Sunshine Reid who is a 5’9’’ wing player from Mayo Lafayette attended the game and expressed her desire to play basketball for the Gators as well. Tynia McKinzie and Monique Bunk attended the game and were some of the top 2011 prospects in attendance with Ribault stars Alexis Brown, Forrest Jeffery, and Kayla Brewer all who are getting some love from the Gator staff. 6’4’’ Center out of Orange Park High School Katherine Zander was in attendance as well. Zander is one of the top sophomore post prospects in the south. For the near future, Butler had to be happy that top 50 post prospect Deaundra Young of Titusville Astronaut was in the house. Young has been rumored to be a lock for Florida for some time now.
On the left coast Sue Favor went to see Mater Dei in their game against Cajon. Here is that game report;
A pair of sophomores led first-ranked Mater Dei over Cajon Friday night in a fast-paced, physical matchup that brought the best out of both teams.
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis poured in 21 points - 19 in the second half - and Alexyz Vaioletama added 13 in the 64-56 victory. Mosqueda-Lewis and Vaioletama matched each other in rebounds and steals at six and three, respectively.
The game was highly-anticipated and well-attended. Mater Dei, which starts a freshman, a sophomore, a junior and two seniors, has risen from obscurity and a losing record two years ago to a national number-one ranking this year under Coach Kevin Kiernan. Cajon is led by one of the premiere guards in the country in Layshia Clarendon, along with Arkansas-bound Darshae Burnside.
Vaioletama came off the bench a few minutes into the first quarter and made an immediate impact. She hit a pretty floater from the right side, then forced it up and in from the low post one play later. At the period buzzer, Vaioletama caught a long pass for a bucket to put the Monarchs up 20-8. She scored five more points in the second quarter to end the half with 11.
Conversely, Mosqueda-Lewis' game didn't heat up until the second half. The Cowgirls began the third quarter with a run to put themselves up 38-31, but a Mosqueda-Lewis shot put out their fire, and Mater Dei began a run of their own.
Mosqueda-Lewis was everywhere, taking the ball to the rack and hitting from the outside. The game was still in question with 37.4 seconds to go, as Mater Dei lead 61-56. Mosqueda-Lewis drove to the hoop and scored, but was also fouled. Her free throw shot sealed the victory for the Monarchs.
"I can't let someone take me out of my game," she said afterwards, in a reference to the first half, when she and Clarendon were guarding each other. "That was my thought going into the second half."
Mosqueda-Lewis is the leader scorer on her team, at 22.5 average points per game, up from 15.5 last year. Vaioletama averages 14.5 points per game. The team's next two leading scorers are a couple of freshmen: Taylor Spears and Jordan Adams, each averaging eight. Mater Dei's future is promising, to say the least.
Mosqueda-Lewis and Vaioletama average 12 and 11.5 rebounds per game, respectively, which also is tops on the team. They are among the players to watch for the class of 2011.
Both have been playing basketball since the age of nine. Each cited defense as an aspect of her game that needs improvement, though they and their team suffocated Cajon throughout the matchup by pressing, and with pressure defense. Vaioletama is a 6-foot-1-inch forward; Mosqueda-Lewis, a 6-foot guard.
Vaioletama said her strength is in taking the ball to the rim and getting rebounds, which she enjoys doing. Mosqueda-Lewis cited perimeter shooting and getting rebounds as her best playing traits. When asked what aspects of her game need improvement she named defense, but then added that there were "a lot of other things."
"There's too many to name right now," she said.
Undefeated Mater Dei has dominated so strongly this year that it's been difficult for them to find an opponent that challenges them. Friday's eight-point win matched their victory margin over La Jolla Country Day last month, and is their smallest margin of victory. The fact that Mosqueda-Lewis and Vaioletama were still able to mostly match their averages against Cajon says much about their skill level, as well as their determination.
"We were really up for this game," Vaioletama said.
The Monarchs take on Lutheran Wednesday in their last league game before the Southern Section playoffs begin. Mater Dei previously defeated Lutheran 68-35 in their last meeting in January.
Other matchups: Foothill, 57, Long Beach Wilson, 32
USC-bound Christina Marinacci put up 18 of her game-high 27 points in the first half of the contest against Long Beach Wilson, including four three-point shots. Blair Shinoda, headed to UC Davis next year, added 11 points for the Knights.
Senior guard Ciarra Ford lead the Bruins with 12 points, and Tiffany Bailey added 11.