Miami High basketball boasts best record since ’05
No other boys’ basketball program in Florida has such a deeply rooted winning legacy as Miami High.
A look up at the top of the Stingarees’ gym, long dubbed “The Asylum” for its raucous atmospheres in big games in the past, will still remind you of that tradition when you see most of the state-record 19 state championship banners hanging on each side.
But it’s been nearly two decades since Miami High has been able to put up a new one.
Make no mistake, though: Ending that drought means the world to the current Stingarees players and coaches.
“In high school in Florida, you can go anywhere in the state and someone will tell you a story they remember about Miami High,” Miami High coach Humberto Govea said. “It’s nice to put the polo [shirt] on and represent them and me, being a Hispanic living in Little Havana, I’m proud of that.”
Miami High appears to be taking the first steps.
It has done something this season it hadn’t done since that last state title squad in 2005 by putting together its first 20-plus win season.
The Stingarees are 21-7 following a dominant 72-49 victory over Miami Palmetto on its home floor this past Thursday in the District 16-7A semifinals.
Miami High is headed to the regional playoffs for the second time in the past three seasons since Govea became coach following a 2-10 season during the COVID-shortened
2020-21 high school year.
Big picture, the Stingarees are major underdogs playing in the same region as two-time reigning state champion and national No. 1-ranked Miami Columbus, which they faced Saturday night for the district title. But Govea and his staff have built a foundation for potential long-term success with a homegrown roster anchored by a talented core of 11 juniors.
“There’s a little more fire when you do it for the city and for Miami High,” Govea said. “That’s why we came here for the culture and the basketball town and these guys are real about basketball. All of them come back and appreciate it.”
Miami High, which led by as many as 28 points Thursday night in a game in which it avenged a loss earlier in the season to Palmetto, is led by guard Romari Robinson, a 6-5 junior who is being recruited by FSU, Florida Gulf Coast and UMass. Robinson is averaging a team-high 16.8 points per game as well as 6.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.
Joseph Jean, a 6-5 guard who had 23 points against Palmetto; Aaron Richard, a 6-7 forward who has interest from Old Dominion; and 6-1 guard AJ Cortes, who has drawn interest from St. Thomas University and Barry; are also each averaging more than 10 points per game.
In an era with rampant transferring in high school sports, Govea credits the group for banding together and embracing the school’s tradition as they hope to carry the program to heights it hasn’t achieved in some time.
Govea, a former assistant
coach at Doral Academy and Miami Coral Reef and head coach at North Miami and Coral Gables, is in his third season coaching the Stingarees after inheriting a difficult situation following the COVID-19 outbreak.
Govea, who is from New Jersey, didn’t attend Miami High in high school.
But his staff includes both Miami High alums and “lifers.” Two of them — Eddy Mercedes and JC Flowers — played on Miami High’s 2005 championship team that was coached by Marcus Carreno and had former University of Miami and Phoenix Suns player Dwayne Collins.
Carlos Abril graduated from the school in 1970 and played for legendary former coach Vince Schaefer. Mark Baranek has been on staff since 1988, assisting former Stingarees coaches such as the late Shakey Rodriguez, Martin and Carreno, and has been a part of eight state championship teams.
“These guys take a lot of hours and certainly don’t do it for pay,” Govea said. “When we got here, there was maybe one kid coming back. The previous staff had a hard time with COVID. We had to build almost like a new school. We got the word out and got a lot of kids involved.”
Miami High got off to an 0-3 start this season after close losses to reigning Class 2A state champion Weston Sagemont, Miami Northwestern and Miami Norland.
But things turned quickly after a buzzer-beater win over Wellington, and a win over Naples First Baptist, sparking a run of 21 wins in 25 games, with three of those losses coming against defending state champs Riviera Prep, Mater Lakes and Columbus.
“When a new kid comes into our program, we teach them the history. We show them the movie ‘The Asylum,’ but a lot of them don’t know the history because it’s been a while [since they’ve won a championship],” Govea said. “Right away, it’s embedded that they’re playing for something more and when former players come around and talk to them, they understand it better.”
Miami Heat legend and Stingarees’ alum Udonis Haslem is among the school’s former stars who have come back to speak to Govea’s players. So has former Miami High coach Frank Martin, who is now the head coach at UMass.
The Stingarees even hung a banner across the façade of the upper deck of their gym with the school’s logo with the phrase, “The High,” a nickname often said for years referring to Miami High being Miami’s original high school that opened in 1903.
The Stingarees are projected to be the No. 3 seed in Region 4-7A behind top-seed Columbus and Coral Springs. It would put them on a potential path to another matchup with Columbus in the regional finals if they can win their first two playoff games.
“Hey, Buster Douglas beat Mike Tyson once, too. You never know,” Govea said. “Nowadays, kids go everywhere, but we’re lucky we have a group that stayed with us, and let’s see how far we can take it.”