Reloading and returning
Dwyer, Sagemont prep for title defense; Calvary Christian back in
Sagemont and Dwyer were the lone boys basketball teams from Broward and Palm Beach counties to bring home the state championship hardware last year.
Sagemont won its third state championship in school history as it jumped out to a 53-36 lead after three quarters and then held off a late charge to top three-time Class 2A defending champion Orlando Christian Academy 67-66. The Lions also won in 2011 and 2014.
Sagemont graduated three players, including Broward 5A-1A Sun Sentinel Player of the Year Tynan Becker (Santa Fe College) but has three quality returnees in senior forward Kenneth Lopez, senior forward Dominic Issa and senior guard Deontae Jean.
Add in transfers in sophomore guard Kevin Thomas (Stoneman Douglas), junior guard Ricky Liburd (University School) and senior guard Jordyn Kee (South Carolina), and coach David Roe believes this team may be more talented than last year’s team.
Dwyer picked up its fourth state title with a 51-40 victory over Ponte Vedra in the Class 6A game.
The Panthers also won in 2004, 2005, and 2011. They were also runner-up in 2021.
Senior forward Amari Nealy, senior CG Jaelen Nelson, and senior guard Bobby Gilbert head a talented cast.
Calvary Christian Academy returns
After winning the Class 3A state championship in 2021, Cilk McSweeney decided he’d play a national schedule last season.
Calvary Christian Academy is back playing in Class 4A this season and is going for a third FHDSS state championship. It also won their other title in 2017.
Calvary Christian Academy finished 7-14 as an independent last season and is back in Class 4A. The Eagles will be led by 6-8 junior guard Shon Abaev, who is ranked in the top 40 in the nation in the Class of 2025, along with transfers Stone Bureau, a senior guard from Suncoast, and freshman guard Cayden Daughtry (Somerset Canyons Academy), who is ranked top five in his class.
‘Most talented ever’?
Westminster Academy coach Ehren Wallhoff (401-135 in 23 years at the school) likes what he sees in his version of the Big 3.
The Lions, who fell 56-54 to the eventual Class 3A state champion Riviera Prep in the regional finals, will be led by Alex Lloyd, DJ Wimbley, and Alex Constanza (ranked sixth in the Class of ’26). They also have a 6-7 senior Jeremiah Police (Suncoast transfer). All kids will be playing Division I basketball, according to their coach.
“My expectations are very high,” Wallhoff said. “It may be my highest talented team in my career.”
Cardinal Newman graduated Derek Lomicky and lost senior guard Andrew Signorelli, who transferred to King’s Academy.
Cardinal Newman did pick up senior Jermaine Council, a transfer from Kings Academy, who also starred on the gridiron. Council averaged a team-leading 18 points, six rebounds and five assists for the 27-2 Lions last season and helped them win their first district title in 33 years.
Junior Xanai Scott (Dwyer) and sophomore Jyron Hughley (Glades Day) also transferred in.
The Crusaders are expected to be better than last year’s 10-15 record and first-round exit from the district playoffs.
Other Broward teams to watch
St. Thomas Aquinas: Raiders coach Julius Sandi hopes to repeat as district champion despite the loss of small forward Zakaih Saez, who graduated and is playing football at Oregon State.
Among the standouts on his team is his son DJ, a sophomore, who averaged 11 points, four assists, and four steals per game. Sandi’s other son, Kellson, a freshman, is also going to be counted on. Pembroke Pines Charter: The 2021 state champion Jaguars are solid with senior forwards Joshua Harris, committed to North Florida and Jeremy Elyzee, who holds multiple D-I offers. Pembroke Pines Charter will also rely on senior guard Ramez Zayed and junior guard David Nealey.
North Broward Prep: The Eagles fell in the Class 4A regional final last year to eventual state champion Mater Lakes. A big piece of that group, Ryan Weiss, who averaged a team-leading 15.5 points per game, graduated from a squad that won its first district
title since 2003. North Broward Prep added senior Emin Kara (Turkey), sophomore guards Ryan Baxley, Jayden Smith, wings Samuel Cano, Hudson Samuels, and senior wing Francesco Borio (Brazil). Miramar: Former Florida Dairy Farmers and Sun Sentinel Coach of the Year Tramaine Stevens returns to his old stomping grounds to turn around a program that struggled the two years he was at Chicago State University as an assistant coach. The Patriots went a combined 7-28 the past two years. The team returns mostly juniors ( just two seniors) in addition to junior transfers Joshua Skinner (South Plantation), Zayvian Bieger (South Plantation) and Nehemiah Jean-Charles (McArthur). Stevens led the squad to a state championship in 2020.
South Plantation: The Paladins are coming off a 24-5 stellar season and winning their first district title in 23 years. They also advanced to the Big 8 championship game for the first time in program history, reaching the tournament finals. The Paladins are led this season by 6-2 senior guard Kaiden Francis.
Blanche Ely: Lamar Twitty is one of several first-year coaches at their schools this year. After coaching previously at Coral Springs Charter School, Twitty is hoping for big contributions from transfer juniors Terrence Walker (Boyd Anderson), Jayelen Jonas (Nova), and senior Angelo Carver (Highlands Christian).
Boyd Anderson: The Cobras were hit hard by graduation losing six seniors and a trio of transfers in sophomore Juawayne Walters (Somerset Academy), sophomore Nicholas Florea (South Broward), and freshman Jaydan Silvera (Somerset Academy).
Cardinal Gibbons: The Chiefs get back senior Casey Etienne, who missed last year due to a torn ACL, to a 22-7 team that won the BCAA Big 8 and fell in the regionals. Junior guard Tao Schriber (American Heritage) should also help. Chaminade-Madonna: Lions coach Teddy Lyons fell in the regional to Blanche Ely last season but has high hopes this season thanks to junior guard Isaac Mothersill, who has averaged more than 20 points per game in the preseason and can score at all three levels.
Other Palm teams to watch
Lake Worth: Even with the graduation of three talented seniors, the Trojans return enough to be in the discussion. In addition to senior Fab 5 selection Hedrens Bartelus, they also bring back senior Jeremy Innocent, along with juniors Ryan Colby, Sean Standifer (Wellington transfer), Chaison Wilson, and sophomore Tyriq McCleod.
King’s Academy: The Lions lost in the Elite 8 last season after going 27-2 and also lost their leading scorer to transfer. They did add Andrew Signorelli (Cardinal Newman), Isaiah McCoy (Lake Worth Christian), and Evan Alicea (Puerto Rico).
Wellington: The Wolverines graduated Shawn Cineus and Erick Perez, who both signed with Palm Beach State. Veteran coach Matt Colin returns Lincoln Memorial University commit wing Elyjah Freeman and Barry University commit point guard Reggie Reinhardt.
St. Andrew’s: Scots coach John O’Connell surpassed 700 career wins last year and won a district title. Gone is Andrew Sineway, who graduated. They did pick up junior Gabe Stewart (Daytona Beach DME) and expect juniors Alex Montes and Gabe Vincent to contribute heavily.
Jupiter Christian: The defending champion Eagles graduated four key seniors from last year’s team, and they will be looking for senior guard Connor Hoffman, who coach Brian Mullican labeled a “college-level talent.” Jupiter: The Warriors were hit hard by graduation losing seven of their top nine players – five starters, four who are playing college basketball.
Lake Worth Christian: The Defenders also graduated four key members from a team that fell in the regional quarterfinals and will pin hopes on junior guard Landen Harood.
Key dates
Jan. 24-27; BCAA Big 8; Feb. 6-10: District tournaments; Feb. 15: Class 7A-2A regional quarterfinals, Class 1A regional semifinals; Feb. 20: Class 7A-2A regional semifinals, Class 1A regional finals; Feb. 23: Class 7A-2A regional finals; Feb. 27-March 2: State tournament at RP Funding Center in Lakeland: Classes 1A-4A: March 6-9: Classes 5A-7A.
2022-23 state champions
Class 7A: Miami Columbus; Class 6A: Dwyer; Class 5A: Belen Jesuit; Class 4A: Mater Lakes Academy; Class 3A: Riviera Prep; Class 2A: Sagemont; Class 1A: Williston.