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Boys Basketball: What To Look For This Season

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By NICK WILLIAMS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 24, 2008

Another boys basketball season tips off this week for Hillsborough County high schools. Here's the tall and short of what lies ahead.

The Starting Five

THE GREAT EXPECTATION

John Henson, Sickles, 6-10, Sr., Power Forward: Already signed to the University of North Carolina and the No. 3-rated senior in the country, everyone is eager to see what Henson is made of. He averaged 25 points and 11 rebounds per game as a junior at Round Rock High in Texas.

THE SLASHER

Sheldon Cooley, Plant, 6-3, Sr., Guard: No one gets to the basket easier than Cooley, who has signed with Division I East Tennessee State. He led the Panthers to the Class 5A region semifinals last year while averaging 22.1 points per game.

FIVE POSITIONS IN ONE

Toarlyn Fitzpatrick, King, 6-8, Sr., Forward: Not too many players Fitzpatrick's size can lead a fast break or run the offense from the top of the key. The Georgia Southern-bound forward led the Lions with 15.5 points, 10 rebounds and two assists per game as a junior.

THE MISMATCH

Callum Townsend, Bloomingdale, 6-5, Sr., Guard/Forward: He can't be left alone on the perimeter, and he's too big for smaller guards to defend in the post. One of the best inside-outside players in the Tampa area, Townsend led Hillsborough County in scoring as a junior with 27.0 points per game and has fully recovered from an ACL tear sustained this past summer.

THE RAIN DROPPER

Johnathan Gray, Berkeley Prep, 6-3, Sr., Guard: Three-pointers fall from the sky like rain whenever Gray is open behind the arc. A pure shooter, Gray led the Buccaneers with 16 points per game while shooting 40 percent from 3-point range.

KEEP AN EYE ON:
• Jordan Davis, Sickles, Jr., PG

• Austin Suarez, Berkeley Prep, Sr., G

• Jamal Cherry, Tampa Prep, Jr., G

• Joe Raga, Bloomingdale, Sr., F

• A.J. Garden, Durant, Sr., G

Top 5 Teams

Sickles: Gryphons were already talented with the return of guards Jordan Davis (No. 30 point guard in 2010 by ESPN) and Kelvin Daniels. The addition of Henson makes Sickles a state final four team.

Bloomingdale: Forward Joe Raga's transfer to Bloomingdale from Newsome will give the Bulls, who went 11-13 last year, a dominant one-two punch along with Townsend.

King: The Lions missed the playoffs last year, but the average height of the Lions' front court is 6-5, led by Fitzpatrick.

Berkeley Prep: Two-time defending district champion has arguably the most talented backcourt in the county with Austin Suarez and Gray.

Tampa Prep: Key transfers in Jay Bowie and Jordan Heath (son of University of South Florida coach Stan Heath) along with Jamal Cherry and Jake Haslam have Terrapins thinking final four again.

ON THE BUBBLE: Plant, Durant, Chamberlain, Hillsborough, Tampa Bay Tech

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