The Hoop Vibe Fall League: Week 1 Standouts

ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – This past Saturday, the inaugural kickoff event for The Hoop Vibe took place on the campus of Admiral Farragut Academy. 

Six games were played at the 10-week Saturday Fall League on a fun day of hoops in the gym.

Results: 

Game 1: Countryside 70, Clearwater 44

Game 2: Bradenton Christian 55, Largo 41

Game 3: Southeast 59, Gibbs 31

Game 4: Northside Christian 67, Admiral Farragut 41

Game 5: East Lake 67, Santa Fe Catholic 57

Game 6: Gateway Charter 73, Calvary Christian 66

Here are the top standouts from the day:

2023 6-4 G Jahmari Johnson – Gateway Charter 

Jahmari Johnson led the charge for the Griffins as they were in a back and forth battle. In the first half, he had a beautiful sequence with a step back mid-range jumper and then a vicious block on the other end. Johnson sealed the win with a powerful finish at the rim to put his side ahead by four points with just around 40 seconds left. With 20 points, he really shined in this one and deserves much more attention from college programs right now.

…2025 6-7 F Patrick Johnson was beyond active on both ends of the floor with 21 points and is certainly a young prospect to keep an eye on moving forward.

2024 6-1 G Daniel MacGregor – Calvary Christian

Daniel MacGregor put together a 25-point performance despite being double teamed for a majority of the game by a speedy Gateway Charter defense. He connected on four 3’s in the first half and dug deep with crafty assists and transition play down the stretch. MacGregor is a problem on both ends of the floor. 

…2024 6-6 F Ace Taylor (19 points) was taking advantage of his open space whether it was on assist or his own barring. He punched one-handed dunks three times on the break and he looks poised for his nice junior campaign.

2023 6-2 G Ezequiel Munoz – Santa Fe Catholic

The best overall shooting performance on the afternoon came from Ezequiel Munoz. He generated 30 points which included six 3’s. Munoz simply couldn’t miss, especially in the first half as he tacked on 18 points. His teammates gave him plenty of open looks, but he got to his spots and made the defense pay often.

2023 6-2 G Tobias Gunter – Northside Christian

One of the most in-sync groups you’ll find, Northside Christian earned a fine outing from Tobias Gunter. He led the charge with 21 points. He was locked in from the jump, finishing at the rim and being assertive with his strength and speed.

…2023 6-3 F Emareion Glover (18 points) cleaned up misses and did his part with his leaping ability to score. 2023 5-10 G Skylar Scull (10 points) recorded a slew of sweet assists, setting his group up for easy buckets.

2023 6-1 G Aaron Barton – Southeast 

It is quite clear, that Aaron Barton has a chip on his shoulder. That is a good thing for him and this Southeast team. Barton netted 17 points which included 11 points over the final 20 minutes of action. A very skilled ballhandler, he has furthered his progression with his jumper and proved to be a high IQ shooter. 

2023 6-0 G Albert Lacy – East Lake

East Lake is playing good basketball and have a trio of 2023 prospects that are performing well alongside one another. Albert Lacy has made strides as a confident slasher and a shooter. With 18 points, I liked what I saw from him all game long.

…2023 5-11 G Justin Kruszewski (20 points) has matured a ton over the last year stretch with his quick handles, smooth jumper and push to the rack. 2023 6-0 G Henry Hurst Jr. (18 points) went downhill often and used his strong upper body to his advantage in 1-on-1 situations often.

2023 6-3 G/F Kobie White – Countryside

A transfer from Boca Ciega, it was a nice first outing for Kobie White. He doesn’t shy away from defenders, and uses his length and speed to get by defenders. White’s jumper guided him throughout as he ended up with a team-best 14 points.

2023 6-0 G Carmine Thomas – Gibbs 

Speed aplenty is on the side of Gibbs. With Carmine Thomas, he fits the bill as a floor pusher, skilled ball handler and attacker. Ending with 14 points against Southeast, he had very bright moments and proved he isn’t afraid of contact time and time again.

2023 6-2 G Preston Church – Largo

For Largo, Preston Church played hard all game long as he added 14 points. I enjoyed the way he approached each possession with smarts and intense focus. Church uses his athleticism and length to his advantage. 

Honorable mentions: 

2024 6-0 G Daniel Mendoza – Southeast (13 points)

–Mendoza gave Southeast really good minutes, hitting three 3’s and a few nice mid-range looks.

2025 6-0 G Aaron Clark – Bradenton Christian (11 points)

-Clark is an in-command guard who led the charge with his balanced shooting. 

2024 5-11 G Kaleb Oriol – Admiral Farragut (10 points) 

-Oriol has steady burst to his game and handles to create his own looks.

2023 6-2 G Masai Mcabee – Countryside (13 points) 

-A rangy guard, Mcabee made the most of his looks getting inside and finishing often.

2026 5-11 G Geradin Jones – Clearwater (11 points)

-Jones impressed with his ability to create contact and he didn’t shy away from it.

2026 6-4 G Ethan Sabec – Calvary Christian (12 points)

-A long-armed shooter, Sabec shined from the corners hitting four 3’s.

2024 6-1 G London Dempsey – Bradenton Christian (11 points)

-Dempsey is a steady presence on the floor and hustles to create for himself and others. 

2023 5-11 G Adrian Moss – Largo (11 points) 

-Moss is super athletic and strong at the point of attack.

Jake Perper has covered sports as a writer since 2010 and a basketball scout since 2015. He was the Southeast Scouting Director for the Prep Hoops Circuit and the lead scout for Prep Hoops’ Florida site for seven years. You can follow him on Twitter @thehoopvibe.