MaxPreps 2014-15 Preseason Top 25 Basketball preview: No. 9 Arlington Country Day

In most places around the country, a preseason Top 10 national ranking would signal that a team is a prohibitive favorite within its own league.

But not in Florida's Sunshine Independent Athletic Association.

Comprised of preseason national No. 9 Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville), No. 25 Oldsmar Christian, Liberty Christian Prep (Tavares), Potter's House Christian (Jacksonville), The Rock (Gainesville), Victory Rock Prep (Sarasota) and West Oaks (Orlando), the league has become a hotbed for high school basketball.



The SIAA Class of 2014 produced 14 Division I signees. The 2013 crop included first-round NBA Draft pick Joel Embiid.

There are 16 players on SIAA rosters this season already committed to high major college programs or holding an offer from one.

Even with a team that is among the most talented that Rex Morgan has had at Arlington Country Day, defending the league title will be no easy task.

Morgan, who led ACD to a 42-6 state playoff record in 11 appearances while the school was a member the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA), will look to the backcourt combination of Jahshire Hardnett and Lamonte Turner to lead the repeat effort.

Hardnett averaged over 20 points per game as a junior at Gulfport (Miss.) en route to all-state honors. He was also a standout over the summer on Nike's highly competitive EYBL circuit.

Turner is regarded as one of the best scoring guards in the 2016 class and a Top 100 recruit overall, according to 247Sports recruiting guru Jerry Meyer.



Senior Malik Hicks and junior Mario Kegler – another Mississippi transplant – will man the three and four spots for the Apaches.

View gallery of Arlington Country Day preseason photo shoot

In the post, look for 6-foot-10 Spanish transplant Yankuba Sima and 6-8 Brazilian Tulio Da Silva. According to ACD assistant coach Jeff Merritt, Sima may be the team's best passer.

The Apaches open the 2014-15 season Nov. 21 against SIAA rival and fellow preseason Top 25 entry Oldsmar Christian.

Arlington Country Day's last five years:
2013-14 – 30-5, SIAA champions
2012-13 – 30-4
2011-12 – 15-5
2010-11 – 21-2, SIAA champions
2009-10 – 19-6{PAGEBREAK}


State Association/Classification:
Sunshine Independent Athletic Association



Enrollment:
350 (K-12)

Head coach:
Rex Morgan

Career record:
477-83, FHSAA Class 2A state championships in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009

Former Apaches in college/pro basketball:
- Ian Baker, New Mexico State
- James Bell, Villanova
- John Brown, High Point
- Gary Browne, West Virginia
- Dante Buford, Oklahoma
- Brandone Francis, Florida
- Kelvin Gaines, Cincinnati
- Jordan Goodman, New Mexico
- Justin Jackson, Cincinnati
- Michael Javes, Arkansas-Little Rock
- Nikola Jovanovic, USC
- Wally Judge, Rutgers
- Nate Mason, Minnesota
- K.J. Maura, Abilene Christian
- Rodney McGruder, Kansas State/NBDL
- Terrell Miller, Central Florida

Other notable alumni:
- Javier Baez, Chicago Cubs middle infielder{PAGEBREAK}


Ladarius Chester (6-0, Sr., G)




Ibrahim Doumbia (6-8, So., F)


Lamonte Turner (6-2, Jr., G)


Impact newcomers


Tulio Da Silva (6-8, Sr., F)
South Florida verbal commit


Jahshire Hardnett (6-0, Sr., G)


Malik Hicks (6-6, Sr., F)




Mario Kegler (6-7, Jr., F)


Kenneth Nwuba (6-9, Fr., F/C)


Yankuba Sima (6-11, Sr., C)
{PAGEBREAK}


Circle the date: It shouldn't take long to gauge Arlington Country Day's strength this season. The Apaches will travel to Lexington, Ky., for the Bluegrass Showcase Nov. 28-29 for a challenging doubleheader.

First up will be Quality Education Academy, which already put a serious scare into preseason No. 2 Oak Hill Academy and will be hungry for a statement win. On Saturday night, ACD will take on Life Center Academy, a program headed by former Louisville great and NBA veteran Pervis Ellison.

A week later at the Marshall County Hoopfest in Benton, Ky., the Apaches will tangle with No. 6 Huntington St. Joseph Prep (W.V.).



Tournament time: For the second year in a row, Arlington Country Day will head north to Columbia, S.C., for the Chick-fil-A Classic before Christmas (Dec. 19-23).

No. 15 Cape Henry Collegiate and No. 16 Our Savior New American are also in the field for the prestigious tourney.