Pine Crest point guard Brandon Knight added to his list of accolades after being named the 2008-2009 Gatorade Florida Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year and the Florida Dairy Farmers Class 3A Player of the Year.
Knight, a junior, led the Panthers to a second consecutive state title by averaging 31.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.6 assists while shooting 81 percent from the free-throw line this season.
As a result of an amazing season, the 6-foot-3 standout also etched his name in Pine Crest High School basketball history by setting school records for most points in a season and career (968/2,589) and career assists (594).
Knight, who is regarded as one of the top players in the Class of 2010, has nearly every college in the country salivating for his services including Connecticut, Duke, Florida, Georgia Tech, Miami and Syracuse.
Brandon Knight adds to his historic high school career.
Photo by Lisa Yen
His accomplishments now make him eligible for the Gatorade National Player of the Year award as well as Florida’s Mr. Basketball award.
Knight’s Coach, David Beckerman, gained some recognition of his own after receiving the Class 3A Coach of the Year award. Beckerman, who has a 117-22 record at Pine Crest while leading them to three straight Final Four appearances, is also in contention for the state’s overall Coach of the Year award.
Coral Reef forward Charles Hankerson Jr. was named the Class 6A Player of the Year after leading the Barracudas to their first state championship in school history, in any major sport. The 6-5 junior averaged an amazing 21.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists this season. His achievements have also put him in the running for the state’s Mr. Basketball award. Hankerson’s Coach, Gaston Rodriguez, also received recognition after being named the Class 6A Coach of the Year.
Monsignor Pace forward Rakeem Buckles fell short of a third consecutive state title but didn’t fall too far after capturing the state’s Class 4A Player of the Year award. Buckles, a two-time state champion and Louisville signee, averaged 22.8 points, 13.1 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game for the Spartans. Buckles, along with Knight and Hankerson, is a finalist for the state’s Mr. Basketball award.
Girls’ Basketball: Wheeler’s Achievements Roll On
Parkway Academy’s Erica Wheeler continued her claim as the state’s top basketball player after being named the 2008-2009 Florida Class 3A Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year.
Wheeler, a McDonald’s All-American and Rutgers signee, averaged 21.2 points, six assists, four rebounds and five steals per game while leading the Panthers to their second consecutive state championship.
The 5-7 point guard will now take her stellar game to the next level after choosing the Scarlet Knights over the likes of LSU, Florida, Illinois and South Carolina. Wheeler is also a finalist for the state’s Miss Basketball award.
Softball: Florida Christian Continues Dominance
This weekend the Florida Christian (11-4) girls' softball team solidified itself as a viable contender for a shot at the Class 3A state championship. The Patriots captured their first tournament championship at the Doctors Hospital For Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Slam Fest at Palmetto Bay Park on Saturday.
The Patriots displayed a dominant performance after edging some of the state’s top teams in the tournament including wins over Glades Day (last year’s Class 2A state semifinalist), Palm Beach Gardens (last year’s Class 6A state runner-up) and defending Class 6A champion Palmetto.
