Best of the Best Elite Showcase: Pt 5 (2025 Standouts)

Terry Drake December 11, 2020 @ 03:56 PM

The Best of The Best 8th Annual Middle School Showcase Part 5 As we begin the final recap of the Best of the Best Showcase we are going to use Part 5 of the recap to focus one more time…

Access all of Prep Hoops Next

Subscribe for access to all premium articles and rankings.

The Best of The Best 8^th Annual Middle School Showcase

Part 5

As we begin the final recap of the Best of the Best Showcase we are going to use Part 5 of the recap to focus one more time on the 2025 class. From Part 4, you know how I feel about the talent that was in the 2025 class. So, there is no introductory set-up needed for this article. Let’s get right into it. Justin Snell, you’re up.

Justin Snell – 2025 / 5’11 / Guard

Florida Virtual School (Broward County, FL)

Twitter: N/A

Instagram: Iamjustinsnell

AAU Team: South Florida Heat Elite

When I transitioned to the court that Justin was on, they were going through full-court competitive drills. Make no mistake about it, they were putting in work on this court and Justin was doing his share. He is a lefty slasher that is an extremely difficult cover.

He is a big-time scorer. On the offensive end, he has a repertoire of scoring tools that very few at this age possess.

As far as being a flat-out scorer, he was definitely in the top 5 at the camp. He is an alpha male on the court and the type of player that gravitates to the position of the lead scorer, and I am sure this is the case on any team he finds himself on. Now there are some adjustments that I want to see as Justin’s game expands. One of the most notable things is that I want to see him develop the ability to ‘do more with less.’ At times the ball sticks when in his hands, and teammates stand around being spectators. Because Justin is such a major scoring threat, when he learns to use the fact that he is a threat as a tool, he can create very easy scoring opportunities for teammates. Justin must commit to the weight room and his cardio. If I was coaching him he would have a heavy workload, because truthfully, his game can handle it. I expect a lot of conversation to be surrounding Justin in the next few years.

NEXT up is Lyrique Sartin.

Lyrique Sartin – 2025 / 5’7 / Point Guard

Liberty Middle School (Florida)

Twitter: N/A

Instagram: lyriquebballen

AAU Team: N/A

I enjoyed watching Lyrique at camp. He was quiet on the court during the times I watched him, but his game was speaking volumes.

The best way that I can describe Lyrique is that he is like an opponent that never gives up and just keeps coming and coming and coming.

He is a natural PG but has the ability to score in multiple ways. He is a multi-dimensional lead guard that has a balanced floor game. He knows how to create his own shot and is creative in getting to the rim. I know it was camp, but PG’s are vocal wherever they go, and I would like to see Lyrique be vocal on the court. He has a small frame, so the weight-room needs to be a focus. As far as his ability to lead a team at the PG spot, he is a player that you want to keep the ball in his hands for his creativity and decision making.

NEXT up is Dwayne Wimbley, Jr.

Dwayne Wimbley, Jr – 2025 / 6’4 / Wing

Florida Virtual School (Lauderhill, FL)

Twitter: @Iamdwayne_1

Instagram: iamdj_1

AAU Team: ABC Warriors

Standing at 6’4 Dwayne was an intriguing player. He has a good skill-set for his size. I watched Dwayne several times throughout the day to get a good feel for his game. It was as though I was looking for something that I couldn’t settle in my mind. As I continued to watch Dwayne, it clicked, he has the size and the tools to be dominant, but he only showed it in waves. I was waiting to see him press the throttle and not take his foot off of it.

As evaluators, we have worn out the ‘scoring at all 3 levels’ analogy but for Dwayne, it applies.

He was one of the more gifted scorers in the camp, and a little more assertiveness would have moved his stock up even more because as far as talent. He was hands down, one of the top kids in camp. He is a match-up nightmare. We all have heard the phrase; if you are going to play it, you must be able to defend it. Dwayne has the length to be an impactful player on both ends of the court. During the times that I was watching, his perimeter D has to be a focus of improvement. At the end of the day, for me, it is simple with Dwayne, if he steps on the court and brings it every play, he can be a player that we will be having a conversation about how good of a high school career he has had, and anticipating his career at the next level.

NEXT up is Carter Reins.

Carter Reins – 2025 / 6’6 / Power Forward

Tampa Prep (Tampa, FL)

Twitter: N/A

Instagram: Carter.reins_16

AAU Team: Skill Center Elite

I absolutely loved Carter’s athleticism and his motor. From flying down the court to posterize defenders, to being a big-time rim protector, Carter got it done during camp. He owned the block and the mid-line on both ends of the court, and he knew how to leverage his size in the paint.

He is comfortable playing with his back to the basket and has solid post moves at his age.

He impacted the stat sheet in all areas more than any player at camp. He has a great physical profile at his age and embraced physicality throughout the camp. I didn’t see a consistent outside jumper, which is something he has to continue working on. When going against players of similar size, I want to start seeing him add counters to his post-moves. Carter will get some more inches, and if he can extend his game outside of the paint, he is going to make some noise in the state of Florida.

NEXT up is Xavian Charles.

Xavian Charles – 2025 / 5’8 / Point Guard

Wellington Landings Middle School (Wellington, FL)

Twitter: N/A

Instagram: Xavian630

AAU Team: Ball4lyfe

It wasn’t necessarily how difficult it was to contain Xavian off the bounce, it instead was his ability to get to his spots and produce that separated Xavian from other PG’s at camp.

He was very methodical and precise with his actions and decisions. He did not waste movements.

He knows how to find ways to score, and when he does he is very efficient with his scoring opportunities. When it comes to range from behind the arc, he has it. Defenders quickly realized they need to pick him up as he crossed half-court. Xavian was one of few that showed the ability to be effective with the mid-range pull-up. He is a playmaker and instinctive with the ball in his hands. He has the tools on the offensive end, but as a coach, I would want to see more effort on the other end of the court. Truth be told, he has the ability to be a good two-way player.

As the last recap from The Best of The Best 8^th Annual Middle School Showcase comes to an end, I am not going to leave you as I have in the previous recaps. So, are you ready? Here it is, a bonus eval…

Nick Florea – 2025 / 5’8 / Guard

Nativity Catholic School (Hollywood, FL)

Twitter: N/A

Instagram: nickflorea5

AAU Team: Young Bulls Elite

Nick was a solid player at camp. He is a fundamental player with a good feel for the game. He played under control, and at times played too safe. Now I know you might be scratching your head, but Nick played more not to make mistakes than just getting out there and showing all watching his complete game.

He showed his handles, his ability to change speeds and change direction, his court vision, his ability to make the right passes, and his ability to get his teammates involved.

He had all those things going for him, but what I was waiting on was for him to get himself going in the scoring column. He showed glimpses but didn’t put it together with consistency. He is a floor general that coaches can trust. He is mentally tough, never got rattled, and played well as a facilitator. Nick is a player that we will be following closely because he has the tools, he just has to balance it all out. Nick has to understand that he is the type of player that makes his team better when he is doing both, facilitating and scoring.

I hope that you have enjoyed the recap from The Best of The Best 8^th Annual Middle School Showcase. Prep Hoops Next will be in a gym near you soon….looking for who is next!

If you are a middle school player and you have enjoyed this content, take a moment, and create a player profile. If you are a parent of a middle school player and you have enjoyed this content, create a player profile for your son. You can go here to do so: https://prephoopsnext.com/submit-your-profile/

Coaches, are you looking for a place for you and your team next year.

If you have been wondering where you will be playing that is going to maximize your resources and get your players in front of the right people, then The Prep Hoops Next circuit is for you. For more information and to apply visit here: https://prephoopsnext.com/2020/11/10/introducing-the-prep-hoops-next-circuit/

#WhoIsNext

Rankings

    array(4) {
  [0]=>
  object(WP_Post)#612 (29) {
    ["ID"]=>
    int(31573)
    ["post_author"]=>
    int(121)
    ["post_date"]=>
    string(19) "2022-10-17 09:31:09"
    ["post_date_gmt"]=>
    string(19) "2022-10-17 14:31:09"
    ["post_content"]=>
    string(383) ""
    ["post_title"]=>
    string(24) "National 2028 Watch List"
    ["post_excerpt"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["post_status"]=>
    string(7) "publish"
    ["comment_status"]=>
    string(6) "closed"
    ["ping_status"]=>
    string(6) "closed"
    ["post_password"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["post_name"]=>
    string(13) "2028-rankings"
    ["to_ping"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["pinged"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["post_modified"]=>
    string(19) "2022-11-16 12:47:28"
    ["post_modified_gmt"]=>
    string(19) "2022-11-16 18:47:28"
    ["post_content_filtered"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["post_parent"]=>
    int(279)
    ["guid"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["menu_order"]=>
    int(3)
    ["post_type"]=>
    string(4) "page"
    ["post_mime_type"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["comment_count"]=>
    int(0)
    ["filter"]=>
    string(3) "raw"
    ["site_id"]=>
    int(6)
    ["permalink"]=>
    string(58) "https://prephoopsnext.com/national/rankings/2028-rankings/"
    ["terms"]=>
    array(0) {
    }
    ["meta"]=>
    array(0) {
    }
    ["elasticsearch"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  [1]=>
  object(WP_Post)#4377 (29) {
    ["ID"]=>
    int(282)
    ["post_author"]=>
    int(1)
    ["post_date"]=>
    string(19) "2020-10-01 18:14:19"
    ["post_date_gmt"]=>
    string(19) "2020-10-01 18:14:19"
    ["post_content"]=>
    string(285) ""
    ["post_title"]=>
    string(24) "National 2027 Watch List"
    ["post_excerpt"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["post_status"]=>
    string(7) "publish"
    ["comment_status"]=>
    string(6) "closed"
    ["ping_status"]=>
    string(6) "closed"
    ["post_password"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["post_name"]=>
    string(15) "2027-watch-list"
    ["to_ping"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["pinged"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["post_modified"]=>
    string(19) "2022-11-16 12:47:13"
    ["post_modified_gmt"]=>
    string(19) "2022-11-16 18:47:13"
    ["post_content_filtered"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["post_parent"]=>
    int(279)
    ["guid"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["menu_order"]=>
    int(2)
    ["post_type"]=>
    string(4) "page"
    ["post_mime_type"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["comment_count"]=>
    int(0)
    ["filter"]=>
    string(3) "raw"
    ["site_id"]=>
    int(6)
    ["permalink"]=>
    string(60) "https://prephoopsnext.com/national/rankings/2027-watch-list/"
    ["terms"]=>
    array(0) {
    }
    ["meta"]=>
    array(0) {
    }
    ["elasticsearch"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  [2]=>
  object(WP_Post)#4374 (29) {
    ["ID"]=>
    int(281)
    ["post_author"]=>
    int(1)
    ["post_date"]=>
    string(19) "2020-10-01 18:14:19"
    ["post_date_gmt"]=>
    string(19) "2020-10-01 18:14:19"
    ["post_content"]=>
    string(288) ""
    ["post_title"]=>
    string(24) "National 2026 Watch List"
    ["post_excerpt"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["post_status"]=>
    string(7) "publish"
    ["comment_status"]=>
    string(6) "closed"
    ["ping_status"]=>
    string(6) "closed"
    ["post_password"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["post_name"]=>
    string(15) "2026-watch-list"
    ["to_ping"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["pinged"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["post_modified"]=>
    string(19) "2022-07-20 22:25:26"
    ["post_modified_gmt"]=>
    string(19) "2022-07-21 03:25:26"
    ["post_content_filtered"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["post_parent"]=>
    int(279)
    ["guid"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["menu_order"]=>
    int(1)
    ["post_type"]=>
    string(4) "page"
    ["post_mime_type"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["comment_count"]=>
    int(0)
    ["filter"]=>
    string(3) "raw"
    ["site_id"]=>
    int(6)
    ["permalink"]=>
    string(60) "https://prephoopsnext.com/national/rankings/2026-watch-list/"
    ["terms"]=>
    array(0) {
    }
    ["meta"]=>
    array(0) {
    }
    ["elasticsearch"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  [3]=>
  object(WP_Post)#4373 (29) {
    ["ID"]=>
    int(280)
    ["post_author"]=>
    int(1)
    ["post_date"]=>
    string(19) "2020-10-01 18:14:19"
    ["post_date_gmt"]=>
    string(19) "2020-10-01 18:14:19"
    ["post_content"]=>
    string(338) ""
    ["post_title"]=>
    string(24) "National 2025 Watch List"
    ["post_excerpt"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["post_status"]=>
    string(7) "publish"
    ["comment_status"]=>
    string(6) "closed"
    ["ping_status"]=>
    string(6) "closed"
    ["post_password"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["post_name"]=>
    string(15) "2025-watch-list"
    ["to_ping"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["pinged"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["post_modified"]=>
    string(19) "2022-07-20 22:24:55"
    ["post_modified_gmt"]=>
    string(19) "2022-07-21 03:24:55"
    ["post_content_filtered"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["post_parent"]=>
    int(279)
    ["guid"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["menu_order"]=>
    int(0)
    ["post_type"]=>
    string(4) "page"
    ["post_mime_type"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["comment_count"]=>
    int(0)
    ["filter"]=>
    string(3) "raw"
    ["site_id"]=>
    int(6)
    ["permalink"]=>
    string(60) "https://prephoopsnext.com/national/rankings/2025-watch-list/"
    ["terms"]=>
    array(0) {
    }
    ["meta"]=>
    array(0) {
    }
    ["elasticsearch"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
}

143 Players Ranked

View Full Rankings

About Our Rankings

Prep Hoops Next prospect rankings have been compiled by our staff with input from high school and club coaches from across the country. Players are ranked formulaically based on their current production as well as their long-term potential as collegiate prospects. We aim to expand and update our prospects rankings several times per year to continue to maintain the most comprehensive, accurate prospect rankings in the country. Feel like we are missing someone? Let us know here and get on our radar by submitting your profile!