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Top 5 Dade County Basketball Players Ever in High School

Brooklyndee said:
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It if you gonna do that than you gotta put Sylvia fowles at Edison... She was a monster. Only chick I ever saw that who made me say dudes don't want that smoke was back in ny. Shamika holdsclaw THAT GIRL THERE. She used to play ball with all of us on roof top, on west fourth you name it. I used to see her outplay God shamgod & Stephon too on a regular.
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Used to play pickup at the outdoor courts next to the Hecht back In the early-mid 90s all the time with a group of buddies. Some great games and I remember Francis savage was out there and she was straight bullying people. Very impressive.
 
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Liberty City El said:
I remember her from her days at UNC, but I never saw her play in High School.

But I heard she was a beast at Central.
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Although I was ahead of Her, I went to Junior High & HS with Tracy. She was one of the best basketball players I've ever seen regardless of gender, standing room only at Central's gym when She played. And IIRC, Tracy got invited to tryout for the Olympic team out of HS. Also went to Junior High with Tim James & Swaby. Never foresaw those 2 becoming what they became, they couldn't walk into a gym without tripping over their own feet.
 
rangerbrother305 said:
I like vividly remember Charlie Miller (Sr), LB (Soph) play Raja Bell (Sr) and Steve Blake (Fr) at the Pit. Maybe I am wrong but I want to say they played together at the K. Who did you play for?
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Maybe you’re right. But I’m pretty sure Raja graduated Killian 94. Steve graduated 99. I think they missed each other by a year - He was a super hold back tho. I was at palmetto
 
Brooklyndee said:
B

It if you gonna do that than you gotta put Sylvia fowles at Edison... She was a monster. Only chick I ever saw that who made me say dudes don't want that smoke was back in ny. Shamika holdsclaw THAT GIRL THERE. She used to play ball with all of us on roof top, on west fourth you name it. I used to see her outplay God shamgod & Stephon too on a regular.
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Stephon and Sebastian were 2 of the best HS PGs I'd ever seen. Only player who I thought was better than those 2 in HS was Iverson. I got to see him up close and personal and actually played against him in a Converse Basketball Camp in Maryland back in 92. People back then were raving about Felipe Lopez, but I stuck by my guns and said Iverson was better. My Dominican Boyz called me a hater and I told them time will tell. Sure enough, AI proved me right.

As for girls basketball, no female player from Miami has had a better overall (HS/college/pro) career than Sylvia Fowles. Truth be told, not too many women any where period can say that. Sylvia was the original "female Shaq" coming out of HS. Wasn't the most skilled, but she was a problem because of her size and athleticism. Now, as far as Tracy Reid is concerned she was one of the few girls down here who could actually go to Moore Park, Hadley Park or Pepper Park back in the early 90's and play against the dudes. You just wasn't seeing that back then. Not down here. And when she was playing against girls, it was a wrap. She was just head & shoulders above the rest. Marie Ferdinand is another name that comes to mind. She played at Edison as well and was their best player for 3 years, including with a young Sylvia Fowles on the team. Marie probably wasn't as skilled as Tracy but had a better HS career. Marie also had a stellar career in college and in the pros. Lastly, Norland has had some pretty good players come thru their school as well over the years. None better than Tombi Bell (younger sister of Raja Bell) and Michelle Murray.
 
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King of Allapattah said:
Solely based off their HS careers, in my eyes the best 5 to ever come out of the 305 are:

1. Doug Edwards (Miami High c/o 1989) - McDonald's AA, ranked the #2 player in the country (behind Kenny Anderson) in 1989. Was the catalyst in Miami High's national resurgence in the 80's. If he doesn't walk out on Jake Caldwell at Jackson, Dade County basketball history would look much different today.
2. Irving Thomas (Carol City c/o 1985) - The first player in Dade county history to play in the McDonald's AA game (1985). First team Parade AA. Top 10 player in the country his senior year. Signed with Kentucky out of HS.
3. Steve Edwards (Miami High c/o 1992) - Named McDonald's and Parade AA his senior year. Twice named FL Mr. Basketball POY. 2 state titles. Top 20 player nationally. Gatorade POY his senior year.
4. Chris Corchiani (HML c/o 1987) - Another Mickey D's and Parade AA coming out of HS. Started in HS since 8th grade. Was also twice named Florida's Mr. Basketball POY.
5. Cyril Baptiste (Curley c/o 1968) - Didn't get to see him play, but the old heads I know swear by him to this day. His former college coach, Eddie Sutton calls him one of the talented players he's ever coached.

Other names to consider:
Lucas Barnes (South Miami)
Corey Louis (Northwestern)
Charlie Miller (South Miami)
Tim James (Northwestern)
Dewan Huell (Norland)
Carlos Morban (Miami Christian)
Eddie Rios (Miami High)
Angel Rodriguez (Krop)
Steve Blake (Killian & Miami High)
Jesus Verdejo (Miami Christian)
Osbourne Lockhart (Jackson)
Rickey Blanton (Killian)
Mychal Thompson (Jackson)
James Jones (American)
Charles Claxton (Carol City)
Val Butterfield (Northwestern)
Udonis Haslem (Miami High)
Javi Martinez (Krop)
Jamal Levy (Berkshire)
Guillermo Diaz (Miami Christian)
Shawn Jones (Hialeah)
Juan Jose Barea (Miami Christian)
Ochiel Swaby (North Miami)
Zach Peacock (Norland)
Devin Davis (Miami High)
Tim Hardaway (Palmetto)
Oran Chin (Krop)
Malik Reneau (Mater & Montverde)
Otis George (Berkshire)
Deandre Burnett ( Carol City)
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Missing from the list, the top 5 part, is Gus Guardiola of the Guardiola clan. Graduated from Southwest in late 1970s with a +\- 38 point a game average that stood as the county record for a long time or still stands today. Went to UNLV with Tarkisian at the height of UNLV's reign.
 
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AUcane said:
Yep. I remember around that time, sofla was actually loaded with big guys (Claxton was a 7’). Gimel Martinez, claxton, (there was 1-2 others) And then a bit later with the MHS guys like haslem, latimer, Robinson made sofla bigs really attractive to schools.
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I could be wrong, but I believe former UM OL Freeman Brown (RIP) was also on that team with Claxton at CC.
 
rsa coral gables said:
Missing from the list, the top 5 part, is Gus Guardiola of the Guardiola,clan. Graduate from Southwest with a +\- 38 point a game average that stood for a long time or still stands today. Went to UNLV with Tarkisian at the height of UNLV's reign.
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Feels like you're pulling my chain. I've never heard of him. I know the Guardiola name. Even know Pep, but don't know him or anyone else by that name to be an actual player.
 
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Brooklyndee said:
**** yeah. So butch had a thing for us with coach ham that we were all supposed to go out and support each other. Went to a lot of high school games back than. It was a great time for Dade county high school ball. L was a good friend of mine back than. I just wish coach ham could've kept more of them local. What he was building to go along with buddy from ely were really special.
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Jermaine Walker was the cat from Ely. They were supposed to be program changing players and back then everyone thought it. Man the stories I could tell from seeing all of the football and basketball players hanging out in South Miami back then lol.
 
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rsa coral gables said:
Not pulling your chain. Tfey are Cuban and no relation to Pep
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All kidding aside, the only Guardiola I remember on the local basketball scene was Willy Guardiola. Back in the 80's and 90's he ran one of the best basketball camps down here. Not sure if he's related to the Guardiola's you're referring to, but that's all I got on that.
 
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Liberty City El said:
Tim Hardaway Jr
James Jones
Raja Bell
Winsome Frazier
Dwayne Collins
Jerron Granberry
Corey Louis
Cedric Tavoris-McGowan (was a beast in HS at MNW)
Brent Wright

And although he wasn’t that great here at Miami, but Dewan Hernandez was pretty good at Norland
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haslem?
 
Liberty City El said:
Tim Hardaway Jr
James Jones
Raja Bell
Winsome Frazier
Dwayne Collins
Jerron Granberry
Corey Louis
Cedric Tavoris-McGowan (was a beast in HS at MNW)
Brent Wright

And although he wasn’t that great here at Miami, but Dewan Hernandez was pretty good at Norland
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Good list. Dewan and Corey "Tree" Louis are the only McDonald's All-American's on this list. It's crazy how your top 3 names had very good NBA careers. Don't think many folks, if any saw that coming. Dwayne would've had a chance had his work ethic been better. Blessed with great natural and physical abllities. Just couldn't never put it all together. Winsome and Brent made some money over seas and I think Ced did as well. I've seen some of the other guys listed over the years playing in local adult leagues down here, but don't know how their careers turned out.
 
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hoops156 said:
haslem?
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Haslem was a very good basketball player in HS and college, but no one could've imagined he'd have a 20-year NBA career. It's crazy how his basketball career took off once he transformed his body. Funny thing is as a youngster in HS, people were always in his ear about it.
 
GOCANES05 said:
Miami Highs Shakes teams we’re outrageous all NCAA SWEET SIXTEEN type teams in high school .
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I went to see them play one time and it was like a national televised game press and TV crews from all over college scouts filed the stands and yes NBA scouts.

The staring 5 we’re all over 6’7” guards were Magic Johnson size center PORTILLO was 6’10 .
The bench was the same all 5 star NBA type players.

You would of had to see them to believe your eyes.

Easily the greatest undisputed high school team ever assembled PERIOD.

NO TEAM YO EVER MATCH THEM IN TALENT SIZE SPEED ZERO WEAKNESSES PERIOD.

They would beat 90% of the top college teams even today teams and would make the Final Four .

That was Miami High .

GOCANES
 
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