It may be summer but the Ponte Vedra High boys basketball team is already thinking about next season and part of their offseason approach included making the trip down to Gainesville to take part in this year’s Florida Association of Basketball Coaches Boys Showcase.
The Sharks went 2-2 in their four matchups and proved up to the challenge against quality teams across the state.
The tournament got started with a close 54-49 loss to Fort Lauderdale Stranahan, the Class 4A state champions, before bouncing back later that night with a comfortable 72-44 victory over North Tampa Christian Academy.
Maddox Palmer and Trace Westercamp led the way for the Sharks with 16 points apiece in the triumph over North Tampa Christian Academy.
Both Palmer and Westercamp are preparing to enter their senior seasons.
One of the best performances for the Sharks came in defeat, as they lost 67-63 but battled a loaded SLAM Academy squad to the very end.
Palmer was once again red hot from the field, as he made 11 of his 15 field goal attempts en route to a 28-point outing.
Finally, the Sharks wrapped up play with a 66-57 win over Miami Belen Jesuit, as Maddox continued to get better and better, this time with a 31-point performance to go with 12 rebounds for a double-double.
Noah Simmon accounted for seven in the final contest, as he continues to grow into a role as a facilitator and become even more of a leader as he will be a senior when school starts back.
