Replacing a superstar is never easy, even at the high school level, and even for a heavyweight program like Montverde Academy.
Ben Simmons averaged 28 points per game for the Eagles last year. He was the National Gatorade Player of the Year. He led them to a 31-1 record and a third straight national championship. He won the Naismith Trophy, Wootten Award and was Florida Dairy Farmers’ Mr. Basketball, too.
Now he’s gone — off winning just as many accolades at LSU, being the fourth freshman ever named to the Associated Press pre-season All-American team.
What will Montverde look like without him when it tips off on Friday night?
“You’re not going to replace him with one player,” Eagles coach Kevin Boyle said. “You’re talking about a guy who’s projected to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft next year. We’ve got better talent overall, but it doesn’t mean we’re a better team. At this point, no one is at the highest level of play like Ben or D’Angelo [Russell, now with the Los Angeles Lakers].”
The Eagles will host the Florida-Georgia Challenge, beginning at 6 p.m. Friday. The two-day event includes three Florida teams, along with reigning Georgia state champion, Marietta Wheeler, which dealt Montverde its only loss last season, and runner-up Mabelton Pebblebrook.
Senior Howard Washington is Montverde’s only returning starter, but there are plenty new additions itching to be Montverde’s next breakout star. Sophomore Silvio De Sousa, a 6-foot-8 power forward, has gotten national attention. Boyle described him as an athletic shooter with beautiful form, who needs to get more comfortable playing high level competition.
“If his basketball skill and IQ catch up with the gifts God gave him, then you have the potential for a player at that level,” Boyle said.
There’s also 6-6 Canadian freshman R.J. Barrett, called the next Andrew Wiggins by some, and 6-10 sophomore EJ Montgomery. The biggest surprise this season, though, may be Bruno Fernando, a 6-9 senior who came to the United States from Angola with De Sousa.
“At this stage, he’s probably better than all those guys,” Boyle said. “He’s got such a good motor. He’s the most underrated guy in the country, and could be the surprise of the nation this year.”
Edgewater transfer Anfernee Simons, a junior guard, is fitting nicely with the rest of Montverde’s high-caliber athletes. Boyle compared his quick release to that of NBA MVP Steph Curry, and said Simons will be in the conversation for a starting spot this weekend.
“I came to Montverde because I thought it would be a better opportunity for me to grow as a player,” Simons said. “I know the background at Montverde, it gets players to where they want to be. I have to work even harder just to keep up or be better than the other guys to get some playing time.”
Time on the court is an issue Boyle and his staff still are grappling with. Who will start? Who will sub? Who will play when, and for how long? There is no standout among the team, so picking a starting lineup has been unusually tough.
“Most of my career, I’ve had a starting team and stuck with it,” Boyle said. “This year, every other day we have different coaches pick a starting lineup; One guy will have a kid ranked fourth on his list, and another will have that kid 11th.
“We may even sub five at a time on some occasions because they’re that close and that deserving. The 11th and 12th guys are good players; one has a few Division-1 scholarship offers, and he might be the odd guy out.”
On Nov. 28, Montverde takes on its only area opponent, Lake Minneola. The Eagles’ Dec. 7 home game against Huntington Prep (W.Va.) will be televised on ESPN2. Other notable events include the City of Palms Classic (Dec. 19-22) in Fort Myers and the annual Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament (Jan. 28-30).
