JACKSONVILLE, Fla.- The 2026 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) boys’ and girls’ basketball state championships officially get underway this week, with the smaller classifications taking the floor. On the Radar Hoops scout and writer Ross Van De Griek is on the grounds throughout the event. Here is who stood out on Day 1:

Alexander Dipaolo - Central Florida Christian Academy - 2026

Dipaolo has one of the smoothest shooting strokes you may find in all of Florida, as he was effective off the catch as well as the bounce. In Thursday’s state semifinal contest against Sagemont, Dipaolo finished with a team-high 16 points on 8-of-17 shooting from the field. He’s extended his game to where he can finish at the point of attack, whether it’s finishing at the rim or pulling up from the mid-range. The Army signee was playing with strong confidence on both ends of the floor, as he can make an immediate impact at the next level.

Christian Fuller - Victory Christian Academy - 2027

Fuller is a gifted scorer and facilitator when it comes to running the offense last night in the second half in their semifinal win over Impact Christian Academy. Off the ball, Fuller was able to get to his spots, finishing over multiple defenders as well as being effective off the catch. He has been an emerging prospect over the last year, where he has stepped up in big moments. On the defensive end, he was very active when it came to applying pressure in the passing lanes, getting deflections. Fuller is a real deal prospect who could open some eyes as the spring and summer season nears.

Thok Gol - Victory Christian Academy - 2026

The 6-foot-8 power forward was productive around the rim on both ends of the floor, where he snatched rebounds as well as finishing above the rim on the offensive end. His length and fluidity were what stood out to me, as he often at times guarded multiple positions on the defensive end. In the semifinal win over Impact Christian Academy, Gol finished with a near double-double (10 points and 8 rebounds).

David Nealy - Sagemont-  2026

Nealy was in the zone offensively in their wire-to-wire semifinal win over Central Florida Christian Academy. He is a gifted scorer, whether it was finishing around the rim or pulling up from behind the three-point arc, as his overall game continues to blossom late into the high school season. He finished with 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field and 5-of-9 from behind the arc. The 6-foot-3 senior has taken a huge leadership role this season, where he has provided a ton of versatility on the defensive end throughout the postseason.

Kevin Thomas - Sagemont - 2026

The LSU signee returned to Sagemont in the middle of the season, and he has picked up right where he left off. During the wire-to-wire semifinal win over Central Florida Christian, he impacted the game in a variety of ways, where he was scoring inside as well as outside. His quickness speaks a lot about his game, where he doesn’t get rattled when playing with physicality at the front of the rim. He was also able to spread the floor, knocking down five 3-pointers, on his way to finishing with a game-high 27 points. He was also quick to run the floor in transition scoring opportunities where he was comfortable getting to the dunker’s spot, finishing lobs at the front of the rim.

Ross Van De Griek has been a Southeast region scout & writer for On The Radar Hoops since 2024. He has been involved in basketball scouting with previous stops at Prep Hoops from 2022 to 2024. You can follow him on X @RossVDG14 or reach him via email at rossvdg14@gmail.com