- Imani Thomas, a 6-foot power forward for Academy at the Lakes, will continue her basketball career at Hillsborough Community College. A reliable double-double threat, Thomas is the first player in the Academy’s history to log 1,000-plus career points and rebounds. ESPN.com ranks Thomas as a three-star recruit, and the nation’s 71st-best forward for the 2017 class. “She is incredibly intelligent, a very smart player,” Academy’s coach Todd Huffman recently told The Laker/Lutz News. “She understands the game, and reads and reacts to situations with split-second adjustment.”
- Brett Bitter, a wide receiver for Steinbrenner High, has committed to play collegiate football at Liberty University, an FCS school in Lynchburg, Virginia. In 2016, the 6-foot-2, 165-pound wideout led the Warriors in receiving, tallying 43 receptions for 652 yards and seven touchdowns. He also added 35 tackles and two interceptions on defense. During his prep career, Bitter compiled 94 receptions, 1,479 yards and 13 touchdowns.
- Nate Springfield, a right-handed pitcher for Wiregrass Ranch High, has committed to play baseball at St. Petersburg College. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound senior led the Bulls in ERA (1.30), strikeouts (49) and innings pitched (49.1) in 2016. The Bulls’ 2017 season began Feb. 21.
