Apopka boys basketball focused on growth

The Apopka boys basketball team is flying into the 2026-27 season young and hungry. They are focused on building a team capable of making another run when February arrives. 

Coming off a 16-12 season that included a trip to the state tournament, Apopka returns five players who logged important varsity minutes last year: seniors Alex Congdon and Jaden Andino, along with juniors Xavier Freeman, Jacquez Evariste and Amare Wilson. 

The Blue Darters defeated Lake Brantley 52-45 on the road in the first round of last season’s state tournament before seeing their season end in a defensive battle against Winter Park. Apopka fell 29-25 after a controversial late possession reversal helped swing the game. 

Coach Scott Williams is in his 12th season as the head coach. He believes this year’s group has the potential to reach that level again, but he knows there is plenty of work ahead. 

“The focus of the offseason was to work on our general conditioning, which I think has improved, and I feel like we’re in pretty good shape, being able to compete,” Williams said. 

Apopka recently competed in an officials clinic against Central Florida Christian while playing shorthanded. With four key players unavailable, the Blue Darters relied on seven players for two halves. 

Williams was encouraged by how the team held up physically, but he knows conditioning is only one part of the process. The team is also working to improve its defensive fundamentals and clean up a turnover problem that plagued its early development. 

“We continue to have major turnover issues,” Williams said. “We’ve got to coach it better. They’ve got to understand it better. We talk a lot that you can’t win games until you avoid losing them, and one of the things you’ve got to do in order to avoid losing them is to mitigate really bad turnovers.” 

Williams wants his players to become more disciplined with the ball and improve their decision-making as the season progresses. Rather than becoming consumed with the team’s record or postseason expectations, the emphasis is on getting better with each practice, drill and possession. 

“We are very focused on the day-to-day improvement and this rep and this drill and this competition without getting worried about big picture,” Williams said. “I think this is going to be a very, very different basketball team in February than it is in November.” 

Health has been the biggest challenge. Williams said the team has not been fully healthy since Aug. 29, with several players working their way back from injuries or illness. 

Congdon is returning from a thumb injury that sidelined him for six weeks, while Evariste and junior forward Colton Henson worked through lower body injuries to return to their preseason game against East River. Freshman point guard Braylon Thomas is completing concussion protocol, Freeman just returned from illness, and senior Aaden Tipton recently received clearance following a month-long absence because of an ankle injury. 

The injuries have created opportunities for some of Apopka’s younger players. Sophomore centers Gio Lubin and Roobens Helas have taken on additional responsibilities in the frontcourt, while Caleb Leath has received valuable repetitions in the backcourt. 

Williams believes that experience could pay off as the roster gets healthier. 

“We have two young big guys that are both sophomores that have obviously had to get a ton of reps, and they’re both extremely promising and a big part of not just this year but the future,” Williams said, referring to Lubin and Helas. He also pointed to Leath as a player whose increased opportunities will continue to help accelerate his development. 

If the Blue Darters can get healthy and continue improving defensively, Williams sees a team that can become difficult to play against. He envisions a group capable of creating disruption with its defense while forcing opponents to work deep into the shot clock. 

“We should be a really solid defensive club that, through different ways, can be both disruptive, but also put teams up against the shot clock,” Williams said. “We’re not there yet, but I would hope that over time, that will be the case.” 

For now, Williams is keeping the focus on development rather than wins and losses. The goal is to have the team playing its best basketball when the district tournament arrives in February. 

“Winning and losing is not a priority right now,” Williams said. “There’s a district tournament in February, and whether we have won 20 games going into that or three games going into that, it’s all about being at our best then, because if you’re at your best then, you’re going to be in the state playoffs.” 

Williams believes Apopka can become a state playoff team again, even if the group is not yet where he wants it to be. 

“Do I think this can be a state playoff team? Yes, I do. Do I think we’re anywhere close to it? No, I don’t,” Williams said. “I think we’re gonna get there and will start making growth quickly.” 

Apopka opened the preseason in the annual Tip-Off tournament on Wednesday and Thursday. They faced East River and Jones at neutral-site Wekiva.