Dr. Phillips' Powell Has Strong Polk Ties

BARTOW | For one devoted fan, a Saturday afternoon boys' basketball match-up made a vintage memory. 

 

Dr. Phillips' RaShawn Powell led his team to a win over Winter Haven in an afternoon session at the Mosaic Stinger Shootout by putting up 18 points, a performance that brought back scenes from his father's days on the same court. 

 

Powell's dad, also named RaShawn, is a Lake Wales alum with a flair for hoops, too. 

 

He put up 22 in the same gym during a game against the Yellow Jackets in 1994 for the Highlanders, who beat Bartow four times that season, he said. 

 

"We were pretty good," Powell added. 

 

But not a match for his son, a top point guard in the nation with mounting attention from major Division I programs. 

 

And he's only a junior. 

 

The younger Powell has already been offered Division I scholarships from Miami and UCF and has drawn interest from other major programs, including Marquette, UCLA, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Ala­bama. 

 

It's not his sweet mohawk that's attracting looks. On Saturday, his silky smooth jumper, his quickness and his hops stood out. 

 

Powell gave the Blue Devils fits at the Mosaic and showed off with two huge dunks, one a one-hand, off-balance slam that got the crowd in a tizzy, bringing some to their feet.

 

He followed that up with a double-handed dunk, his teammates on the bench swishing towels in the air. 

 

Powell managed the game with a nice tempo, one that Winter Haven guard Devon Walker said gave his team "a bit of trouble." 

 

Powell's dad attended Valencia College and moved his son to Orlando when he was 2. He's helped him get this good. 

 

The two train twice a week at 4 a.m. in one-and-a-half hour sessions that include tons of shooting drills and plenty of cardio exercises.

 

The basketball family gene helps, too. 

 

Powell's mother, Joy Hicks, played basketball at Bartow and was also on the volleyball team.