Miami, FL
Miami beats FSU for in-state OL talent JJ Sparks
Miami’s 2026 class continues to build, and the Hurricanes received a commitment from coveted interior offensive lineman JJ Sparks on Tuesday evening. The three-star rated prospect chose the Hurricanes over Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, and UCF.
“I like the culture here,” Sparks said after visiting Miami last week. “I love the coaching staff here. Coach [Mario] Cristobal, Coach [Alex] Mirabal, both are great coaches. When you watch how Coach Mirabal coaches, it’s really a different way he coaches. He’s really a teacher. You can kind of see that in the meeting room and on the field.”
Sparks mentioned that FSU and Miami were comparable after he visited Coral Gables,, but the relationship with the coaches ultimately put Miami over the top.
“Just the relationship with the coaches.” Sparks said.
Miami now has eight commitments to its 2026 class: four-star QB Dereon Coleman, four-star running back Javian Mallory, four-star DB Jaelen Waters, four-star LB Jordan Campbell, three-star OL Ben Congdon, three-star OL Joel Ervin, and three-star DB Camdin Portis.
Scouting Report
Big body interior lineman who plays with an edge, looking to finish every play. Shows good feet and quickness, with the ability to mirror and slide in pass protection. Shows off athleticism when pulling and making plays in the open field.
As a starter at Bolles since his freshman year, JJ cemented himself early on as a top interior lineman in Florida. He became an essential player for Coach Mirabal and Coach Cristobal, and they have increased their recruitment of him even more since seeing him on the road in January.
He visited FSU earlier this month and then came down to Miami again with his family in late March. He enjoyed his time on campus with coaches and players! He plays nasty, and Mirabal valued his IQ as a true center.
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Miami, FL
Forward Brant Byers leaving Miami RedHawks for Penn State | Report
Travis Steele unpacks end of Miami RedHawks’ historic season
After a tough loss to Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament, Miami RedHawks head coach Travis Steele took a minute to reflect on a historic season.
Forward Brant Byers, who ranked second behind Peter Suder in scoring for the Miami RedHawks last season with 14.2 points per game, has committed to the Penn State Nittany Lions, according to a report via Twitter/X from DraftExpress’ Jonathan Givony.
Byers’ hometown of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, is about two hours south of State College.
Byers reportedly entered the transfer portal in March.
Byers also averaged 4.1 rebounds per game, and shot 47.8 percent from the field and 39.2 percent from 3-point range as a redshirt sophomore for the RedHawks. He was named an all-Mid-American Conference second-team selection.
Byers started 33 of the 34 games in which he played for the 32-2 RedHawks in 2025-26. He averaged 8.4 points per game off the bench one season earlier, as a freshman. Byers redshirted during the 2023-24 season.
Former Cincinnati Bearcats forward Josh Reed and former Xavier Musketeers forward Sasa Ciani are on the Nittany Lions’ roster.
The RedHawks received a commitment April 14 from Ball State transfer forward Preston Copeland.
Miami, FL
Equestrian Event With Insane Prize Pool Draws Out Big Names in Miami
The Global Champions Arabians Tour (GCAT), the world’s premier Arabian horse championship series, hit Miami, Florida, where the celebrities were out in force.
The GCAT is an exclusive, high-stakes international championship show designed to showcase the beauty, form, and movement of Purebred Arabian horses.
Over this past weekend, the event transformed Miami Beach into a world-class equestrian stage, welcoming over 100 horses and handlers from across the globe to compete for crucial GCAT points and a share of the Americas circuit’s $2.7 million prize fund.
It also was quite the party featuring surprise sets by 50 Cent and Sean Paul, and a Closing Ceremony performance by Jason Derulo.
Other big names in the sports world showed up, including influencer and former Chicago Bulls Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen’s ex-wife Larsa Pippen, former Miami Hurricanes star and New Orleans Saints Super Bowl champion Jonathan Vilma, and professional golfer Paris Hilinski.
Larsa certainly stood out in this red dress:
Meanwhile, Vilma was back in Miami where he played for some of the best ‘Canes teams from 2000-2003.
Also, the likes of DJ Khaled, Bethenny Frankel, Kiki Barth, Mario Carbone, the Mayor of Miami Steven Meiner, Daymond John, Romero Britto, Stephanie and Masoud Shojaee, Terrence J, Oliver Trevena, Miami Beach Commissioner Joe Magazine.
It was quite the weekend.
“Miami Beach has once again proven to be an extraordinary stage for the Global Champions Arabians Tour,” said Faleh Al Nasr, Chairman of the Global Champions Arabians Tour. “The energy, the international audience, and the level of competition we witnessed this weekend reflect exactly what GCAT stands for. To see this sport brought to life in such an iconic destination, alongside world-class hospitality and entertainment, is incredibly meaningful as we continue to grow our presence across the Americas.”
Miami, FL
Hawks sitting all usual starters against Miami
Kevin Chouinard: Hawks missing lots of players tonight. For tonight’s game at Miami: Mo Gueye (right shoulder inflammation) is questionable. Nickeil Alexander-Walker (right great toe sprain) is out. Dyson Daniels (left great toe sprain) is out. Jalen Johnson (rest) is out. Jonathan Kuminga (left knee injury management) is out. Jock Landale (right high ankle sprain) is out. CJ McCollum (rest) is out. Onyeka Okongwu (left index finger sprain) is out. Gabe Vincent (left knee inflammation) is out.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Hawks sitting all usual starters against Miami
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