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Take a different look at some of the Sun Sentinel’s picks for top high school athletes in Broward and Palm Beach counties this winter.

Check out the rest of our All-County package at SunSentinel.com/allcounty

Check out the winter 2024 All-County honorees, covering top high school athletes in basketball, soccer, wrestling, girls weightlifting and cheerleading. The section will be published in the newspaper on Sunday. Click below for the Broward and Palm Beach product:

The best of Broward County high school sports: Winter 2024 All-County honorees

The best of Palm Beach County high school sports: Winter 2024 All-County honorees

 

The winter 2024 All-County honorees, covering top high school athletes from Palm Beach County in basketball, soccer, wrestling, girls weightlifting and cheerleading. The section will be published in the newspaper on Sunday.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Palm Beach 7A-6A boys basketball player of the year: Hedrens Bartelus, Lake Worth senior

Palm Beach 7A-6A boys basketball first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

Palm Beach 5A-1A boys basketball player of the year: Ian Smikle, Suncoast senior

Palm Beach 5A-1A boys basketball first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Palm Beach 7A-6A girls basketball player of the year: Kyana Poitier, Palm Beach Gardens senior

Palm Beach 7A-6A girls basketball first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

Palm Beach 5A-1A girls basketball player of the year: Jade Jones, King’s Academy junior

Palm Beach 5A-1A girls basketball first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

BOYS SOCCER

Palm Beach 7A-6A boys soccer player of the year: Rafael Azevedo, Boca Raton junior

Palm Beach 7A-6A boys soccer first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

Palm Beach 5A-1A boys soccer player of the year: Zach Fragione, Cardinal Newman senior

Palm Beach 5A-1A boys soccer first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

GIRLS SOCCER

Palm Beach 7A-6A girls soccer co-players of the year: Sarah Coelho and Emma Kate Lee, Boca Raton seniors

Palm Beach 7A-6A girls soccer first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

Palm Beach 5A-1A girls soccer player of the year: Lily White, Benjamin senior

Palm Beach 5A-1A girls soccer first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

WRESTLING

Palm Beach wrestler of the year: Sam Marvel, Wellington senior

Palm Beach wrestling first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

Girls wrestler of the year: Gaby Caro, Stoneman Douglas senior

GIRLS WEIGHTLIFTING

Girls weightlifter of the year: Anna Fiore, Suncoast senior 

Girls weightlifting first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

CHEERLEADING

Cheerleading teams of the year: West Broward and Western

Here are the winter 2024 All-County honorees, covering top high school athletes from Broward County in basketball, soccer, wrestling, girls weightlifting and cheerleading. The section will be published in the newspaper on Sunday.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Broward 7A-6A boys basketball player of the year: Jeremy Elyzee, Pembroke Pines Charter senior

Broward 7A-6A boys basketball first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

Broward 5A-1A boys basketball co-players of the year: Alexander Lloyd, Westminster Academy junior, and Alex Constanza, Westminster Academy sophomore

Broward 5A-1A boys basketball first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Broward 7A-6A girls basketball player of the year: Khadee Hession, St. Thomas Aquinas senior

Broward 7A-6A girls basketball first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

Broward 5A-1A girls basketball player of the year: Jasleen Green, American Heritage sophomore

Broward 5A-1A girls basketball first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

BOYS SOCCER

Broward 7A-6A boys soccer player of the year: Lucas Costa, South Broward senior

Broward 7A-6A boys soccer first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

Broward 5A-1A boys soccer player of the year: Raul Leyva, University School sophomore

Broward 5A-1A boys soccer first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

GIRLS SOCCER

Broward 7A-6A girls soccer player of the year: Grace Dykstra, Stoneman Douglas junior

Broward 7A-6A girls soccer first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

Broward 5A-1A girls soccer co-players of the year: Lily Sargent-Burns, American Heritage senior, and Jillian Miliffe, American Heritage junior

Broward 5A-1A girls soccer first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

WRESTLING

Broward co-wrestlers of the year: Somerset Academy senior Kendrick Hodge, eighth grader Jovani Solis

Broward wrestling first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

Girls wrestler of the year: Gaby Caro, Stoneman Douglas senior

GIRLS WEIGHTLIFTING

Girls weightlifter of the year: Anna Fiore, Suncoast senior 

Girls weightlifting first team, second team, honorable mention, coach of the year

CHEERLEADING

Cheerleading teams of the year: West Broward and Western

Pembroke Pines Charter senior Jeremy Elyzee scored a game-high 22 points to lift the Jaguars to their second Class 6A state championship in three years with a 59-55 victory over Orlando Prep at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

Elyzee, a Southeastern Louisiana University signee, made sure that Pembroke Pines would play its third straight state championship game against Orlando Prep as he finished with 19 points in a 61-34 semifinal victory over Ponte Vedra earlier in the week. They sandwiched state championships around a regional loss to eventual state champion Dwyer last year.

“The year was good,” said Elyzee, who averaged 18 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, one steal and one block per game this year. “We only had three players back from last year, so we had to get adjusted to everybody.

“We gelled together quickly and easily, so that was the biggest push that helped get us this far,” Elyzee said. “I’m not surprised, and this has been like a dream to me because it is my last year, and winning states was my biggest goal.”

The team captain, who had three triple-doubles this season and played on the varsity for four years, also had 28 points in the regional finals and finished with 1,341 career points.

“Jeremy is going to score at the 1s, 2s, and 3s (positions), but he gets everybody involved,” said Pembroke Pines Charter coach Dave Roca. “He’s a playmaker. Jeremy can play every position on the floor, and he is our most important player because of that.”

“He’s a pass-first kind of guy and I can’t say enough good things about him to be fair and honest,” Roca added. “Winning states was what we worked for since the beginning of the season and we were able to figure that out in Lakeland and Jeremy was a big part of that too.”

Elyzee said early-season losses to Northeast, Hudson Catholic (NJ), Berkley Prep, and Coral Springs set the tone, and the Jaguars were able to forge a seven-game winning streak to close out the season.

“Most of the losses came early in the season as we were trying to build chemistry,” he explained. “Once we got the chemistry going, we went on a roll. Winning a state title was a joy.”

Jeremy Elyzee basketball player of the year from Pembroke Pines Charter School photographed on Tuesday, March,5, 2024. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

FIRST TEAM Tahir Bond, Coral Glades, Basketball. Deerfield Beach on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Tahir Bond, PG/SG, Coral Glades senior: Three-year team captain and 4-year varsity starter holds 20 offers; said beating rival Taravella was the season highlight; averaged 16 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2.5 steals per game.

Matthew Curprew-Elsy, Coral Spring High, Basketball. Winter all county. Deerfield Beach on Wednesday March 6, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Matthew Curprew-Elsy, SF, Coral Springs senior: Four-year varsity member was named MVP of the BCAA Big 8 championship; also plays soccer and football; averaged 13 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2 assists, 0.8 blocks per game to help Colts finish 21-6.

Kaiden Francis, South Plantation, Basketball. Winter all county. Deerfield Beach on Tuesday March 5, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Kaiden Francis, PG, South Plantation senior: Team captain scored his 1,000th point on Senior Night against Nova; season highlight was winning first game of regionals in 13 years; averaged 14.1 points, 4 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists for the 21-6 Colts.

Sehmaj Mentor, Cooper City High, Basketball. Winter all county. Deerfield Beach on Tuesday March 5, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Sehmaj Mentor, PG/SG, Cooper City senior: Team captain and four-year starter averaged 18.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 3.2 steals; scored 1,000th point this season against Deerfield Beach; signed with Florida Memorial in Miami Gardens.

Alex Pierre-Louis, Coral Springs, Basketball. Winter all county. Deerfield Beach on Wednesday March 6, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Alex Pierre-Louis, PG/SG, Coral Springs junior: Averaged 14.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.7 steals per game; school won its first Big 8 this year; other career highlight was pouring in 33 against Blanche Ely last year; also played football.

DJ Sandi, St .Thomas Aquinas, Basketball. Deerfield Beach on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

DJ Sandi, PG/CG, St. Thomas Aquinas sophomore: Two-year captain helped Raiders win back-to-back district titles;  career highlight is beating the defending 6A champions by 30 points to move on to regional final.

Josh Harris, Pembroke Pines Charter basketball (Mike Stocker, Sun Sentinel)

Joshua Harris, Wing/F, Pembroke Pines Charter senior: Three-year varsity member and North Florida signee helped Jaguars win Class 6A title; averaged a team-leading 19.7 points, 9 rebounds per game, shooting 60 percent from the floor.

SECOND TEAM

Ayden Ambrose, G/PG, St. Thomas Aquinas sophomore

Cody Dinnall, F, Monarch senior

Harry Gelin, Wing, South Plantation senior

Trey George, PG, Blanche Ely junior

Joshua Skinner, G, Miramar junior

Jabari Washington, SG, Plantation sophomore

Ramez Zayed, G, Pembroke Pines Charter senior

HONORABLE MENTION

Blanche Ely: Dylon Hanna, Jayelen Jonas

Boyd Anderson: Theodore Richardson III, Jaydan Silvera, Juawayne Walters

Cooper City: Jamier Johnston

Coral Glades: Dylan Burrowes, Anthony Valdes

Coral Springs: Romae Brown, Walter Pierre Louis, James Saulsby

Cypress Bay: Julien Belle, Caleb Krivitzkin, Christian Leone

Dillard: Bradley St. Preux

Everglades: Lance Bailey Jr., Daunte Foster Jr.

Fort Lauderdale: Reggie Cleveland, Thomas Cole

Miramar: Zayvian Bieger, Siah Blot

Pembroke Pines Charter: Solomon Hughes, Max Ortega

Plantation: Daterrius Heller

St. Thomas Aquinas:  Matt Andreopoulos, Zane Elliott, Clarence Westbrook

South Broward: Dominique Brutus, Gabriel Collier

South Plantation: Lathan Coleman, Dwight Stephens

Stoneman Douglas: Brady Kuebler, Ayden McLean

Taravella: Camden Fearon, Andres Ganley, James Ganley

West Broward: Matthew Copeland, Jace Galvez, Matthew Martinez

Western: Maddox Fowles, Stefan Frisby, Ethan Panton-Hazell

CO-COACHES OF THE YEAR Derek Felder, South Plantation, Basketball. Deerfield Beach on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Derek Felder, South Plantation: Led the Paladins to a 25-6 record and the regional semifinals. “After winning the first district championship in 23 years and a runner-up finish in the BCAA Big 8 last season, there was an expectation of a drop-off this season, but we were able to win 25 games with a more challenging schedule…I am proud of the growth and development of our program.”

Dave Roca, Pembroke Pines Charter, Basketball. Winter all county. Deerfield Beach on Tuesday March 5, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Dave Roca, Pembroke Pines Charter: Guided the Jaguars (26-4) to their second state championship in four years with a 59-56 win over Orlando Edgewater. “This is a huge deal. They did it organically. It was great to see them put the team first and I didn’t have to joystick them. We didn’t expect to be at the state championships, but the kids worked so hard. … This one is special.”

Westminster Academy junior Alexander Lloyd and sophomore Alex Constanza knew they had to step up after graduating a couple of seniors from last year’s team.

They still delivered and helped the Lions reach the regional championship game for a third straight season.

Westminster Academy, however, was stymied by powerhouse Miami Riviera Prep for the third consecutive time. Riviera has gone on to win the past two 3A state titles.

“We lost a couple of pieces from last year and we had to step up and have a bigger role,” Constanza, a guard, said. “I didn’t mind. I like the pressure.

“Riviera is a good team, but that game will make us come back even hungrier,” he added. “We played a lot of good teams and good tournaments. Coach (Ehren Wallhoff) wanted to put us to the test to see if we could handle it and we showed we could. We are going to come back next year and get the win.”

Westminster Academy (23-6) finished ranked No. 2 in the state in Class 3A and 79th overall, according to MaxPreps.

Alexander Lloyd, basketball player of the year from Westminster Academy, photographed on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Constanza scored his 1,000th career point this season and had a 15-game stretch where he scored over 22 points and more than 10 rebounds per game during the key part of the season. The guard had more than 600 points and 250 rebounds for the season. Constanza averaged 21 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1,8 blocks per game for the year.

Lloyd, a combo guard, averaged 20.5 points, 3.8 assists, and 2.1 steals per game, topped 30 points four times, and scored more than 550 points, and dished out 100 assists just this year alone. He’s eclipsed 1,750 points in his three years on the varsity and a two-year captain.

Lloyd, the school-record holder for most points scored, said his season highlight was going on the road and beating top-20 nationally ranked teams and setting multiple school records.

“This year we came with a different mindset,” Lloyd said. “We wanted to show teams we could compete at the highest level. In the first game of the season, we beat nationally ranked Oak Ridge and beat them at their house. We proved we could compete with anybody. We had that work ethic.

“We are still young, and I think we are going to be good for years to come,” he continued. “With us losing in the regionals three years in a row makes us hungrier. I think we are going to shock people.”

Wallhoff marveled at what the duo brought to the team this year. He said they are two “high major” kids.

“They don’t shy away from leadership roles whether that’s in the locker room or on the court,” Wallhoff said. “Both guys put the work in and as a result, you saw the fruits of their labor come to fruition — both average over 20 points and 5 assists per game.

“Being just a sophomore and junior, these kids are special and ranked top in the country and their play this year proved exactly that,” Wallhoff continued. “Both had multiple games of 30 points-plus in the biggest tournaments of the year (City of Palms, King Cotton, Iverson Classic).”

Alex Constanza, basketball player of the year from Westminster Academy, photographed on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

FIRST TEAM Shon Abaev, Calvary Christian Academy, Basketball. Winter all county in Deerfield Beach on Tuesday March 12, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Shon Abaev, SG/SF, Calvary Christian Academy junior: Four-year varsity member played 25 games this season averaging 18.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.5 blocks; topped 1,000 points; most proud of being first team in school history to win district title at home; hold multiple offers from Power 5 schools.

Enrico Borio, North Broward Prep, Basketball. Winter all county in Deerfield Beach on Tuesday March 12, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Enrico Borio, G/F/Wing, North Broward Prep senior: Team captain and two-year varsity member most proud of helping team reach state finals where he beat Calvary Christian with a buzzer beater; averaged 15 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, one steal and one block; Member of Brazilian National team; signed with Jacksonville University.

Casey Etienne, Cardinal Gibbons, Basketball. Winter all county. Deerfield Beach on Wednesday March 6, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Casey Etienne, G, Cardinal Gibbons senior: Helped Chiefs to a 20-8 season averaging a team-leading 16 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.3 steals per game; also plays free safety in football, where he was a Sun Sentinel second team selection; Princeton commit.

Landen Joseph, Northeast High, Basketball. Winter all county. Deerfield Beach on Wednesday March 6, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Landen Joseph, SG/PG, Northeast junior: First-year varsity player came back from injury that sidelined him last year and scored 19 of his game-high 36 points in the fourth quarter to overcome a 15-point deficit entering the fourth quarter to top Fort Pierce Central; team-leading 20 point average per game, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals, one block; also plays baseball.

Patrick Liburd, Sagemont Prep, Basketball. Winter all county. Deerfield Beach on Wednesday March 6, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Patrick Liburd, G/SF, Sagemont junior: Three-year varsity member played in 29 games this season helping Lions to state title; averaged 16.3 points, 1.6 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game; topped 1,000 career points this season; also runs track; considering Furman, Yale, and Princeton among others.

Raul Perez Ruiz, North Broward Prep, Basketball. Winter all county in Deerfield Beach on Tuesday March 12, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Raul Perez Ruiz, SG/PG, North Broward Prep senior: Team captain played two years on varsity; scored 35 points, 11 rebounds in win over St. Thomas; career highlight was winning regionals and advancing to state for first time; averaged 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists; 1.6 steals per game; holds offers from St. Thomas University in Miami and Chowan University in NC.

Kevin Thomas, Sagemont school, Basketball. Winter all county. Deerfield Beach on Wednesday March 6, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Kevin Thomas, G/SF, Sagemont sophomore: In 27 games, averaged 15.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.1 steals; two-year varsity starter; in addition to state championship, said career highlight was doing a between the legs dunk; also plays baseball and football.

DJ Wimbley, Westminster Academy, Basketball. Winter all county. Deerfield Beach on Wednesday March 6, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

DJ Wimbley Jr., G/Wing, Westminster Academy junior: Team captain averaged 15 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists per game; made game-winning shot against nationally ranked Oak Ridge on the road; scored his 1,000th point this season (now has more than 1,300) and 400 rebounds for his career; Sun Sentinel first team All County football; runs track.

SECOND TEAM

Stone Bureau, G, Calvary Christian Academy senior

Cayden Daughtry, G, Calvary Christian Academy freshman

Anthony Ferrer, PG, University School senior

Jordyn Kee, G, Sagemont junior

Isaac Mothersill, PG/SG, Chaminade-Madonna junior

Marcus Perrier, SF, Cardinal Gibbons junior

Jeremiah Police, SF, Westminster Academy senior

Guy Twitty, SG/PG, Archbishop McCarthy senior

HONORABLE MENTION

American Heritage: Saeed Moghaddam Adames, Dia Bell, Javarious Chambers

Archbishop McCarthy: Enrique Duboy, Andrew Sanchez, George Sterr

Avant Garde: Gavin Guzman

Calvary Christian: Collin Paul, John Roland

Cardinal Gibbons: Ryan Grant, Tao Schreiber, Sam Vil

Chaminade-Madonna: Michael Watson Jr.

Coral Springs Charter: Justin Laroche, Jalen McGregor

Franklin Academy: Robert Guisharo

Hallandale: Jamari Bolden, Jaylin Jasmin, Isaiah Lawson

Highlands Christian: Adrian Suero

Northeast: Chanler Joseph, Anthony Rodriguez

Pine Crest: Rowan Hoffman, Kareem Khouri, Dylan Wigoda

Pompano Beach: Jonathan Berwig

Sagemont: Dominic Issa, Devontae Jean

Somerset Academy: Jayden Alcine, Jahlon Blain, Anderson Henderson

Stranahan: David Nealy, Esron Simeon, Christian Yeargin

University School: Antonio Brown, Dwight Gaines

CO-COACHES OF THE YEAR David Roe, Sagemont Prep, Basketball. Winter all county in Deerfield Beach on Tuesday March 12, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

David Roe, Sagemont: Guided Lions (25-6) to their third state championship appearance in a row and back-to-back state championships for the first time in school history. “I am really proud that our seniors got to leave their legacy being the first back-to-back state champions in school history. This group’s chemistry only grew stronger as the year progressed and they never wavered from our ultimate goal.”

Casey Wohlleb, North Broward Prep, Basketball. Winter all county. Deerfield Beach on Wednesday March 6, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Casey Wohlleb, North Broward Prep: Helped the Eagles (24-8) reach the state final four for the first time in school history. Along the way in regionals had to win two tough matchups on the road against Calvary Christian and Mater Lakes. “Our goal was to make it to states and we felt like if we did we would have had a good chance of winning it. Unfortunately, we came up a few plays short in three overtimes (in the semifinals) to the team that won it.”

Hedrens Bartelus knows what it is like to put in the time and effort.

Bartelus, a 6-foot-6 senior wing and small forward, averaged 16.5 points per game to go along with 11 rebounds, three blocks, two steals and two assists this season as Lake Worth reached the Class 7A regional semifinals.

“I felt this year we had a really great team and should have made it farther than we did,” Bartelus said. “We had some games where we let teams hang with us and things didn’t go our way. The majority of our losses were close. I think only a couple of teams beat us by double digits.”

Bartelus helped the Trojans to an 18-10 record and No. 6 ranking in the state Class 7A poll, according to MaxPreps.

“We had great coaching this year,” he added. “I loved our coaching and if I could do it again for another four years I would. It was more than just a basketball team. It was a family.”

The four-year starter scored a game-winning basket to win district title last year and added two more game-winning baskets this year. He had multiple 30-point, 10-rebound games, and also plays volleyball for Lake Worth.

“I want people to remember me as a phenomenal player,” Bartelus said. “I think I had a very consistent year, and it was more of a mental game for me than physical. I had a great point guard that got me the ball all of the time and coaches that worked hard with me over the summer so I could improve a lot. Now it is time for me to get ready for the next step which is college.”

Now that the season has ended, he is going to go on a few recruiting visits to map out the next stage of his career.

Lake Worth coach Frank Baxley called Bartelus a “personification of hard work.”

“When Hedrens got here coming out of middle school, he wasn’t highly touted,” Baxley said. “He developed a lot and got better during his four years with our program. He went from a role player to a guy we depended on. He was a leader in his senior year and when his teammates saw what he was doing, they followed.

“Hedrens was a very important piece and he meant everything to how we played and what we were about,” Baxley continued. “His motor and how he played…he led by example, and I think the other guys pretty much fed off of him. His energy was infectious, and he is just an example of what hard work is about.”

Hedrens Bartelus, basketball player of the year from Lake Worth High School, photographed on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

FIRST TEAM Elyjah Freeman, Wellington High, Basketball. Winter all county in Deerfield Beach on Tuesday March 12, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Elyjah Freeman, F/Wing, Wellington senior: Second-year varsity starter averaged 15 points, 5.9 rebounds,1.9 assists, 2.1 steals and one block per game; season highlight was beating rival Palm Beach Central; had career-high 30 points game against Suncoast; Lincoln Memorial University signee.

Kenny Greenling, Jupiter High, Basketball. Winter all county. Deerfield Beach on Wednesday March 6, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Kenny Greenling, C, Jupiter senior: Two-year starter averaged 15.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.2 blocks per game; shot 67% from field and had 13 double doubles; most proud of improving from an end-of-bench player as a junior to a first-team All-County performer as a senior; recorded 20 points and 12 rebounds against rival Dwyer and ending their two-year home winning streak.

Jeremy Innocent, Lake Worth High, Basketball . Winter all county in Deerfield Beach on Tuesday March 12, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Jeremy Innocent, F, Lake Worth senior: Three-year starter said he is proud to have won second consecutive district championship and finished the season with an 18-10 record; played in 24 games and averaged 17.5 points, 15 rebounds, 2 assists and three blocks per game.

Amari Nealy, Dwyer High, Basketball. Winter all county in Deerfield Beach on Tuesday March 12, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Amari Nealy, Wing/G/C, Dwyer senior: Proud of what the team overcame this season and his 30-point game against Atlantic, which was close to a school record; averaged 14.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.6 blocks per game in 26 games; multiple player of the game awards; won a state title last season.

Jaelen Nelson, Dwyer high, Basketball. Winter all county. Deerfield Beach on Wednesday March 6, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Jaelen Nelson, SG, Dwyer senior: Four-year varsity member; played 26 games; averaged 13 points, 2 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 0.7 blocks; season highlight was beating rival Lake Worth and winning district title; said winning state title last season gave him first taste of his goal of playing in NBA; verbally committed to Edward Waters University.

Matthew Puodziukaitis, Palm Beach Central, Basketball Winter all county in Deerfield Beach on Tuesday March 12, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Matthew Puodziukaitis, C/F, Palm Beach Central senior: Two-year captain and three-year varsity player had most double-doubles and rebounds in school history; third in points, and second in blocks; committed to Saint Vincent College; proud of beating Wellington this season; averaged 13.5 points, 2.2 assists, 11.6 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 0.7 blocks a game.

Reginald Reinhardt, Wellington High, Basketball. Winter all county. Deerfield Beach on Wednesday March 6, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Reginald Reinhardt, PG, Wellington senior: Three-year starter said season highlight was dropping 25 points twice against rival Palm Beach Central; averaged 12.4 points, 3.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 2 steals and 0.7 blocks a game in 28 games; signed with Barry University.

SECOND TEAM

Emmanuel Augustin, PG, John I. Leonard senior

Talan Caudell, SF, Jupiter senior

Jayden Coney, PG, Royal Palm Beach senior

Altavion Hodge, SG, Palm Beach Lakes senior

Ethan Litten, F, Spanish River senior

Sean Standifer, SG/SF, Lake Worth junior

Kevin Ulysee, F, Atlantic senior

HONORABLE MENTION

Atlantic: Alix Dieudonne, Jabari Henry

Boca Raton: Luke Dahmer, Lavar Jamison, Brendan Mahoney

Dwyer: Bobby Gilbert III, Jaironn Speights

Forest Hill: Trenton Davis, Travis McIntyre, Cameran Phillips

John I. Leonard: Cory Jones, Reggie Presendieu

Jupiter:  RayRay Collum

Lake Worth: Anthony Coby, Sean Standifer

Olympic Heights: Devon Brenner, Harrison Cohen, Jake Harbatkin

Palm Beach Central: Bryan Joseph

Palm Beach Gardens: Keyon Stephens

Palm Beach Lakes: Jamar Callum, Altavion Hodge, Pheinyx Jenkins, Brad Laurette

Park Vista: Jean Garcia, Tray Goldwire

Royal Palm Beach: Imanol Cheatham

Santaluces: Dacariuos Jenkins

Wellington: Tony Collins, Dakota Izard

West Boca: Michael Bonina, Mason Mallory, Brandon Roache

COACH OF THE YEAR JD DePasquale, Jupiter High, Basketball. Winter all county. Deerfield Beach on Wednesday March 6, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

JD DePasquale, Jupiter: Guided the Warriors to the best record in Palm Beach County at a school-record 23-3 mark despite losing 9 of his top 11, including all five starters, off his 20-7 2023 team. “This season has been the most rewarding of my coaching career. This was the first year that we had a group that we got to see grow from freshmen to seniors…seeing the growth they made on and off the floor these last three to four years has been special. We knew we were going to have a special group but truthfully, they exceeded all expectations.”

New-Home Buyers May Want to Consider 'Phase Inspections'  National Association of REALTORS®

By TIM REYNOLDS (AP Basketball Writer)

Florida Atlantic is hiring Baylor associate head coach John Jakus as its coach, a move that comes four days after Dusty May capped his six-year run with the Owls and took over at Michigan.

Jakus and the school have agreed on a five-year contract. Financial terms were not immediately released and the school was planning to hold an introductory news conference on Friday.

“This program has been in such great hands, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for what Dusty May, his staff, and the players have accomplished,” Jakus said. “FAU has been one of the best teams in the nation the last two years and I am so fortunate to carry on that tradition.”

Jakus was at Baylor under Scott Drew for seven seasons — including the team’s national championship season in 2021 — and spent time at Gonzaga as director of operations under Mark Few before that. During that three-year stretch the Bulldogs went to an Elite Eight one year, a Sweet 16 the next and then national title game.

“He checks so many boxes in what we’re looking for to enhance and build on the momentum in our program,” FAU athletic director Brian White said. “His pedigree, learning from two of the greatest coaches in the game today, is unmatched. John is a tireless worker who cares deeply for his players and has an innate understanding of the current landscape in college athletics. He is a winner and is passionate about doing it the right way.”

In Jakus’ 12 seasons on Division I staffs, the teams have posted a combined 316-99 record.

He’s been a head coach in Europe at clubs in Macedonia and Bulgaria from 2007 through 2011. Jakus also has experience working with Athletes in Action, collecting more international experience over about a decade.

The Owls lost in the first round of this year’s NCAA Tournament to Northwestern. May left for Michigan a day later, signing a five-year contract worth nearly $19 million — basically tripling his annual salary of $1.25 million plus incentives at FAU for this season.

FAU has won 60 games over the last two seasons, 35 of them during last season’s run to the Final Four. Only Houston (65), defending national champion UConn (64) and Purdue (60) have as many wins as the Owls since the start of last season.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

TALLAHASSEE — A three-judge federal panel Wednesday rejected a constitutional challenge to a congressional redistricting plan that Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed through the Legislature in 2022, saying opponents did not prove lawmakers acted with “racially discriminatory purpose.”

The decision was the second time in less than four months that courts have upheld the map in cases focused on the overhaul of a North Florida district that in the past elected a Black Democrat. The state’s 1st District Court of Appeal on Dec. 1 backed the plan — a decision that has been appealed to the Florida Supreme Court.

The federal-court lawsuit, filed by plaintiffs such as Common Cause Florida and the Florida NAACP, alleged that the map involved intentional discrimination and violated the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment and 15th Amendment. The 14th Amendment ensures equal protection, while the 15th Amendment prohibits denying or abridging the right to vote based on race.

But Wednesday’s opinion shared by Judges Adalberto Jordan, Casey Rodgers and Allen Winsor said the plaintiffs had not met a key test of showing that the Legislature acted with racial motivation.

“There are two relevant state actors in this case — the Florida Legislature, which passed the enacted map, and the governor, who proposed, pushed for, and signed the enacted map into law,” the opinion said. “It is not enough for the plaintiffs to show that the governor was motivated in part by racial animus, which we will assume without deciding for purposes of our decision. Rather, they also must prove that the Florida Legislature itself acted with some discriminatory purpose when adopting and passing the enacted map. This they have not done.”

The opinion said the “plaintiffs freely concede there is no direct or circumstantial evidence of racially discriminatory purpose on the part of any member of the Florida Legislature.”

“A public and collective decision-making body, like the Florida Legislature, is answerable only for its own unconstitutional actions and motivations,” the 58-page opinion said. “The unlawful motivations of others — whether constituents, the governor, or even a single member of the body itself — do not become those of the decision-making body as a whole unless it is shown that a majority of the body’s members shared and purposefully adopted (i.e., ratified) the motivations.”

But Jordan and Winsor, in concurring opinions, took opposing stances on whether DeSantis had racial motivations. Unlike ordinary federal-court cases, three-judge federal panels hear redistricting cases.

Jordan, a judge on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, wrote that “the evidence presented at trial convinces me that the governor did, in fact, act with race as a motivating factor.”

“I do not think that Governor DeSantis harbors personal racial animus toward Black voters,” Jordan wrote. “But I do believe that he used race impermissibly as a means to achieve ends (including partisan advantage) that he cannot admit to.”

Florida urges Supreme Court to decline challenge to voting redistricting plan

Winsor, a district judge, disagreed with Jordan and wrote that the plaintiffs did not provide discriminatory purpose by the Legislature or DeSantis.

“Florida governors, like United States presidents, routinely use their legislative authority to advance their policy goals, just as legislators do.” Winsor wrote. “Plaintiffs call the governor’s insistence here ‘bull(ying) the Legislature.’ Others might call it exercising political will. But one shouldn’t call it racist.”

The North Florida district, Congressional District 5, in the past elected Black Democrat Al Lawson. The former configuration of the district stretched from Jacksonville to Gadsden County, west of Tallahassee, and incorporated areas with sizable numbers of Black voters.

DeSantis vetoed a redistricting plan passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature and muscled through a replacement that placed District 5 in the Jacksonville area. White Republicans won all North Florida congressional seats in the November 2022 elections.

DeSantis argued that keeping a district similar to the former shape of Congressional District 5 would be an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.

The three-judge federal panel held a trial in September and October. Meanwhile, a separate case was playing out in state courts. That case focuses on a 2010 state constitutional amendment, known as the Fair Districts amendment, that prohibited drawing districts that would “diminish” the ability of minorities to “elect representatives of their choice.”

Leon County Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh agreed with voting-rights groups that the redistricting plan violated the Fair Districts amendment. But the 1st District Court of Appeal rejected that decision in December, citing the sprawling shape of the district that elected Lawson.

The appeals court’s main opinion said protection offered under the non-diminishment clause and under the federal Voting Rights Act “is of the voting power of ‘a politically cohesive, geographically insular minority group.’” It said linking voters across a large stretch of North Florida did not meet such a definition of cohesiveness.

The Florida Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal by voting-rights groups, though it has not scheduled arguments. As a result, the 2022 congressional map will remain in place for this year’s elections.

MIAMI GARDENS — Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner won his 20th match of 2024 to reach the Miami Open semifinals for the third time in the past four years with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Tomas Machac on Wednesday.

Sinner, seeded second, will take on either No. 3 seed Daniil Medvedev or No. 22 seed Nicolas Jarry, who play later.

Sinner reached his fourth final four of the season and moved to 20-1 overall. He reached the finals of this event in 2021 and 2023, losing both times.

“It was a really tough match, but I was happy about the performance,” Sinner said.

Sinner, 22, said Machac served well early on and his aggressiveness kept things close for a while. But Sinner continued his fabulous run, breaking his opponent’s serve four times, to move on to the next round.

“I always say when it all feels good on the court, it’s easy to play tennis,” he said. “But it has to start off in a practice session when you don’t feel well, but you still have to practice and this can make the difference.

“At the moment, I feel really good on the court,” he continued.

On the women’s side, 14th-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova followed up her win over No. 1 seed Iga Swiatek with another top-10 victory, taking down No. 5 seed Jessica Pegula 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. Alexandrova earned her first trip to a Miami Open semifinal.

“I think it’s like the biggest achievement for me today on this court, and semifinal is a big bonus,” Alexandrova said.

Alexandrova will face Danielle Collins, who defeated No. 23 seed Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-2.

Collins will play in the Miami semifinal round on Thursday for the first time since she made it as a qualifier six years ago.

Garcia had come off consecutive wins over Grand Slam champions Naomi Osaki and Coco Gauff. But the run fizzled out against Collins, who has won 10 of 11 sets in this tournament and needed just 80 minutes to advance.

Collins moved to 4-0 in her career against Garcia, who never had a break point in the match. Collins downplayed the dominant showing.

“Against someone like Caro, it forces me to be more concentrated, because I know I don’t want to give her an inch,” Collins said.

Running off at the typewriter …

Of course, basketball coach Johnny Dawkins deserves the short-term contract extension that UCF has offered him.

Knights athletic director Terry Mohajir absolutely did the right thing by giving Dawkins a reported two-year extension and a fighting chance to succeed in the brutally tough Big 12. If UCF shows progress in the next couple of seasons, Dawkins will get a longer and more lucrative extension. If the Knights struggle, then they aren’t on the hook for a multi-year zillion-dollar buyout if they have to part ways with Dawkins.

Dawkins’ first season in the Big 12 (17-16 overall, 7-11 in conference play) is actually comparable to that of football coach Gus Malzahn (6-7 overall, 3-6 in the Big 12), who also received a contract extension last season. The football team made a lower-tier bowl game and the basketball team made the NIT. Not great seasons by any means, but not too shabby for an inaugural season in a Power 5 league.

And you could certainly make a case that UCF’s basketball team had it tougher than the football team because the Big 12 is considered the toughest hoops conference in the country and isn’t nearly as formidable in football. In addition, even though  Mohajir is trying to rapidly pour more resources into Dawkins’ program, UCF’s basketball budget — by most accounts — was dead last in the Big 12 and near the bottom in NIL spending.

Anybody who thought UCF would step into the Big 12 — in either football or basketball — and immediately become a championship contender was simply being delusional.

I believe Dawkins is a good basketball coach, but not even good basketball coaches can win consistently when their opponents have bigger budgets and better players. And to get those things, you need resources and money, which are two things  Dawkins hasn’t had at his disposal over the years.

However, the Knights are finally starting to cash some of those Big 12 TV checks although they won’t get a full allotment of the conference’s revenue share until 2026. Even so, at least Dawkins will be more on an even playing field with some of his Big 12 brethren moving forward.

Mohajir made a sound decision by choosing stability over volatility. To build a program in the best conference in college basketball, switching coaches just for the sake of switching coaches is the worst thing you can do.

Johnny Dawkins can build a quality basketball program — as long as he is given time, investment and, of course, lots of NIL money! …

Short stuff: If you find any typos or misspelled words in this column, I’m blaming it on my interpreter. … I don’t know about you, but I love the NFL’s new XFL-style kickoff rule, which will make it safer for the players (less high-speed collisions) and more fun for the fans (more kickoff returns). However, there are some of my peeps on social media who aren’t enamored with the NFL’s player-safety movement. As Grumpy JT texted me Wednesday: “No helmet contact, no leading with the helmet, no horse-collar tackles, no hip-drop tackles, don’t hit the QB high and don’t hit the QB low.  By 2030, you will need to cautiously approach your opponent and verbally convince them to lay down.” …

Even though Dec. 25 is on Wednesday this year, the NFL announced earlier this week that it will play two games on Christmas Day, thus commandeering a holiday that was once the NBA’s showcase. In the NBA’s eyes, the NFL truly is “The Grinch Who  Stole Christmas.” … With Wednesday being Quirky Country Music Song Titles Day, can anybody come up with a better one than “Dropkick Me, Jesus, Through the Goalposts of Life” by the great Bobby Bare? I didn’t think so. … Former Florida Gators running back Trevor Etienne transfers to Georgia and almost immediately gets arrested for DUI — Dawgs Under Influence. … Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin was asked earlier this week whether he believes the spring transfer portal window — set to open on April 16 — will be busier than in recent years. Replied Kiffin: “Obviously, because players can transfer multiple times. Here, again, just a really stupid system. But, hey, good for the players — maybe. It’s good for them financially. I don’t know that it’s really good for them that they can leave every time something goes wrong. They’re just gonna run no matter what.” …

It’s been a great week for the ACC — four teams in the Sweet 16 and zero lawsuits filed from a member institution trying to bail out. … For those old enough to remember the Brady Bunch sitcom, other schools in the Women’s NCAA Tournament must feel like Jan Brady lamenting big sister Marcia getting all of the attention. Jan: “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia.” Other NCAA Tournament teams: “Caitlin, Caitlin, Caitlin.” … The $4.5 million question: Is Ippei Mizuhara, the banished former interpreter for L.A. Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, actually just the fall guy who was placing bets for Ohtani himself? Said Pete Rose earlier this week: “Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, I wish I’d have had an interpreter. I’d be scot-free.” … Did you see where Deion Sanders got defensive recently when USA Today pointed out how Sanders refuses to make recruiting visits to high schools or do in-home visits with recruits and their parents? Maybe Prime Time needs to change his name to Down Time. …

True story: Tim Tebow and his foundation teamed up with a nonprofit team of veteran commandos to evacuate dozens of orphans with disabilities from gang-torn  Haiti. Yet another reason why Tebow will be president someday. … Kudos to former Orlando Magic player Domantas Sabonis, who set an NBA record earlier this week when he recorded his 54th-consecutive double-double. Bianchi, you idiot, Sabonis was never a member of the Magic! Au contraire, mon frère! Sabonis was a member of the Magic for a few minutes when Orlando drafted him 11th overall in 2016 and traded him to Oklahoma City on draft night along with Ersan İlyasova and Victor Oladipo for an over-the-hill Serge Ibaka. In hindsight, it was one of the worst trades in Magic history. … Controversial LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey has threatened legal action against The Washington Post for what she says is a “hit piece” article about her. One problem: The article has not even been published yet. As that great basketball analyst William Shakespeare once wrote: “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” …

Last word: With Lady Gaga celebrating her 38th birthday Thursday, let us all try to live by the words of the iconic entertainer: “I want the world to be better because I was here.”

 

By STEFANIE DAZIO and CHRISTOPHER WEBER (Associated Press)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge has recommended that conservative attorney John Eastman lose his California law license over his efforts to keep former President Donald Trump in power after the 2020 election.

Eastman, a former law school dean, faced 11 disciplinary charges in the state bar court stemming from his development of a legal strategy to have then-Vice President Mike Pence interfere with the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory.

State Bar Court of California Judge Yvette Roland’s recommendation, issued Wednesday, now goes to the California Supreme Court for a final ruling on whether he should be disbarred. Eastman can appeal the top court’s decision.

“Dr. Eastman maintains that his handling of the legal issues he was asked to assess after the November 2020 election was based on reliable legal precedent, prior presidential elections, research of constitutional text, and extensive scholarly material,” Eastman’s attorney, Randall Miller, said in a statement after the ruling. “The process undertaken by Dr. Eastman in 2020 is the same process taken by lawyers every day and everywhere – indeed, that is the essence of what lawyers do.”

The judge found Eastman liable for 10 of the 11 charges, including misleading courts, moral turpitude, making false statements and plotting with Trump to hinder the transfer of power.

“Eastman conspired with President Trump to obstruct a lawful function of the government of the United States; specifically, by conspiring to disrupt the electoral count on January 6, 2021,” Roland wrote in her 128-page decision.

The California State Bar is a regulatory agency and the only court system in the U.S. that is dedicated to attorney discipline.

Eastman separately faces criminal charges in Georgia in the case accusing Trump and 18 allies of conspiring to overturn the Republican’s loss in the state. Eastman, who has pleaded not guilty, has argued he was merely doing his job as Trump’s attorney when he challenged the results of the 2020 election. He has denounced the case as targeting attorneys “for their zealous advocacy on behalf of their clients.”

He’s also one of the unnamed co-conspirators in the separate 2020 election interference case brought by special counsel Jack Smith, but Eastman is not charged in the federal case.

The State Bar of California alleged that Eastman violated the state’s business and professions code by making false and misleading statements that constitute acts of “moral turpitude, dishonesty, and corruption.” In doing so, the agency says he “violated this duty in furtherance of an attempt to usurp the will of the American people and overturn election results for the highest office in the land — an egregious and unprecedented attack on our democracy.”

In her decision, Roland wrote: “In view of the circumstances surrounding Eastman’s misconduct and balancing the aggravation and mitigation, the court recommends that Eastman be disbarred.”

Eastman was a close adviser to Trump in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. He wrote a memo laying out a plan for Pence to reject legitimate electoral votes for Biden while presiding over the joint session of Congress on Jan. 6 in order to keep Trump in the White House.

Prosecutors seeking to strip Eastman of his law license depicted him as a Trump enabler who fabricated a baseless theory and made false claims of fraud in hopes of overturning the results of the election.

Eastman’s attorney countered that his client never intended to steal the election but was considering ways to delay electoral vote counting so states could investigate allegations of voting improprieties. Trump’s claims of fraud were roundly rejected by courts, including by judges Trump appointed.

The judge wasn’t persuaded by Eastman’s claim that his actions amounted to no more than a dedicated representation of Trump.

“It is true that an attorney has a duty to engage in zealous advocacy on behalf of a client,” Roland wrote. “However, Eastman’s inaccurate assertions were lies that cannot be justified as zealous advocacy. Eastman failed to uphold his primary duty of honesty and breached his ethical obligations by presenting falsehoods to bolster his legal arguments. Finally, the court notes that acts of moral turpitude are a departure from professional norms and are unequivocally outside the realm of protection afforded by the First Amendment and the obligation of vigorous advocacy.”

Roland did agree with Eastman’s attorney on one of the 11 counts. The judge found Eastman’s remarks to a rally in Washington on Jan. 6 did not contribute to the subsequent assault on the Capitol.

Eastman will be placed on involuntary inactive status within three days of the judge’s order, which means he cannot practice law in California while the Supreme Court considers the case, the state bar said.

The States United Democracy Center, which filed an early ethics complaint against Eastman, cheered the judge’s decision.

“This is a crucial victory in the effort to hold accountable those who tried to overturn the 2020 election. After hearing from almost two dozen witnesses over a 35-day trial, the court found that John Eastman violated his ethical duties to uphold the constitution,” said Christine P. Sun, a senior vice president for the nonprofit. “This decision sends an unmistakable message: No one is above the law — not presidents, and not their lawyers.”

Eastman has been a member of the California Bar since 1997, according to its website. He was a law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and a founding director of the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, a law firm affiliated with the Claremont Institute. He ran for California attorney general in 2010, finishing second in the Republican primary.

Eastman was dean of Chapman University law school in Southern California from 2007 to 2010 and was a professor at the school when he retired in 2021 after more than 160 faculty members signed a letter calling for the university to take action against him.

By GARY FIELDS (Associated Press)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The second day of the disciplinary hearing for former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark painted a picture of someone who, despite numerous attempts by his superiors to convince him otherwise, remained adamant that there were irregularities and fraud in the 2020 election that required deeper examination.

Testifying Wednesday before the three-member Board of Responsibility, former acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen said he and Richard Donoghue, who had been the acting No. 2, met multiple times with Clark after the 2020 presidential election to urge him to change his stance regarding how the department should handle allegations of voter fraud.

Clark is accused of attempting to engage in dishonest conduct during his role in the aftermath of then-President Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential election loss and attempt to overturn the 2020 election. At issue is a letter Clark drafted that said the department was investigating “various irregularities” and had identified “significant concerns” that may have impacted the election. He was trying to persuade Rosen and Donoghue to send the letter to Georgia.

In one meeting the men held with Clark, they asked why he was pushing an issue that was outside his purview as then acting head of the department’s civil division.

“Mr. Clark wasn’t very forthcoming. He just indicated these were his ideas. He thought they were good ones,” Rosen said.

The pair tried to explain why the department had concluded that while there was fraud and misconduct, it was not enough to have cost Trump the election. In addition, the men learned Clark had spoken with Trump, a violation of department policy on who should have contact with the White House.

Rosen said the meeting ended with Clark saying, “Well, I thought these were good ideas, but if you don’t like them, then OK.” Rosen and Donoghue thought Clark had accepted their explanation and the issue was closed.

That was not the case. Clark continued his efforts and maintained contact with Trump.

Rosen changed tack and at one point Clark received a classified briefing from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence over an allegation he had heard. Rosen and Donoghue decided to grant him the access and also suggested he speak with a U.S. Attorney in Georgia on how he had pursued allegations there.

“He had expressed interest in the ODNI report, so I thought that was a way to both prevent him from giving poor advice to the president and perhaps to see why it was that the rest of the department had the position we had,” Rosen testified.

Clark did not waver from his stance, disagreeing with the report. He did not contact the U.S. Attorney.

The issue reached a head when Trump considered firing Rosen and replacing him with Clark. That was averted when the senior leaders at the Justice Department and lawyers within the White House said they would quit if Trump took that step.

Rosen’s testimony took up most of the day. Clark was called to testify by Hamilton Fox III, the disciplinary counsel at the hearing, over the objections of Clark’s attorneys, who indicated their client had made clear he would invoke privilege.

Clark answered the initial questions about when he joined the Washington, D.C., bar and about his work history up until his time at the Justice Department.

He invoked several privileges, including executive privilege, law-enforcement privilege, deliberative-process privilege, attorney-client privilege and the Fifth Amendment, which protects people from providing self-incriminating testimony, during more than 30 minutes of questioning from Fox, focusing on the letter and Clark’s role in the aftermath of the election.

At one point, following Fox’s questioning, board member Patricia Mathews asked who Clark’s client was for his invocation of attorney-client privilege and Clark responded: “President Trump. The head of the executive branch. The sole and the unitary head of Article Two, the executive branch of the United States government.”

One of his lawyers interceded and asked that Clark continue invoking the privileges he used during the rest of questioning.

Clark is facing criminal charges in Georgia for his role in the attempt to overturn the election there. Trump is one of the co-defendants.

Clark could be sanctioned, including possible disbarment. He can appeal any action taken against him to the D.C. Court of Appeals.

His attorney, Harry MacDougald, has said the action being taken against his client for engaging in the normal back and forth between lawyers would have a chilling effect on the profession.

The case resumes Thursday with defense witnesses.