While former Miami Christian guard Neftali Alvarez continues to produce the type of numbers at Fairfield (14.3 PPG, 3.6 APG) one would envision from a highly lauded recruit of his caliber, another Miami Christian product is also living up to weighty expectations as a fearless freshman.
Now in close proximity to his own backyard, Jeffrey Hernandez is averaging 14 points and six boards for Florida National University in Hialeah, Fla. Miami Christian has long been known to groom a torrent of talented, beyond their years guards and versatile forwards.
The 6-foot-5, 190-pound Hernandez has displayed reliable range and deft slashing ability. These bedrock attributes have enabled him to dart his way to a starting lineup of a Conquistadors team containing a glut of high-scoring guards.
In pulling shots from oceanic deep and with his ability to knife through defenders and look for the right shot, Hernandez plays with a savvy and a mental moxie which differentiates himself from most freshmen. His incremental improvement on the defensive side has made him a more reliable piece for high strung FNU head coach JJ Thatcher, who is known to preach accountability thoroughly.
“From the minute we saw him play last season, I knew he would be an ideal fit for our program,” Thatcher explained. “Helping us was the fact that we had his childhood friend, Jose Benitez, who he grew up playing with back in the Dominican Republic. I knew right off the bat, these two playing together would give us the chance to be a national contender once again.”
While at Miami Christian, Hernandez entertained high Division-II and Division-I interest. Ultimately, the decision to pick Florida National weighed on his relationships with two coaches in particular. Those two coaches were Miami Tropics head honcho Art “Pilin” Alvarez and Miami Christian head coach Juan Cardona. Both knew Thatcher from as far back as his playing days and trusted the young coach’s unique blend of vision and passion.
Relationships and a significant local presence are the cornerstones of recruiting, especially in a Miami area rife with talent. Thatcher’s bond with the Miami Tropics and also the presence of Benitez, who is a more traditional point guard, made it all happen.
Hernandez has been more actively involved offensively since a 28-point outburst against Nova University, one in which he shot 6-for-13 from beyond the arc. This eruption, which came after a listless 0-point effort against Lynn, was followed by a 15-point performance (on 7-for-9 FG) against Johnson and Wales University. He’s averaging 16.0 points over a recent six-game slate.
“Hands down he’s one of the best freshman I’ve ever recruited and coached,” Thatcher said.
“He’s averaging 14 points and six boards. He’s got the ability to shoot from distance, anywhere on the court and slash to the rim at any given time. He’s a special kid.”
