Notables: 2A State Semifinals

<p>On Wednesday, the FHSAA state tournament got underway with six semifinal tilts.</p> <p>The first two of the day were in Class 2A. Here are the results.</p> <p><em><strong>Impact Christian 69, Southwest Florida Christian 54</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Orlando Christian Prep 71, Grandview Prep 32</strong></em></p> <p>Here are the notable standouts.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="546193" first="AJ" last="Brown"] - 6-4 - Orlando Christian Prep</strong></p> <p>What an afternoon for [player_tooltip player_id="546193" first="AJ" last="Brown"]. The 2022 6-4 guard continues to put up big numbers. He dropped 29 points, seven rebounds while shooting 11-of-15 from the field. A versatile athlete, he controls the floor, hits jumpers with ease and can get to the rack often. Brown is just hitting the peak of his ability. He made it happen all game long against Grandview Prep.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="818662" first="Calvin" last="Johnson"] - 6-4 Impact Christian</strong></p> <p>You couldn’t ask for a better performance from 2021 guard [player_tooltip player_id="818662" first="Calvin" last="Johnson"]. The long bodied senior was locked in from the jump, finishing with a game-best 21 points on 10-of-11 shooting from the field. He hit huge jumpers in the second half and put the game on ice with a pair of two-handed slams. Impact Christian is back in the state championship for the third time in four years. Johnson is a highly underrated unsigned senior who gets the job done every time I see him suit up as a core slasher and scorer.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="712105" first="Ven-Allen" last="Lubin"] &amp; Josh Blazquez - Orlando Christian Prep</strong></p> <p>Orlando Christian Prep has so many pieces in place. It is a true pick your poison. 2022 6-7 forward [player_tooltip player_id="712105" first="Ven-Allen" last="Lubin"] recorded 13 points and seven rebounds as he did his usual attacking at the rim and cleaning up misses. He is difficult to contain. 2021 5-10 guard [player_tooltip player_id="818714" first="Joshua" last="Blazquez"] put down 10 points as he continues to be a playmaker. He is a crafty passer and an effective inside scorer.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="714825" first="Ivan" last="Lawson"] - 6-5 - Impact Christian</strong></p> <p>A hot start from 2021 guard/forward [player_tooltip player_id="714825" first="Ivan" last="Lawson"] picked up the energy for state regular Impact Christian. Lawson netted 10 of his 15 points in the opening quarter alone and couldn’t be slowed down at the point of attack. He has such a nice mix of speed and power and it flashed in this one. Look for him to make his next stop in the college ranks a good one. He’s still unsigned but is gaining traction with a recent offer from Division II Miles College.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="818688" first="Makye" last="Boles"] - 6-5 - Grandview Prep</strong></p> <p>The first half was rock solid for [player_tooltip player_id="818688" first="Makye" last="Boles"]. The 6-5 Grandview Prep guard did everything he could for his smaller framed squad against Orlando Christian Prep. Tacking on 14 points, Boles proved he is a tough nosed kid. He can shoot it and isn’t afraid to back down defenders. A college program would be lucky to have him.</p> <p><strong>Yadniel Sanabria Colon - 6-0 - Southwest Florida Christian </strong></p> <p>Only a sophomore, 2023 guard Yadniel Sanabria Colon has impressed as of late. With 13 points, it wasn’t an over-dominating performance but he made his presence felt with a variety of crafty finishes. His push and feel for the game is always on display. Sanabria Colon is a bursty player who will have a chance to continue his progression next season for a fun Southwest Florida Christian squad.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="956768" first="Jay" last="White"] - 6-1 - Southwest Florida Christian</strong></p> <p>The heart and soul of this backcourt, early foul trouble left 2022 guard [player_tooltip player_id="956768" first="Jay" last="White"] out of his comfort zone. Regardless, the hard-working point man still managed nine points in the outing and had some huge finishes in the third quarter to put his side ahead for a short period of time. White is a vision passer and a player who can’t be taken for granted ever. He makes everyone around him better.</p>