Impact Players of North Florida: Part 1 (2023)

<p>We continue to move along with more impact players in the North Florida area from the class of 2023. These guys put together a strong campaign from the summer. Expectations are to roll into the fall league with the same output. <br /> <br /> [player_tooltip player_id="962449" first="Michael" last="Zhang"] l 6’4 G l <em>Atlantic Coast</em><br /> Zhang sat out last season due to Covid-19. At the time, he was about 5’10 on a good day. Zhang returns a whopping 6 inches taller. He is a legitimate guard on the next level. His best attribute at this point is his ability to knock down the outside perimeter shot. He has range, volleyball range. He is a volume shooter that knows how to get his shot off. Highly skilled offensively, ability to create off the dribble. All Zhang needs is one go through the net; It is an automatic heat check. He is getting significant interest from Ivy League schools, most notably Columbia, Harvard, and Princeton. He sports a 4.8 GPA as well.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1060182" first="Michael" last="Swift"] l 6’2 G l <em>Andrew Jackson</em><br /> Swift had himself one heck of a summer. Arguably, the best summer for a player in his class. He played consistently well throughout the summer. I made it a point to follow his play while on the road. As the summer progress, so did he. Coach Hancock (Team Florida) stayed on him but in a good way. He is receptive to corrective criticism. Good body language. Swift has athleticism, grit, heart, and pure ability to be a force on the court for the Tigers next season. He is quickly evolving into a player that is solid on both ends. Primarily used as an off-ball guard for HS, I wonder if more touches with the ball in his hands are in store this season. He can be a combo guard for the Tigers. Both programs he is associated with demand 110% effort and defense at all times. He could take the city by storm for his class.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1060244" first="Mason" last="Sword"] l 6’4 W l <em>St. Joseph’s Academy</em><br /> He had a productive summer as well. Sword showed the ability to knock down the perimeter shot consistently. He is already a mid-range assassin. Adding the consistent corner three has become something more to his game. He is a kid that plays tough. I like his style of play. He is a lefty and knows how to get to his spots. He is better than expected on the offensive glass. Sword is a versatile kid that can plug-in-play in certain situations. The acquisition of [player_tooltip player_id="1265087" first="Nate" last="Llaga"] is vital because it’ll free up more one-on-one action. This lineup for Flashes becomes a solid lineup with Sam Wolfe, [player_tooltip player_id="1164252" first="Larry" last="Mitchell"], [player_tooltip player_id="1265087" first="Nate" last="Llaga"], Andy Gonzalez, and Sword.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1060257" first="Isaac" last="Edwards"] l 6’4 W l <em>Impact Christian</em><br /> Edwards is a kid that has come on to the scene here lately. He is oozing potential at the forward/wing position. I’ve keyed in on his athleticism, grit, and awareness on the court. He rebounds the ball exceptionally well too. I like the lineup with Edwards, [player_tooltip player_id="814927" first="Kelvin" last="Johnson"], and [player_tooltip player_id="1060195" first="Jordan" last="Mikell"] in the frontcourt. This lineup gives the Lions size and athleticism making it exceptionally tough for opposing teams on the inside. Edwards mid-range is respectable. I’d expect him to be an essential piece of the puzzle if Impact hopes to return to Lakeland this year.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1060243" first="Dominick" last="Scott"] l 6’4 F l <em>Riverside</em> <br /> Scott has put together a solid sophomore campaign in the regular season and offseason. I’m inclined to see if Scott will move to the wing position full-time. That is yet to be determined. He is another freak athlete that gets above the rim consistently. He is more of your slashing type of wing and gets busy on the inside. This lineup for the Generals could cause problems as well as they have plenty of athleticism and size. Scott should take on the bulk of scoring this upcoming season. I like his upside.</p> <p><strong><em><span data-preserver-spaces="true">For any North Florida Prep Hoops news or information, contact Mark Holland on Twitter @Mark__Holland</span></em></strong></p>