Top Defenders from 4A State Semi-Finals

<p>The first game of the 4A Final Four was an epic showdown between Jacksonville’s Andrew Jackson High School and St. Petersburg’s Gibbs High School. The following game was a heavyweight fight between Orlando’s Lake Highland Prep and the Eagles of Calvary Christian Academy out of Ft. Lauderdale. Let’s see who impressed on the defensive side of the ball...</p> <p><strong>Game 1:</strong></p> <p>#35 Jacquez Day C Sr. 6’5" 220lbs. (Gibbs High School) - From the tip, I could see how Jacquez Day would impact his team. The tenacious Senior was all over the place on the defensive side, totaling 10 defensive rebounds (14 total), a game high 5 blocks, and 1 steal. Believe it or not, his impact is still greater than the stats show. Day was challenging every shot in the paint. He was the first to the floor on loose balls on several occasions. On a day riddled with talent, Jacques Day was the guy that impressed me the most.</p> <p>#10 Jacob Daniels PG Fr. 5’9" 150lbs. (Gibbs High School) - Jacob Daniels may have left the arena talking about his offensive impact for the Gibbs Gladiators, but it was his defense that impressed me. Standing at 5’9", Daniels may be considered undersized by some, but his effort is unmatched. An aggressive, pesky defender, Daniels was speeding up the opposing teams guards all game long, grabbing two steals. Do not be surprised if you hear the name Jacob Daniels committing to a big time program in 3 years.</p> <p>#4 [player_tooltip player_id="1060182" first="Michael" last="Swift"] G Jr. 6’3" 140lbs. (Andrew Jackson High School) - Just like Jacob Daniels, [player_tooltip player_id="1060182" first="Michael" last="Swift"] may be talked about more for his offensive contribution, but his defensive impact was key for Andrew Jackson to pull off the win. Swift snagged 4 steals to go along with his 2 blocks in what ended up being a win for Andrew Jackson to reach the state title game. </p> <p><strong>Game 2:</strong></p> <p>#25 [player_tooltip player_id="712107" first="Taylor" last="Hendricks"] F Sr. 6’10" 215 lbs. (Calvary Christian Academy) - It is hard to mention top defensive performers without bringing up [player_tooltip player_id="712107" first="Taylor" last="Hendricks"]. Standing at 6’10", the UCF commit was a beast in the paint for Calvary. Totaling 4 blocks, Hendricks contested every shot in the paint and forced the opposing LHP Highlanders to adjust midair and take tough shots. For a forward, Hendricks was incredible at moving his feet and guarding the perimeter, even when he was matched up against the talented Ohio State commit, [player_tooltip player_id="712136" first="Brice" last="Sensabaugh"]. </p> <p>#5 [player_tooltip player_id="709228" first="Carl" last="Cherenfant"] G Jr. 6’5" (Calvary Christian Academy) - Cherenfant is a long, athletic guard that has a very bright future in front of him. The 6’5" guard was all over the floor in the win for Calvary Christian. He was vertical on every shot block attempt and forced the Highlanders to take tough shots. He finished the game with 3 defensive rebounds, a block, and a steal. </p> <p>#2 [player_tooltip player_id="814925" first="Jared" last="Berry"] PG Sr. 5’10" 175lbs. (Lake Highland Prep) - [player_tooltip player_id="814925" first="Jared" last="Berry"] is a guy who’s impact was larger than the stat sheet shows. Berry was active in attacking the defensive glass, pulling down 2 rebounds. A point guard that will crash to rebound is a very crucial thing to have for a winning team, and Berry is just that. He tallied one steal in the game and was the first to the floor on a big loose ball. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p>