Mark’s Scoutbook: Matanzas Pirates

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Next up on our road trip of team previews in Florida, we head south on I-95 to Matanzas High in Palm Coast. Matanzas finished the year 9-17. Coach Robinson is entering his 3rd year in the program. I believe this will be a sneaky good team. Coach Robinson stated his goal for the season is to make the playoffs. The Pirates have the grit and height to make a run in districts. Let us take a deeper dive into the program.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Games:&nbsp;</strong>11/28 @ Ponte Vedra &amp; 1/31/24 @ Windemere Prep</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>To be the best, you must beat the best. Ponte Vedra is a good test for this gritty group. PV is one of the top programs in the state, and Matanzas looks to knock them off the throne.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another top-tier program in Windermere Prep is a key game for the Pirates. Windermere Prep keeps D1 talent year in and year out. I look forward to seeing [player_tooltip player_id='1660048' first='Brandon' last='Bass Jr']. going against [player_tooltip player_id='2125484' first='Henry' last='Robinson Jr.'] Expect these two nationally-ranked guys to have a great duel. I will have my popcorn ready.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Returning Player:</strong>&nbsp;Tariq Shakir l 6-0 l Guard&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tariq is a gritty playmaking point with an ability to score at will. The senior guard led his team in assists the past two seasons. Shakir is a leader on this team. Expectations are for him to lead the team to their first district title in school history.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Most Impactful Player/Underclassmen:</strong>&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='2125484' first='Henry' last='Robinson Jr.'] l 6-7 l W/F</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If you have not seen him play, you are missing out. The 6-7 true freshman walks on campus and is immediately impactful to the team. He is well-rounded, ranging from scoring to blocking shots to rebounding. Robinson Jr. will lead the team in a few statistical categories. He just recently posted 54 points in one game during the preseason.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The X-Factor:</strong>&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='2299647' first='Alexander' last='Davis'] l 6-9 l Forward</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Davis only played in 8 games due to injury but was quite effective in his time on the court. Davis is another walking double-double as well. He racked in 16 PPG, 13 RPG, and 2 BPG in his short sample size last season. Teams will have their hands full dealing with him and Robinson on a night-in and night-out basis. Davis looks to be the anchor in the middle of the defense for Matanzas this upcoming year. Production should sustain or increase this upcoming season.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hidden Gem:&nbsp;</strong>Ryasir “Rock” Jefferson l 6-0 l Guard</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jefferson is another tough combo guard that can score in a blur. He is a 20-point game waiting to happen. Jefferson was a late transfer at the end of the year, so it will be his first season playing for Matanzas. Don't be surprised if "Rock" leads the team in scoring.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>For any Florida Prep Hoops news or information, contact Mark Holland on Twitter&nbsp;</em></strong><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/mark__holland" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>https://twitter.com/mark__holland</em></strong></a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->