Prospect Profile: Tay Williams & Briasia Johnson, Denver South 2023’s

Brad Cochi

December 29, 2019 @ 12:17 PM

Having a freshman who can jump right into the high school game and provide quality minutes for a varsity ball club is a blessing. C<span style="font-size: 1rem">onsider Denver South head coach Wayne McDonald especially blessed because he has several. Tops among them are 2023’s <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/briasia-johnson/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/briasia-johnson/">Briasia Johnson</a></a> and <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/taysha-williams/">Tay Williams</a>, both of whom are already proving to be fit for prep basketball and should develop quickly into future recruits.</span> “They’ve played a lot of ball,” McDonald said. “They’ve developed a toughness about them that you don’t see in most freshmen. I’ve been really proud of watching them step out of their freshman mentality and really step up. They’re both really athletic and the sky is the limit for both of them.” Johnson, who is 5-foot-6, and Williams, who is 5-foot-5, are both guards who have physical attributes and projectability that already make them intriguing prospects. Both can get downhill and attack the basket aggressively and their abilities at both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor should only be enhanced as they grow bigger and stronger. Taysha Williams is third on the team in scoring with 10.4 points per game and with he good length and anticipation is leading the entire state with 7.4 steals a night. She also averages four rebounds a game. Johnson’s handles are advanced for her age and she has quick hands on defense. She is averaging 5.5 steals of her own to go with 6.9 points and 4.5 rebounds. Both players have solid court vision and are developing as shooters, both in the midrange and from 3-point distance. In the Rebels’ last game before the winter break, a 79-47 win over Smoky Hill, Williams (18 points, 8 for 14 shooting) and Johnson (15 points, 5 for 18 shooting) combined for 33 points and 22 steals. “I’ve never had two freshmen come in and give us the type of energy and consistency that they have provided,” McDonald said. “In the game, you’re seeing it happen and then you go back and look at the film and you’re amazed at the things they do.” After reaching the second round of the Class 5A state tournament last winter, the Denver South is off to a 6-2 start in 2019-20. With Johnson and Williams supporting a talented group of upperclassmen led by junior <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/timaya-guevera-2/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/timaya-guevera-2/">Timiya Guevara</a></a> and senior <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/carly-dilworth/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/carly-dilworth/">Carly Dilworth</a></a>, the Rebels are hoping for a deeper playoff run in February and March.