Taliah Scott Named Florida Gatorade Player of the Year

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>By Michael Wholey 3/18/23 10:00 AM EST</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='91651' first='Taliah' last='Scott']</strong> wrapped up one of the most prolific high school careers in the state of Florida by leading the state in scoring, being nominated as a McDonald's All American and most recently was named the <strong>Florida Gatorade Player of the Year.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='91651' first='Taliah' last='Scott']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":617176,"width":314,"height":393,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/03/WBB_GPotYScott-819x1024-1.png?w=819" alt="" class="wp-image-617176" width="314" height="393" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>High School:</strong> St. Johns Country Day School</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hometown:</strong> Orange Park, FL</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Height:</strong> 5'9</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Position:</strong> Guard</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2022-23 Stats</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>36.2 Points Per Game</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>4.8 &nbsp;&nbsp; Assists Per Game</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>9.2 &nbsp;&nbsp; Rebounds Per Game</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3.0 &nbsp;&nbsp; Steals Per Game</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>ATHLETIC EXCELLENCE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 5'9 senior guard averaged 36.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game this past season, leading the Spartans (19-6) to the Class 2A state semifinals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Scott also recorded 4.8 assists and 3.0 steals per game and sank 109 baskets from 3-point range, including 11 in the team's 77-65 state semifinal loss to Faith Christian High. A McDonald's High School All-American Game selection, she was the 2022 Class 2A Player of the Year. She concluded her prep basketball career with 2,733 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Scott has maintained a weighted 4.32 GPA in the classroom. She has signed a national letter of intent to play basketball on scholarship at the University of Arkansas this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>EXEMPLARY CHARACTER</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Scott has volunteered more than 100 hours of her time teaching the game of basketball to young girls at summer camps, weekend training sessions and the local YMCA. She has also donated her time at the Ronald McDonald House of Central Florida and as a peer mentor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>"Taliah is a phenomenal basketball player and is very difficult to stop. What separates her on the court is that she is a scoring threat from all three levels. Her ability to shoot the 3-ball, get to the rim and knock down the mid-range jumper make her very hard to guard."</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><cite>Wyatt Walker - Head Coach at Episcopal School of Jacksonville</cite></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A consensus top 25 player nationally, Scott was tabbed a Naismith High School Girls All-America Honorable Mention choice along with a number of other high school accolades, such as Florida Time Union All-First Coast Player of the Year, News4Jax Girls Basketball Player of the Year, MaxPreps Junior All-American, among others. She was awarded the 3-Point Shootout Champion at the Curry Camp, UA Elite 24 and SLAM Vol. 4.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Gatorade Player of the Year program recognizes one winner in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in sports including girls' basketball, while awarding one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is managed by the Gatorade Player of the Year selection Committee.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The three criteria for choosing each state's winner includes athletic excellence, academic achievement and exemplary character. Scott has delivered on and off the court all four years of high school, but especially during her senior year, having averaged 36.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 3.0 steals per game. Her scoring average led the state of Florida and was fourth in the country.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Scott led St. Johns Country Day to the Class 2A state semifinals, dropping 47 points in that game, including 11 3-pointers. A McDonald's High School All-American selection and Class 2A Player of the Year, Scott finished her high school career with 2,733 points. Off the basketball court, Scott has maintained a 4.32 GPA and has volunteered more than 100 hours teaching basketball to young girls in summer camps, weekend training sessions and local YMCAs. Additionally, Scott has donated her time to the Ronald McDonald House of Central Florida and as a peer mentor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Michael Wholey is the lead scout for Florida Prep Girls Hoop Florida and a former division one Assistant Coach at American University, University of Memphis, and Georgia Tech.&nbsp; Wholey and the rest of the Prep Girls Hoop staff, seek to cover the entire state of player, keeping subscribers up to date with player evaluations, recruiting info, and statewide news.&nbsp; Our audience often supplies us with some of our best information.&nbsp; If you have any information on players, teams, or statewide news in the state of Florida, emailing Michael Wholey at <a href="mailto:WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com">WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com</a> or DM him through Twitter or Instagram @WholeyPrepHoops.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->