LaDazhia Williams of Lakewood Ranch is slam dunk as Bradenton Herald Player of the Year
The only thing growing faster than LaDazhia Williams is her game.
The 6-foot-3-plus Lakewood Ranch junior wants to be more than just a big player who shoots layups because she happens to be the tallest player on the floor, which is usually most of the time.
Dunking?
"It's not a priority," she said.
Though she could be close to 6-5 when she enters college, Williams would prefer to be known as a versatile player who can knock down the 3-point shot, dribble through a crowd and, if she is in mood, throw it down.
"College coaches see her as a stretch four," said Lakewood Ranch head coach Tina Hadley, who is dealing with some of the top programs in the country that are competing for her prize player.
Williams showed she has adapted well in earning her second consecutive girls basketball Bradenton Herald player of the year honor.
As a sophomore she ran the court and played with her back to the basket on offense. Hampered by injuries this season, she used her ball skills and maneuverability to face the basket and drive, and she developed an inside game to add to her scoring arsenal.
Williams didn't take a lot of medium-range shots because when you are usually the tallest player on the court it's not a good strategy. But it could be very important in college, and Tina Hadley is encouraging her to become a consistent scoring threat from beyond the arc.
"What I want to improve most are my shooting skills
and dribbling," Williams said. "I want to be a good mid-range shooter and hopefully stretch it out to the three. I also want to become a good leader."
For all of this to happen, Williams needed to improve her work ethic, which she has done according Hadley, who sees her arriving at the gym earlier and leaving later.
"Her desire to work harder and get better is the biggest thing that I've seen from her since her freshman year. She tries to get into the gym as much as possible and is working on all aspects of her game," Hadley said. "Right now we are just hoping for her to get healthy and stay healthy."
Health was an issue for Williams last season though she led the Mustangs to the Class 7A state championship game. She was also good enough to get an invitation to try out for the USA U18 women's national basketball team that will hold tryouts May 27-31 in Colorado.
Williams, who turns 18 in September, doesn't like to use excuses, but the injuries played a role in her numbers decreasing from averaging 19.8 points and 10.2 rebounds a game as a sophomore to 15.8 and 6.9 rebounds last season.
"The injury kind of set me back, but when I came back I came back strong. My numbers didn't matter much to me," she said. "We had a better team and I had a lot of help, so I didn't have to put so much pressure on my body."
People will never know how much injuries hampered Williams, because she doesn't talk about it, but Hadley said her high ankle sprain and tendinitis in her knee were significant. Still the coach liked the improvement she saw.
"LaDazhia was never at 100 percent, but she is a better player now," Hadley said.
"She can score in many different ways now than just playing with her back to the basket. She increased her post moves, is a better finisher and a better shooter. She is not vocal, but leads by example."
Alan Dell, Herald sports writer, can be reached at 941-745-7056. Follow him on Twitter The 6-foot center finished the season with a double-double, averaging 10 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, while shooting 49 percent from the field and averaging 1.7 steals per game. During her junior and senior years, she combined for 630 points and 432 rebounds.
Fast facts: Rebounding is her favorite thing to do on the basketball court. Would like to be a teacher or social worker because she likes working with people. Her favorite subject is English, and she loves reading and writing. She is in a dual-enrollment program that allows her to earn college credits. To that end, she says her favorite movie is Creed because it shows how hard work can pay off.
Up next: Has a scholarship to play softball at the University of Central Florida. This summer will play with her travel softball team, the Sarasota Heat.
Breyonna Reed
Senior, Southeast
To her credit: A repeat first-team selection, the senior guard averaged 13.9 points, 3 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 4 steals per game. In her three years as a starter, she amassed 889 points, 421 rebounds, 374 assists and 261 steals. Burst on the scene as a sophomore when she helped Southeast win a state championship with her defense, leading to 86 steals.
Fast facts: Comes from an athletic family that includes her mom, Katrina Young, who played basketball at Sarasota Riverview and her dad, Bryan Reed, who played football at Southeast and Marshall. Wants to major in Criminal Justice in college and work in the field of forensics.
Up next: Has signed to play for NAIA Division II Webber-International University, which finished 20-11 last season and plays in the Sun Conference.
Shauntavia Green
Junior, Southeast
To her credit: She had a breakout season, leading the Seminoles with 196 steals (7 spg.) and 140 assists (5 apg.) and tying for the scoring lead (13.9 ppg.). She shot 47 percent from the field. She finished the season scoring in double figures in each of the last 11 games, including 31 and 18 points against district nemesis St. Petersburg Lakewood. She had five games of double-digit steals, including 14 twice.
Fast facts: Credits a lot of her success to her aunt, Felicia Johnson, who played basketball for Southeast. Her favorite subject is English, but she says basketball is her favorite thing about going to school. She enjoys watching action movies and playing 2K. She says her favorite food is chicken alfredo. Has honed her basketball skills on the playgrounds of East Bradenton where she has grown up.
Up next: Will play for her travel team, Florida Girls Basketball (FGB), and try to improve her game to earn a scholarship to college.
Kailyn Scully
Senior, Lakewood Ranch
To her credit: Scully was considered the catalyst for the Mustangs, who enjoyed their best season in school history. She averaged 9.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.4 steals per game while shooting 45 percent from the field and leading the team in 3-pointers (30) and 3-point field goal percentage (38 percent).
Fast facts: Kailyn also excels in the classroom. She is a member of the National Honor Society, secretary of the student government and active in many school activities such as the blood drive. She comes from athletic parents, her father played football and ran track in high school and her mom played field hockey. Her biggest obstacle surfaced prior to her junior season when she fractured her ankle, but she recovered and become one of the key players on the team.
Up next: Will attend the University of Florida where she will concentrate on academics. Not sure what professional career she wants.
Tina Stephens
Junior, Palmetto
To her credit: She led the Tigers in nearly every category, including points (17.5 ppg.), rebounds (8.9 rpg.), blocks (75) and assists (131). She was at her best when she scored 24 points to lead the Tigers to a 48-44 upset over Lakewood Ranch in the district championship game. She scored a career-high 31 points against Naples Gulf Coast in the playoffs.
Fast facts: Her father, Tony Stephens, played football at the University of Florida and was a standout football and basketball player at Sarasota High. She says her favorite moment of the season was when Palmetto won the district title. One of her favorite pastimes is reading. She lists "Unbroken" as her favorite book and English as her favorite subject. She played for Palmetto as a freshman, left and returned this season.
Up next: Will be playing for her travel team, the Miami Suns, this summer while working on improving her game.
LaDazhia Williams
Junior, Lakewood Ranch
To her credit: She led the Mustangs in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots averaging 15.8 ppg., 6.9 rpg. and 2.2 blocks per game. She will enter her senior season ranked second in program history with 1,456 career points and 769 rebounds and is first with 147 blocks.
Fast facts: She has received more high-level Division I scholarship offers than any previous female basketball player from Manatee and Sarasota County. At 6-3, she hopes to grow another inch and perhaps dunk, but she says that is not a priority. Her future goal is to play in the WNBA and lists Candace Parker and Breanna Stewart as her favorite players. Her favorite movie is "Pitch Perfect" and favorite food is pasta.
Up next: Along with sorting through all her offers, plans to play travel ball this summer for Florida Girls Basketball (FGB) and work on improving her game.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Bayshore: Alexus Norman, junior
Braden River: Taylor Ide, senior
Lakewood Ranch: Elise Spiller, senior; Aleah Robinson, junior
Manatee: Deanay Watson, junior
Out-Of-Door-Academy: Sereena Feeney, sophomore
Palmetto: Taylor Rozier, senior
Southeast: Marline Valcine, junior
This story was originally published May 11, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "LaDazhia Williams of Lakewood Ranch is slam dunk as Bradenton Herald Player of the Year ."