One of the state’s top scorers this season, St. Johns Country Day basketball player Taliah Scott has been voted the ITG Next Florida Female Athlete of the Month for February 2023, as the senior received 63.43% of the possible votes over three additional finalists.
Scott, an Arkansas commit, has already received the honor once during her phenomenal high school career at St. Johns Country Day, taking home Athlete of the Month honors a little over a year ago.
After averaging 31.5 PPG a year ago as a junior, Scott helped lead the Spartans to the Class 2A state semifinals this season, averaging a combined 36.2 PPG for the year to rank among the state’s best. Scott, who was also named a 2022-23 McDonald’s All-American earlier this year, averaged 9.2 RPG, 4.7 APG, and 2.9 SPG as well.
“Taliah has brought amazing leadership to our team both on and off the court,” St. Johns Country Day head coach Yolanda Bronston said. “She has helped build confidence in each of her teammates that has helped them come to practices and games and be the best they can be. Her leadership on the court has helped prepare and guide the team to our first Final Four appearance since 1986.”
Arguably Scott’s most impressive play of the year came in January, a month that helped position St. Johns Country Day for that deep postseason run during February. In January, Scott would average 37.5 PPG across seven games, a span in which the Spartans went 7-1, along with 9.9 RPG, 5.1 APG, and 3.5 SPG.
Scott would also score at-least 30+ points in all eight games, as well as have 40 points a total of three times, which came against Fletcher, University Christian, and Andrew Jackson. Scott would also post five double-doubles in those six contests also, with arguably the most impressive coming in a 62-43 win over Raines, a game in which she actually flirted with a triple-double adding 37 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 10 steals.
“Taliah’s ability to command the floor on both ends and battle through double and triple teams night-in and night-out has elevated our team to another level this season,” Bronston said. “She has a lot of confidence in her teammates, and they have worked hard together to earn both a District and Regional championship this year.”
Considered a five-star prospect, as well as the No. 11 overall player nationally in the 2023 class, according to the espnW 100, Scott will now turn her attention to the collegiate ranks. Based on the last couple of years, it’s easy to see how she could be a major impact player from day one with the Razorbacks next season.
“Everyone talks about Taliah’s ability to score at will, but rarely [do they] talk about her other stats,” Bronston said. “This season Taliah has focused on impacting the game in every way. She leads the team in not only scoring, but also in assists, rebounding, and charges taken. You don’t become a McDonald’s All-American by simply being able to shoot the ball. You have to be an all-around impact player, and that is what Taliah is.
“Taliah has taken over more of a leadership role as well,” Bronston added. “She has done an amazing job leading by example, as well as being a vocal leader.”
Congratulations on a phenomenal senior season, and overall high school career, to St. Johns Country Day basketball player Taliah Scott, the ITG Next Florida February 2023 Female Athlete of the Month.
