2022 All-Big Bend Boys Basketball Player of the Year: Tajden Davis, Godby
The player of the year honors has been a family affair in the Davis household. Longtime Big Bend basketball coach, Ricka Davis, won the award with FAMU DRS when he was and high school, and now his son, Godby senior guard Tajden Davis has followed suit.
“It was great when I found out I had won it,” Davis said. “I was happy. My dad won it when he was in high school, so it’s a big accomplishment cause he won it and now I did. He had a smile on his face and I had a smile on my face. It felt great.”
Godby climbed to the heights of the Class 5A state rankings, peaking at second place at one point. Davis played a huge role in the Cougars’ success and was centralized in just about everything they did. He averaged 20.8 points per game and 7.8 boards, recording nine double-doubles on the season.
He had two 30 plus point games this season, throwing down a season-high 35 against Williamson and then 34 against Florida High. Not a lot of people were able to stop Davis this winter, recognizing him as the 2022 All-Big Bend Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
“I just felt like no one could stop me when I had the ball in my hands,” Davis said. “I always knew when to make the right play, the right play, and find the ball off the rebound.”
Davis jumpstarted this Godby squad that was constantly in the mix with some of the best teams in the Big Bend. Similar to Florida High’s girls’
team, Godby lost in late December and sparked a long winning streak, which included two wins over rival Rickards. Throughout January, the Cougars did not lose, winning 12 straight.
“We were just aggressive. Any team we played we just attacked them,” Davis said. “We got to the basket and played great defense.”
It was the friendships that were made off the court that allowed Godby to dominate the latter end of the regular season. It wasn’t just Davis that made an impact for the Cougars, but teammates Isaiah Batts, Zavier Singleton, and Ke’Darrius Brownlee, who have been named to All-Big Bend teams.
Davis is focused on playing at the college level next season. He doesn’t know where yet, but it’s a goal for him. As for his high school career, while he only spent one year at Godby, playing the other three at Chiles, it was a fun one for Davis that he’ll remember fondly.
“I really had fun my senior year,” Davis said. “I know it was just one year, but I had a lot of fun. I’ll really miss my coaches and teammates.”
2022 All-Big Bend Boys Basketball Coach of the Year: Charlie Ward, Florida High
There isn’t a lack of awards in Charlie Ward’s trophy case. He won a National Championship with Florida State and the Hiseman Award in 1993. However, he added another big award to his long resume, not as a player, but as a coach.
Stepping into the head boys basketball coaching role at Florida High four years ago, Ward was tasked with rebuilding a program that hadn’t won a state championship since 1963. Fast forward to now and the rebuild has come to fruition, seeing the Seminoles win the 2022 Class 3A State Championship over Riviera Prep earlier this month.
It’s a milestone achievement for Florida High and cements the Seminoles dominance throughout the season, crowning Ward the 2022 All-Big Bend Boys Basketball Coach of the Year.
“One, we had great health this season,” Ward said. “Throughout the run, we didn’t have any injuries that sidelined us of our players that we were dependent on. Two, the guys, felt like they had a chance, and just started winning. They started building winning habits, which we’ve been doing for four years now.”
Senior guard Tre Donaldson and junior guard Anthony Robinson II were the one two punch that allowed Florida High to execute at such a high level. The pair of All-Big Bend first teamers averaged 16 (Donaldson) and 15 (Robinson II) points a game while both collecting averaging five rebounds.
The duo looked unstoppable throughout the season, but when they were limited, younger players stepped up when needed. Throughout it’s run to the state championship, junior guard Thaddeus Burns stepped up in big moments when the opponents were keyed into Donaldson and Robinson II. In Lakeland he played a major helping hand with 13 against Tampa Catholic and 10 against Riviera Prep.
“It was huge for us for everyone to play their role,” Ward said. “If Ant or Tre are off one night, we always had other guys step in and from an offensive standpoint, and help out in that area. Defensively is where we kind of took took another level. We worked so hard throughout the year to be on one string.”
Florida High’s run to its first state title in 59 years is one that is going to be remembered for years in Southwood. The Seminoles are preparing to be a target next season, as they were this season, but are enjoying the celebrations of being state champions. No matter if its at the high school level or the college level, there’s significance and price in being a champion.
“It’s just a blessing, to be able to be a part of it,” “You still have a sense of accomplishment, because you know where you’ve come from, and you can, enjoy where you are now. When it’s all said and done, we have to fight against the sense of being complacent with where we are, but it’s a great feeling to be a state champion.”
Jack Williams covers prep sports for Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at jwilliams@tallahassee.com, on Twitter @jackgwilliams.