All-Metro Candidate: Laquill Hardnett
In this series, we will be breaking down 10 players in the Baltimore area who will be candidates to make the All-Metro team at the end of the season. As Adam Ayalew did for the DMV area, the players considered for this series will be broken down by three categories: production, performance and competition. There is no particular order to this list, but first up is Perry Hall senior forward Laquill Hardnett.
Production:
Hardnett is known for being arguably the most versatile frontcourt player in the state. His ability to handle the ball, score inside and out, and get his teammates involved is unmatched by any other big man. The 6’9 big man averaged a double-double and led the Gators to their first state championship in school history. This season, Hardnett will need to do more of the same if Perry Hall plans on making another run at the Class 4A title. He has quite the surrounding cast and now with the experience of winning one last season, the Gators will be the overwhelming favorite heading into this season.
Performance & Competition:
The Gators finished with a 26-2 overall record last season, claiming the Baltimore County crown and the Class 4A state championship. Head Coach George Panageotou vamped up the Gators schedule massively this season with match ups against teams like John Carroll, Poly, Patterson and Riverdale Baptist. It will certainly be a tough test for the Gators, but with players such as Hardnett, Anthony Higgs and Tyler Holley at the helm, they’ll have a good chance of getting a few marquee wins early on.