- January 14, 2026
-
-
Loading
Loading
Star players don't just spearhead scoring. They're a necessity for teams who yearn to hoist trophies and bathe in confetti.
It's those elite scorers who are often trusted with the ball when a bucket is needed most. When the offense has gone quiet, they're relied upon to bring the noise.
Johnny Lackaff carries such a reputation for Sarasota boys basketball.
The 6-foot-3 junior guard is a true three-level scorer. He finishes strong at the rim, can make it rain from beyond the arc and shoots efficiently anywhere in between.
Defensively, he also demonstrates a high basketball IQ. His steady, disciplined presence forces contested shots without racking up personal fouls.
But he's been eliminated from the Sailors' equation for the time being. They've had to adapt accordingly — and fast.
“We definitely have the talent and ability," said athletic director and fourth-year coach BJ Ivey. "But it’s going to take a little bit for guys to get used to new roles and understand what we want them to do."
Lackaff has been unavailable for the team's last five games, as of Jan. 12, while rehabbing a leg injury. He last competed on Dec. 29, 2025, against Suncoast — a 51-50 victory for Sarasota — in the Kingdom of the Sun tournament's consolation championship.
In that outing, he dropped 22 points, but averaged an even-better 23.7 per game this season entering the tournament. He was the go-to guy in 2024-25, too, putting up 21.9 points per game en route to the program's first state semifinal appearance in 56 years.
The guard's elite set of skills have attracted Division I interest. He holds offers from Florida State, Jacksonville, Duquesne, Samford, Bradley, FGCU, Iona and Stetson.
Simply put, Lackaff is the last player opponents want to see, but for the very same reasons, exactly why the Sailors miss him dearly.
“He’s the engine that drives us in so many different ways, offensively and defensively,” Ivey said. “So many intangibles that he brings to the table.”
Sarasota stood at 15-5 entering its Jan. 13 game against Southeast. In the latest edition of the FHSAA rankings, the group clocked in at No. 6 in Class 7A and No. 33 overall in the state.
Ivey's squad went 12-3 with Lackaff while scoring 64 points per game and allowing 54.2. Without him, it has gone 3-2, posting averages of 58 scored and 55.4 allowed.
Still, the Sailors don't exactly have bad losses on their resume. Defeats have come at the hands of Archbishop Stepinac (New York), Imhotep Charter (Pennsylvania), Stranahan, Santa Fe Catholic and Parrish Community.
Stranahan is the reigning 4A state champion, while Santa Fe Catholic finished as the state runner-up in 2A. Archbishop Stepinac ranks No. 11 in the country, per MaxPreps, while Imhotep Charter is a defending state semifinalist in PIAA Class 6A.
Parrish Community is the outlier. But the Bulls are 14-3 this season, and even without Lackaff, the game seemed winnable for the Sailors down the stretch.
"It was a two-possession game with a couple minutes left," Ivey said. "So I was proud of the way our guys played, energy- and effort-wise. Now we've just got to clean some things up."
With its leading scorer sidelined, Sarasota has largely looked to David Young and Isaiah Jenkins to sustain success. The 6-foot-6 senior forward and 6-foot-3 junior forward, respectively, have both answered the call.
Young submitted a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double on Jan. 9 in the team's 73-54 drubbing of Riverview. Jenkins followed that a day later with a team-high 21 points in a 65-56 victory over Cardinal Mooney.
The duo powered the front court before Lackaff's injury, too, but have since embraced heavier involvement in the offense.
“Other guys have had to step up, and we went deep into our bench to try and compensate for that,” Young said. “Really just still having that confidence and trusting in each other that we’re going to get it done even when Johnny’s not here.”
A pair of sophomore guards have also been plenty busy in the back court.
Zoltan Perc, standing at 5-foot-10, is a speedy and shifty option for Ivey to employ. He's a persistent driver and has shown an improved ability to create for himself.
Then there's Greg Dauer — hard to overlook. He's a lengthy guard at 6-foot-5 and can put a unique two-way stamp on the game.
Sarasota has relied on its depth to try to fill an impossible-to-fill void. And to his credit, Lackaff doesn't just take up space on the bench.
The star guard is plenty vocal from afar, shifting his on-court coaching to the off-court point of view.
“You can tell he’s really compelled. He still wants to be here,” Young said. “He’s not pouting. He’s still trying to give his best."
Losing Lackaff at this point in the season could come with consequences.
If Sarasota can't hold steady until his return, its postseason outlook may suffer for it. The team's seeding for the FHSAA Class 7A tournament will worsen with every loss.
A collapse hasn't happened yet, though. It's unlikely to.
There is more to these Sailors than their star.
