Hoops star with 4.9 GPA, ready to soar on college hardwood

On By Pranco

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – College dreams will become a reality Wednesday for many area high school students. That’s when, outside of football, players can start signing scholarship deals with their future universities.

That includes a basketball star from Lake Worth Christian School who is set to attend Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach on a basketball scholarship.

A 4.0 grade point average is not only an achievement, but also a recognition of dedication and hard work.

For Lake Worth Christian student-athlete Landen Harwood, his achievement of a 4.9 GPA started years ago.

Landen Harwood has shown himself to be a fierce competitor both on and off the field, with a 4.9 GPA in the classroom.

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Landen Harwood has shown himself to be a fierce competitor both on and off the field, with a 4.9 GPA in the classroom.

“My parents always made it a top priority for me to get good grades,” Harwood says. “I have always kept my focus on school first.”

It’s also about overcoming the challenge.

“It’s not easy,” Harwood said. “It’s a lot of nights of extra homework and studying for tests. The AP classes aren’t fun sometimes, but I figured it out.”

Although schoolwork has been prioritized, it was in pre-K that his father introduced him to his first love: basketball.

“My dad played in college in the nearby PBA (Palm Beach Atlantic),” Harwood said. “He taught me pretty much everything I know.”

Lake Worth Christian School basketball coach Matt Wargo talks about what Landen Harwood has meant to his program since he started playing as a freshman.

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Lake Worth Christian School basketball coach Matt Wargo talks about what Landen Harwood has meant to his program since he started playing as a freshman.

Lake Worth Christian School basketball coach Matt Wargo said his star player was a key member of the team from a young age.

“He’s been on varsity since he was a freshman, a freshman starter, and he’s been a captain since his sophomore year,” Wargo said.

The coach raved about Harwood’s leadership both on and off the field.

“It’s what a coach wants in a player, especially a leader,” Wargo said. “The fact that that guy can set the standard for what you want the program to be.”

Harwood’s dedication in the classroom and on the hardwood helped earn him a full scholarship to Division II Embry Riddle, where he will major in business management.

“It’s a little nervous. I can’t lie, but I’m actually just excited, to be honest, because I’m 100% committed here,” Harwood said. “I have no doubt it’s going to be great. I’m just ready for it.”