Louisiana Class of 2018 Rankings: New Faces Pt. 1

Now that we have updated the rankings for the class of 2018, it is time to get into some further breakdowns of the players that are being ranked. We are going to be starting off with "New Faces," which means they are making their debut in our class of 2018 rankings. Isaiah Lewis 6’3 G Helen Cox Isaiah has a very impressive return to home to Louisiana at Helen Cox this season after spending a year playing for Advanced Prep International (API) out of Dallas. Lewis is a big guard, who excells at getting into the lane and finishing at the basket. He is a clear leader on and off the court, and he works hard on his game. His shot continues to look better every time I see him, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him become a consistent shooter before he graduates. Riley Demps 6’2 G 2018 Isidore Newman Demps is one of the most interesting prospects of 2018, and it isn’t just because of an injury at birth that has left his right shoulder weaker than his left. He is also one of the top shooters of his class, and one of the smartest players in the state. He is capable of catching fire quick as he did earlier this year going for 47 points. Langston Powell 6’3 G West Monroe Powell is a great example of when your team is successful, you will in turn be successful. Powell was able to lead his team to berth in the Top 28, where he balled out in front of a lot more spectators than a normal gym. He is capable of scoring in all three phases, and he is athletic enough to be a real difference maker on the defensive end. Darrell Comanche 6’4 F Wossman Comanche was another standout on a team in the Top 28, where the do-it-all forward was able to have a big impact on the defensive end. Comanche anticipates extremely well, and is able to get his hands in the passing lanes with regularity. This allows him to get out in transition where he looks the best. Darius Jackson 6’4 G Plaquemine Jackson was one of the best players on a team that had one of the best regular season’s in the state. Jackson showed a much improved ability to handle the ball and drive to the goal on the offensive side, as well as an ability to dish off to open cutters. One defense, he is able to use his size and athleticism to guard at a high level. Trevian Lane 6’6 F Vermillion Catholic Lane has a big body and big skillset for playing at a small school. At 6’6, he is capable of posting up most defenders, but where he really impressed me was from 3 pt territory, where you don’t usually see shooters his size as accurate as he is. I saw a game where he hit 4 straight 3’s in two minutes to pull his team back into the game. He is asked to do too much for his high school, so I wonder what he could do with a smaller role.