2022 Prospect Rankings: Top 10 Breakdown (1-5)
They’re finally here, the inaugural Class of 2022 prospect rankings. These are 50 of the the state’s best incoming sophomores — but almost certainly not the best 50. The first rankings are always subject to plenty of changes; players will…
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Continue ReadingThey’re finally here, the inaugural Class of 2022 prospect rankings. These are 50 of the the state’s best incoming sophomores — but almost certainly not the best 50. The first rankings are always subject to plenty of changes; players will emerge who have’t surfaced yet, others will make great strides while some will not. As of now, though, these are the 50 best rising sophomores we’ve seen so far. Below, we’ll take a closer look at the first half of the top 10.
INAUGURAL 2022 PROSPECT RANKINGS
1 Tamin Lipsey (Ames), 6’2 PG
This was an easy choice, no other player in Iowa’s 2022 class has an offer except Lipsey, and he’s got two of them, from Iowa State and Nebraska. Not only is the extremely quick point guard the best rising sophomore in the state, but he’s one of the best in the country. He proved that when he was selected to play on the USA Basketball U16 team at the world championships in Brazil last month, helping them win a gold medal. He averaged 17 points on 53% shooting as a freshman at Ames, helping them to the state tournament. Unfortunately, last month at a team camp in Council Bluffs, he suffered an ACL tear, and could miss his entire sophomore season. That certainly doesn’t change the fact that right now, he’s far and way the best p[layer in this class.
2 Trevion LaBeaux (Waterloo East), 6’2 G/F
It’s utter athleticism that is most striking about this Waterloo East product, and it’s that electric ability that primarily makes hi one of the highest ranked guys in his class. There’s still a lot to work on for LaBeaux, his skill-set is a bit raw. But he does have the makings of a guy that can hit a mid-range jumper consistently and handle the rock. When he masters those two things, and pairs them with his dynamic leaping ability, he could be scary good.
3 Carson Toebe (Clear Lake), 6’2 PG
As a freshman with Clear Lake, this good-sized point guard put up some impressive numbers, and he did it while starting on a Class 3A juggernaut. The Lions finished last season 26-2, they were fourth-place at state. It’s not often you see freshman able tpo crack the lineup of such an elite team, Toebe did so and with flying colors. He averaged 11.2 points 5.3 assists and 4.6 rebounds. He made 51 3s at a 41% clip. When we finally got the chance to see him in March at Wells Fargo Arena, we were pleasantly surprised. When we saw him with the Iowa Barnstormers Gold 15u squad in May, we were again pleasantly surprised. The sky’s the limit for this Clear Lake floor general.
4 Trey Campbell (Cedar Falls), 6’2 G
Cedar Falls has now won back-to-back state titles and they will not be void of talent for the foreseeable future. Trey Campbell is guy that would likely start and star with lesser 4A programs, but with Cedar Falls he could simply be a guy that makes an impact. That’s not to say he might now have a breakout year and become one of the Tigers’ best players, he very well could. With his slashing ability and finishing ability, Campbell has proven to be on eof the better scorers in the class, and he Ds up, too.
5 Josh Dix (Council Bluffs Lincoln), 6’4 SG
The sharpshooter from Iowa’s western border has, without a doubt, one of the prettiest jumpers in Iowa. When he lets it fly, it’s fun to watch, and the precision with which he shoots it is off the charts. As a freshman with Council Bluffs Lincoln, he canned 41 3s at a 52% clip. When he missed, it’s never by more than a fraction. But there’s more to his game than just shooting ability, his height and length are a plus for his age, and his ability to handle the rock and penetrate are steadily improving. Dix is a very intriguing young prospect, who Division I coaches will want to familiarize themselves with now.