Class of 2022 - Players to Watch (Part 2)

A couple of months ago we looked at six players fans, coaches, and others needed to know in the class of 2022. This month we will look at six more players who should be on the list of players to watch from this talented class. [player_tooltip player_id="781856" first="Reginald" last="Stoner"] / 6’0" / Guard / North Central Stoner is a guard who is the best defender on his team. Most times, he is also the best defender on the floor. When he plays, he defends the other team’s point guard. Stoner usually shuts them down by causing major havoc and disrupting their offense. During the Hurricanes run to the 1A state title, Stoner had games where he had four or more steals a couple of times. In the title game, he went for 15 (pts.) and 10 (rebs). Add four steals to those stats and one can see that he made a strong case for being the Most Outstanding Player in 1A. Coming into this next season, look for more tough defense from Stoner. If he increases his scoring, people will definitely see why he is one of the players to watch moving into next season. [player_tooltip player_id="781843" first="Tawasky" last="Johnson"] / 6’0" / Guard / Port Allen (pictured above) Johnson was a big reason Port Allen made it to the 2A state championship on last season. Now, with one year of experience at the high school level, Johnson will look to lead the Pelicans back to Marsh Madness. Tawasky was last year’s leading scorer and might lead the team in that catergory again. His assist numbers should be much higher this year with the addition of [player_tooltip player_id="848194" first="Collin" last="Holloway"] (formerly of Catholic-BR) and [player_tooltip player_id="781845" first="Jalen" last="Knox"] becoming a bigger part of the offense. Johnson already had a mature sense of how to run a team as a freshman. As a sophomore, he should be even better. If Johnson can improve his shooting from distance this season, he will be one of the guards to watch as the season continues. [player_tooltip player_id="781860" first="Labree" last="Williams"] / 6’4" / Guard-Wing / Calvary Baptist Williams is one of the most intriguing preps going into this season. He has been mentioned as one of the best sophmores in the state. While Williams had a solid summer and showed that he is a wing who can do so much on the floor, he will be seeing his first varsity action. He can handle it like a small guard but also run the wing like a big. This summer, he improved on taking contact in the paint as he was sometimes the Cavs five man. It will be interesting to see how he fits into the Cavs offense while sharing the floor with D’marcus Hall. Make no mistake, with the skill set Williams possesses, the Cavs should be fun to watch on offense. It will be interesting to see how they do in class 1A. [player_tooltip player_id="781838" first="Percy" last="Daniels"] / 6’8" / Post / Madison Prep In the early part of the season, Daniels was a major factor in the Charger offense. He was a big post presence that used his athleticism and dominated the paint. He got hurt midway through the season and did not play on their championship run. However, Daniels should be back to full strength when the season begins. His return will add to a Charger team that is already pretty stacked. Daniels can play on both blocks and can score over either shoulder. Couple his offensive effectiveness with his athletic ability and Madison Prep might rule the paint. He may have a hard time guarding opposing bigs who are bulkier than him. If he gets them in foul trouble though, it will not matter. When healthy, he is one of the best sophomores in the state. [player_tooltip player_id="781858" first="Desmond" last="Washington"] / 6’5" / Wing-Post / Huntington Not since the days of Michael Qualls has Huntington had a player as versatile as [player_tooltip player_id="781858" first="Desmond" last="Washington"]. I am not saying that he has the bounce and raw power Qualls had. He does have a similar game, however. Washington worked in the post last year on freshman and JV. Over the summer he has gained confidence shooting from outside, taking bigs off the dribble, and defends bigs on defense. During the Prep Hoops Top 250, Washington displayed all of these traits. His basketball IQ is what has seemed to help him propel ahead of other bigs in the Raider program. He can dissect things quickly and fill whatever the offense needs at the time. Washington may very well be a key factor in Huntington’s playoff results this coming season. [player_tooltip player_id="932848" first="Marquarius" last="Johnson"] / 5’11" / Guard / Southwood Johnson is the backup point guard for the Southwood Cowboys. Of course, he will only receive spot minutes at point playing behind [player_tooltip player_id="765923" first="Daniel" last="Ortiz"]. When he is on the floor with Ortiz, he has become a weapon in the Cowboy offense. Johnson has learned quickly that if I play off the ball and spot up regularly, I can become an asset. He repeatedly knocked down three after three this summer. Johnson can also attack off the dribble with his slick handle and wiry frame. Like a lot of sophomores, the weight room will need to be his friend. Playing varsity minutes, along with playing the 1-5A guards, will be a stiff challenge. Even with the increased competition level, Johnson will be a player to watch as the Cowboys attempt to make it to Lake Charles this season. This 2022 group reminds me alot of the 2020 class Louisiana has in reference to talent. I did not even mention the sophomore, guard trio of Qintravion Taylor, [player_tooltip player_id="932857" first="Jacob" last="Lafitte"], and [player_tooltip player_id="932856" first="Lance" last="Waddles"] who will be playing for the Loyola Flyers this year. It is talent like this that has many anxious to see what this year will be like on the Louisiana prep hoops scene. Especially from the class of 2022!