2022 Rankings Update: Top 5
It started out as just a watchlist but with what we have seen from these players over the last year, during the summer as well as getting acclimated to varsity life this season we have done it. We have come…
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Continue ReadingIt started out as just a watchlist but with what we have seen from these players over the last year, during the summer as well as getting acclimated to varsity life this season we have done it. We have come out with our latest ranking for the 2022 class. Here is a look at our top-5 players in the class.
No. 1 — Langston Reynolds – Denver East
Langston Reynolds is undoubtedly the No. 1 player in the class. From speaking to various coaches around the state, throughout our staff as well as college coaches that we have spoken to, this seems to be a unanimous decision. Langston leads all sophomores in 5A in scoring and on a team that is scoring the most point per game in the state that happens to be boasting a 14-2 record to begin the season he is shining. Reynolds is averaging 20.0 points a game as a combo-guard that gets to the rim as easy as any other guard in the state but has also excelled off of the ball as well. He finds creases in the defense and scores with ease, pushes it on the break and also is finishing with highlight dunks in games. Reynolds is also an above-average rebounder at 6.4 boards a game and is a bigger guard with great vision. He has put up double figures in every single game this season and has also been able to improve as a shooter as well which shows how much he is working on his game. Reynolds is a gym rate that is only getting better and that does not bode well for the rest of the state.
No. 2 – James Shiers – Mead
Shiers is a player that had a huge summer where he played up to his size. He stood out at various showcases, he fared well at tournaments as he affects the game in ways other than just scoring the basketball and standing at 6’10 it’s easy to see how he impacts the game down low, specifically on the defensive end. Shiers is a player that has good footwork for a player that tall, moves well and also runs the break. He is a big part of Mead’s success as they understand that they have a big man who is going to work hard down low and keep plays alive. Once he gets a rebound he goes straight up with the basketball and playing on a team that pushes the pace he has been able to fit in. Mead is 16-1 on the season and in the top-5 for 4A. They seem to be a complete team that has it all and the man in the middle that is putting up 6.6 rebounds a game is their sophomore standout. While he is a bit raw and still progressing offensively with aggressiveness and spacing, he does a ton of things that can change the outcome of the game and with a player of this stature, there are things that you cannot teach., like size. If he continues to put the work in and getting better – watch out as he has arguably the highest ceiling in the class.
No. 3 – Brock Wisne – Horizon
That Horizon team is a fun and entertaining bunch that is going to be interesting to watch for years to come. They are a young team and of those young talents, their best player happens to only be a sophomore. Brock Wisne is not your typical sophomore. He is putting up a team-high 16.5 points and seeing the offense run through him. He has size as a 6’8 forward but he is not just a player that plays with brute force, he is very skilled with his size. Wisne is a big man that has the ability to put it on the floor and can finish with coast to coast finishes. He is a coaches dream as he is able to get inside and finish around smaller defenders with his strength and size but also can be used in various ways as he can space the floor. He has soft touch around the rim and can extend the floor even deeper as he is shooting an impressive 40% from beyond the arc. Inside, he finishes well around the rim and has a good feel for the game but where he really stands out is as a rebounder. He has a great motor and is very active. He is grabbing 9.9 rebounds a game and is ultra-aggressive as an offensive rebounder that crashes boards. He goes straight up when he gets it offensively, keeping the ball high, he is capable of starting the break on defensive rebounds and as his confidence continues to grow his ability to take over in games also has risen. He is a player to watch moving forward and has made massive improvements from freshman to sophomore year. We have him at No.3 right now but I would argue that he is the second-best player in the class.
No. 4 – Anthony Harris Jr. – Smoky Hill
In my honest opinion, Anthony Harris Jr. is by far the most athletic player in the entire state and the scary thing is he is just a sophomore. Harris is a player whose game I have seen started to evolve from when he jumped onto our radars until now in the season as he remains a key player for the No.2 team in the entire state. He came into this season appearing to be all athleticism and not much else but he has gotten better as a ballhandler, his IQ is growing and he is finding gaps in the defense for launchpad moments and easy finishes at the rim and he also is feeling what the defense is giving him and getting the ball out of his hands to show off his great motor and put himself in a better position. Harris Jr. is a player that appears to be a hard worker that challenges himself on the defensive end. He is a rim protector that gets off of his feet quickly for rebounds. He does not let boards go by him and he is also starting to show off a bit of a mid-range game as well. Harris is a role player as of right now, but he stars in his role. He makes it difficult for opposing big men to get into a zone, he is showing off more than just being a leaper and there are flashes of his potential on offense as well as a player that can get to the rim and finish over defenders. Harris is a player that is also getting better and what I enjoy is that he is not settling with only highlight dunks. He should be ready to take overcome summer and he is the No.4 player in the class with a very, very high ceiling.
No. 5 — Sam Howery – St. Mary
Howery is a player that has been all about buckets from the moment that he played in a varsity game. Howery led all freshman in scoring last season as he played meaningful varsity minutes and now through 13 games again leads all sophomores in scoring in the state at 21.9 points a game. But that is not all, Howery is also the teams leading rebounder (5.9 rpg) leads all of 3A in assists (2ndin the state) at 8.4 assists a game, and also amongst the top in the state at 4.0 steals per game. There are not many things on the basketball court that Howery cannot do and he is capping it off with leading his team to victory after victory. Howery is one of the best shooters in the class, he can break defenders down and create baskets on his own but his ability to also involve others as well makes him one of the most difficult players to defend in the entire state. I am excited to see how many points he actually scores in his career but for now, I will just enjoy the show.