The Unranked: Hidden Gems around “The Boot”

Preps have been letting their game speak for themselves all season. Players from the top five to the unranked have shown that they have the potential to play on the next level. The preps in this article are no different. They may be not be ranked now. However, these players have made it known that they will be factors on the prep scene.

Donavan Seamster Donavan Seamster 6'2" | SG Woodlawn-Shreve | 2022 State LA / 2022 / 6’1" / Woodlawn-Shreveport 

The Knights are undefeated in district and ranked in the top 10 this season and Seamster is one of the reasons why.  His long distance shooting some games has broken games wind open.for Woodlawn.  Seamster has legitimate range to 27 feet.  Sometimes he might even shoot it from 30.  Teams have gone under screens or lost him in zones and have paid dearly for it.  Seamster came out of middle school with the reputation as a long range bomber.  In his sophomore season, he and the Knights are definitely reaping the benefits of his shooting prowess.   

Blake Gillyard Blake Gillyard 6'0" | PG Northwood-Lena | 2021 State LA / 2021 / 6’0" / Northwood

Gillyard is a combo guard who mostly plays the point for the Falcons.  When the Falcons need a bucket, they can just put the ball in Gillyard’s hands and he will make a play.  This was evident during their district tilt against Woodlawn this week.  With Northwood behind on the scoreboard, Gillyard began to attack the rim.  He has the athleticism to elevate and hang in the air long enough to make acrobatic layups.  His athleticism also helps him on the defensive end.  Whether its on man or in trapping situations, he gets his hands on pass after pass.  He makes things difficult for whoever he is defending.  Gillyard is probably one of the more underrated players in 1-4A.

Samajia McClendon / 2023 / 6’2" / Riverside

Riverside is a team full of shooters.  The downside of that is no one is over 6’3".  However, they have two players who try to get every rebound and loose ball they can to secure extra possessions.  One person is senior De’juan Daniels and the other is freshman Samajia McClendon.  McClendon is an energy guy who is deadly from either corner of the court.  When I have seen him on the floor, the two things that are consistent are his effort and his shooting.  With more experience, he will begin to drive to the rack and vary his game some.  Right now, he fits this role perfectly for his team.  He will be a key to them making any headway in the playoffs.  

Terrikiris Smith Terrikiris Smith 6'3" | SG Wossman | 2020 State LA / 2020 / 6’3" / Wossman

One of the best "3 and D" players that has somehow missed the rankings is Terrikiris Smith Terrikiris Smith 6'3" | SG Wossman | 2020 State LA .  He is the most consistent shooter that the Wildcats have.  When he is on from deep, Wossman is a much better team.  His offense may be streaky, but is very important.  What is equally important is his defense.  On the top of their trapping defense, Smith creates turnovers by helping on traps and deflecting the ball for steals.  When he creates a turnover, he can either push the ball or fill the wing.  His ability to do multiple things helps the Wildcats night after night.  A college looking for a player from a solid program who wins consistently will love what Smith brings to the table.  

Eric McKnight Eric McKnight 6'4" | SG Southwood | 2021 State LA , Jr. / 2021 / 6’4" / Southwood

Another player developing into a solid "3 & D" prep is Eric McKnight Eric McKnight 6'4" | SG Southwood | 2021 State LA .  Looking at his skill set, however.  He may develop into more than that.  During the summer he began picking up major steam for his ability to score on all three levels.  Then, the season came and he was having some trouble with a couple of the Cowboys man-to-man concepts.  Lately, that lightbulb has come on.  McKnight is now one the better players in the Southwood starting lineup with his offensive ability coinciding with his defensive prowess.  If he becomes a legit scoring option down the stretch,  Southwood will again have the tools to make a deep playoff run. 

Hidden gems are in every corner of "the Boot."  We try to highlight unranked players, such as these, as much as we can.  Look for more hidden gems as we continue district play around Louisiana.