2021 Rankings Update: Comeback Standouts

<p>With the 2019-20 high school basketball season officially over, we finally shift over our focus to our latest update. Prep Hoops has released its latest Colorado Class of 2021 rankings based on the 2019-20 season. This group was difficult seeing that none of these players got to play this season and we debated if we should even rank the players, but we did as I feel all will make a strong case at bouncing back and picking up right where they left off at and will make an impact once they return.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Trevaughn Williams – Columbine</strong></h3> <p>It just seems that Trevaughn Williams cannot catch a break as his high school career has been derailed by injury after injury, but he will have to go down as one of the most resilient players that I have seen in the state. Despite continuing to be injured, he keeps giving it a try and getting back out there, and if he were able to play this season for the Rebels alongside 5A POY in [player_tooltip player_id="915287" first="Luke" last="O’Brien"], there is no telling how Columbine could have been. When Williams is playing, there is no denying that he has incredible talent as he has played well on the circuit for the Colorado Hawks, showed out at Prep Hoops events and grassroots tournaments, and with that came elite athleticism. For him to continue getting hurt, it is impressive to see him still go out there and dunk a basketball, and he does it as good as anyone else in the state. Columbine will definitely need him this year as they lose some outstanding players, and if he can pick up where he left off, and shake off the injury bug, they are in good shape. He is a generous No. 18 right now and will have</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="916958" first="Wade" last="Jones"] – Cheyenne Mountain</strong></h3> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="916958" first="Wade" last="Jones"] is a player that was well on his way at being one of the breakout candidates of the year as he was quickly the second-best player on a loaded Cheyenne Mountain team. Jones picked up the second scoring option as a playmaker that excelled both on and off of the ball, and starting from his first game; it appeared that he was going to pop. Jones had 25 points as a coming-out part and double figures in every game after that before sitting for the entire season with a wrist injury that required surgery. Jones did, however, come back and attempt to play against Lincoln in the playoffs but was ineffective due to being injured still. With more time to focus on getting back into playing shape and working on different parts of his game, I feel that he is a player that will benefit from all of this time off. Jones was limited to only eight games for the entire season. Jones is a high-scoring guard that has good size at 6’4 and possesses the ability to shoot the ball from deep as well as beat him, man, off of the dribble. He is a solid rebounder that put up four boards a game, he got others involved and played within the flow of the offense and was a pest defensively. Jones is at the No. 31 spot for now, and he is a player that I honestly feel would’ve been in the top-20 if he were able to play for the entire season.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="916966" first="Jason" last="Simental"] – ThunderRidge</strong></h3> <p>Simental is a player that did not get injured but instead transferred schools. Simental made the switch right up the street as he went from Highlands Ranch to one of the city rivals, ThunderRidge high school. The last time that we saw him play was this summer, and he proved to be a versatile 6’1 combo-guard that could shoot the ball from deep but also led the offense as a guard. He got others involved, controlled the pace, and showed off an all-around game. For ThunderRidge, he got the ballhandling duties and played well as an underclassman. Now with his junior year wiped, he comes into senior season ready to prove that it was all for a good reason. Adding Simental to the mix with a solid front and backcourt will open the Grizzlies up and new ways as they add a playmaking guard that can score the ball with ease. Simental is the No. 37 player in the class as it was difficult to rank him, but I see him being closer to a top-20 player.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="965752" first="Mateo" last="Magana"] – Denver South</strong></h3> <p>Magana is another player that did not get hurt but instead transferred, thus, giving away his whole junior season. Magana is a player that got his feet wet a bit in his junior season at Northfield and made the switch over to Denver High School, and it is going to be a situation where he goes in and will be their best playmaker from Day 1. Magana is a guard that can let it fly from deep as a shooter with extended range. He also can create for himself and gets himself going in iso situations. If you see Magana play in the summer, it is quickly understood he is a solid player that you can put in any situation, and he is going to do well in. With the Rebels next season, he is going to have to build on his confidence offensively and taking over more often as he is going to have a tough task of being the game plan that opposing teams are going after. Everyone that South faces will undoubtedly give him different looks. He will have to work hard for each game. Magana is No.49 for now; he can build or slide in a crucial season where he took a chance. </p>