2021 Rankings Update: Wings/Forward

<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 is one of our deepest classes in the state, so it took us a while to look at the full season and break it down. We had drastic movement and also added over 25 new players. Here, we focus on some of the classes’ top wings/forwards. </p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="916955" first="Donta" last="Dawson"] – Harrison</strong></span></h3> <p>Dawson is a player that is always so difficult to assess just how good he is. His ability to do everything, mixed with his size and skill, makes him difficult to determine just what position he is. When you get a locked-in and motivated [player_tooltip player_id="916955" first="Donta" last="Dawson"], he is a top-5 player that opposing teams have a difficult time trying to maintain. He can eat defenders up in the open court and finished with highlight dunks. He also can slow it down and beat defenders down low with his size. Dawson puts the ball on the floor and is difficult to stop as smaller defenders stand no chance. This season he led Harrison to a 19-5 record and was named to the Second All-State Team. He put up 18.1 points a game and just under seven rebounds while also getting teammates involved. The scary thing is, Dawson has not even reached his full potential. Once he realizes just how good he is and approaches every single game with that mindset, he will be one of the very best players in the entire state. He is the No.8 player in the class.  </p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="916954" first="Kendale" last="Johnson"] – George Washington</strong></h3> <p>Kendale is a player that came into the season with a chip on his shoulder after dropping a few spots in the rankings. Johnson and his George Washington team felt that they were not getting the respect that they deserved, so they went out and earned it. The Patriots hit a switch in the middle of the season and turned it up a notch, and it was no secret that when Kendale was in a zone, there were not many teams or defenders that could match with what the Patriots have. Johnson led the Patriots in scoring this season with 13.6 points a game, and they also picked up a couple of playoff wins. Once Johnson realized that he was bigger, stronger, and more talented than the person in front of him and showed off his balance of inside and out – the Patriots were at their best. Johnson is one of the better mid-range scorers in the state, and he finds a hole in the defense at the high post. He is a wing/forward that is athletic and strong, so he is able to compete down low. He can either make a move to the rim, shoot the mid-range shot or also step back and hit a 3-pointer in which he shot at 43%. The no-settle Johnson is a player that has to be dealt with, and for now, he is the No.7 player in the state, let’s see if he uses that as motivation to rise or see if he is comfortable with where he is at.  </p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>DeAngelo Horn – Smoky Hill</strong></h3> <p>Not many players can go on the gauntlet and prove that they belong. Not only did Horn show that he can play with some of the top players, but he made it a point to go at guys and compete at a high level. Horn is easily one of the most athletic and explosive players in the entire state, and he showed that with his countless dunks for Smoky Hill this season. Horn makes momentum-changing plays as he dunks with no regard for defenders. He went over and through guys. The top three dunks on the season most likely came from Horn. Horn possesses the mid-range capability and can put it on the floor a bit as well. He just has to put it on display consistently. Horn is a fierce interior defender that competes down low and can guard positions 1-4. His quick leaping ability creates advantages on both ends of the floor, and he was a glue guy for Smoky Hill as he put up seven points a game and just under four rebounds. Next season it will serve as a coming-out party as I feel that he will be a sought after player as far as recruiting goes. He is the No. 26 player in the class, and there’s an argument that he could have gone higher. He will prove us wrong, I’m sure.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="770450" first="Kolben" last="Barney"] – Palmer</strong></h3> <p>Barney is a forward for Palmer that despite a rough season for the team was able to showcase that he’s able to take over in games and make an impact. Barney put up 14.0 points and four rebounds a game last season and had a couple of games where he erupted. Like his 30 point outing in an upset over the No.1 team in 4A in Mead or a 36-point performance against Liberty, In most games, the Junior captain showed in. Barney is a wing that can step out on the wing, but also go inside and score in different ways. He opens up the defense with his outside shot as well, and while he was not a marksman from deep, he shot the ball relatively well from beyond the arc. Next season it will be about Barney taking those numbers and them leading to wins as he is a player that can certainly take over when needed. Barney is the No.62 ranked player, for now, wins will help him grow.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="965758" first="Mamadou" last="Sow"] – Lutheran</strong></h3> <p>Sow might have been able to do more if he were anywhere else, but he was on a pretty loaded Lutheran team that played well together and made it to the Great 8. Although he had a solid surrounding cast, that did not stop the Lions from running through the 6’7 junior forward. Sow was able to use his body to get inside and run a 1-2 high-low with the top freshman in the state. He used his size to finish with soft floaters around the rim, he has good footwork and got up and down the court. He also crashed the boards for easy finishes and showed that he could score in isolation situations. Sow stepped up defensively this season and had a couple of chase-down blocks. He is not easily moved defensively, and his 11.7 points and 5.8 rebounds were enough to be named as an All-State Honorable Mention. He will have to build on this year, and when grassroots starts back up will use that momentum to kickstart where he left off. Sow is No.69 in the class but inevitably can rise as he is one of the better forwards in the state.</p>