Class of 2022 Philadelphia Public League Standouts

<p>There’s a lot of excitement leading up to this upcoming high school basketball season after star-studded classes in the last few years.</p> <p>The hype has blossomed in Philadelphia after producing 20+ top-200 players in the last three recruiting classes, including the 2021 class. However, there’s much to be said about the Class of 2022, especially in the highly-competitive Philadelphia Public League.</p> <p>Here is a list of some players you should watch out for this season that will be climbing up recruitment boards in the coming months.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="991317" first="Naji" last="Reid"], SG Imhotep Charter:</strong> Reid is quite the sharp-shooter, with impressive off-ball movement to create space from beyond the arc. While having great floor speed, easily able to create a steal and go coast-to-coast for a layup, he excels from three. Reid has impressive range, and when he’s not open, he has excellent court vision to pass it off or even create space in the lane, bobbing and weaving his way to the basket. Already, he can reverse at the cup or dodge defenders to lay it up high off the backboard, which will only continue to play into his favor moving forward.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="991231" first="Jacob" last="Beccles"], SG Constitution:</strong> Beccles has really used his size on the court to his advantage on the defensive side of the ball. He can shoot the three with ease and can extend over defenders to shoot, but where he excels is on the break after a steal. He not only pushes the pace of the game, but he picks off passes in traffic, creating scoring opportunities. Beccles has no problem shooting from deep, which opens up space for others to contribute near the basket.</p> <p><strong>Jhakyr Harley, PG Imhotep Charter:</strong> Simply put, Harley has speed to burn on the court, and is a strong on-ball defender. That has led to many steals and fast break opportunities, where he is quick to getting in the lane to score or dishing it off to a teammate for the basket. His speed makes up for his size and adds several dimensions to his game not only as a swift defender, but also as someone who can quickly cut and create space to score.</p> <p><strong>Hymid Snead, G Math Civics &amp; Sciences:</strong> Snead is growing into a much bigger role in one of the best programs in the state. He has already shown promise on the assist and steal front, averaging nearly one steal per game and 1.5 assists per game during the 2019-20 season. As a junior, he will be relied on much more inside the three-point arc, but expect him to create plays on the break after a steal.</p> <p><strong>Josiah Johnson, C Sankofa Freedom Academy:</strong> Johnson was among the leading rebounders on Sankofa last season as a sophomore, one of two underclassmen to play in all 24 games before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the season. Having already been relied upon on the block, he’s only going to improve with rebounding, and his 6-5 frame is an asset moving forward. He also has plenty of range from three, so expect him to take on that role more for Sankofa this season.</p> <p>Look out for more player previews as the 2020-21 season comes closer.</p>