St. James Standouts: 3 Underrated Names

<p>Legacy Early College Lions big men showed up against the stacked frontcourts they ran into in Virginia. MaxPreps lists all three bigs at 6-8 or taller with the length or build to withstand the attacks of the top big men in the country.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1038351" first="Jason" last="Baker"]</strong></p> <p>All three have put in stock altering performances but no one shows up on offense much like the 6-9 forward. He’s more suited for the college 4 than the 5 thanks to a slender frame and wing-like moves. It’ll be the perfect spot for his long skinny frame and shooting. The senior has quick moves out of the triple threat, leaving bigs a step behind on moves. Baker plays with fire, almost turning his intensity factor up in big matchups. Morgan State and Fairmont star anchor his offers while schools like Wake Forest have expressed interest. Really good showings against Wasatch’s frontcourt work horses, La Lumiere’s 4 big man rotation with 3 seven-footers, and Hamilton Heights’ pair of bigs averaging 3 blocks apiece, and Sunrise’s plethora of high major posts prospects should bode well for the 2021 prospect. Baker made big plays against high major players and prospects that will have their names on draft boards in their first draft eligible year. Baker’s production and activity almost ensure that he can compete at the mid-major level.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="927508" first="Tyrek" last="Priestley"]</strong></p> <p>Against the giants of his position, unsigned senior TyRek Priestly matched ratings with physicality. A little undersized for the 5 at 6-8 but a strong post presence on the defensive end. He’s a solid screen setter and makes strong dives to the basket. The Lions use the screen more to free up the ballhandler more than to find the big, which doesn’t help Priestly’s quiet offensive performances. The South Carolina native posted consistent rebounding numbers despite not clearing 10 minutes in two of his five games. As a member of the Upward Stars AAU team, he has plenty of film playing high-level bigs outside of this event.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="650232" first="Perry" last="Smith Jr"].</strong></p> <p>The lone junior of the bunch Smith Jr. adds to the size of Priestly while dabbling into the mobility that makes Baker dangerous. Currently listed as a 3-star recruit, holding offers from DePaul and Alabama, this 2022 prospect kept the ball alive on offense, grabbing a shade under 2 offensive rebounds a game. At 6-9, Smith Jr. has a pair of agile feet. Being buried so deep on the roster limited his showing at St. James. If the way Legacy Early runs their offense through [player_tooltip player_id="536314" first="Bryce" last="McGowens"] is predictive of Smith Jr.’s role next season then this mobile big is going to have a memorable year.</p>