2021 Rankings Update: Sizzling Sharpshooters
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The class of 2021 rankings has been updated, and there is plenty of movement throughout the entire list. We added the most players that we have ever had and did our most thorough observations to choose what we deem to…
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Continue ReadingThe class of 2021 rankings has been updated, and there is plenty of movement throughout the entire list. We added the most players that we have ever had and did our most thorough observations to choose what we deem to be our most thought-out rankings yet. This season was a bit different as it was condensed, so we took summer ball and mixed it with what we were able to see throughout the season as well. Here’s who we have as the top snipers of the year.
Michael Wolf Michael Wolf 6'0" | PG Regis Jesuit | 2021 State CO – Regis
Wolf is such an explosive scorer that has moments where he goes nuclear that oftentimes he is not thought about as a shooter but make no mistake about it; he is a marksman from deep and can get himself going. Wolf was one of the summer’s best players heading into senior season, so we had high expectations of him heading into the year. He was hanging 30-points on everyone during grassroots, and the way that he was getting it done was from beyond the arc. He brought that play into the season and was one of the steady scorers on a talented Regis team that went 14-2 on the season. Wolf scored in double figures in all but one game with a season-high of 29 points against Doherty. In that game, he finished 5-8 from beyond the arc, and that was something that opposing teams had to fear. Him getting hot from deep and creating such a lead that teams cannot come back. Wolf shot 44% from beyond the arc, hit a 3-pointer in every single game, and also showcased himself as an excellent positional rebounder. Wolf averaged 16.8 points and 5.9 rebounds a game while hitting 47 3-pointers on the year. He is going to Bridgton Academy next season, and I am sure we will see more of the confident game-changing plays being made there. Excited to follow his career as he was one of my favorite shooters to watch when he got hot; he comes in at No. 21 on the top player’s list.
Tanner Lamb Tanner Lamb 5'10" | SG Legend | 2021 State CO – Legend
Lamb is known for his 3-point shooting and is listed on every opposing team’s keys to the game as a player to try and crowd as soon as he gets to halfcourt. Lamb is a sniper from deep that defenses yell out where he is at all times throughout the game. Having a guy glued to him seems to be the best decision, and he still manages to find a way to get it up. Lamb has proved to be a knockdown shooter that does not need much time to air it out. He shot an incredible 50% on 3-pointers a season ago and followed that up with shooting 40% from beyond the arc as a senior. Lamb saw his game take off a bit more and add a few new pieces to his game, like the ability to put it on the floor as a primary ballhandler and have to create plays for teammates as well, but he found a way to get it done. Lamb averaged 13.8 ppg as a senior and opened up the floor for others to navigate. If a team is looking for a dead-eye shooter from deep, he is your man.
Michael Bennett Michael Bennett 6'1" | CG Lakewood | 2021 State CO – Lakewood
Bennett is not a dead-eye knockdown shooter, but when watching his game and how he can explode in games with so much pressure and attention on him, having the ability to separate himself from the defense with shots off of the dribble is what makes him special. Bennet is a natural scorer that will find a way to put the ball in the basket. He does not have the consistency as the top shooters in the state but has to be guarded the moment that he gets the ball in his hands, and it’s why he can consistently score the ball like when he went 4-5 from deep on his way to 35 points against Pomona. Bennett averaged 19.9 points, and 5.4 rebounds a game and is one of the best athletes that the state has. I believe he will be running track at Duke University next season.
Garrett Rogers Garrett Rogers 5'11" | PG Columbine | 2021 State CO – Columbine
There is shooting the ball, and there is lighting it up and igniting a team. Rogers ignited his team and made it so that Columbine was a difficult team to prepare for. Rogers was the Rebel’s best player this year as he put up a team-high 16.8 points and 4.3 assists a game, but what he did from deep was amongst the top in the state. He was a sniper from deep that shot 47% from beyond the arc, and that made it so that opposing teams had to game plan for him. Rogers can hurt a team with his passing and movement, garners a ton of attention with his gravity-pull that defenders had a difficult time stopping, and also created for himself off of the dribble. Putting it all together in his senior season had him as a tough cover and a player that can play at the next level. He committed to Carroll University and will be a player that will compete for a spot early on.
Noah Ragsdale Noah Ragsdale 5'11" | PG Lewis-Palmer | 2021 State CO – Lewis-Palmer
On a team loaded with scorers and talented bigs, there has to be a player that provides balance. Ragsdale was that as he was the team’s best shooter from deep, and he also made it difficult to be contained as he was the team’s primary ball-handler at moments as well. Ragsdale is a small guard with a big game and is a consistent scorer that stepped up in big moments. Ragsdale averaged 11.8 points a game and knocked down a 3-pointer in all but one game. Ragsdale moves without the ball, found creases in the defense, and made high IQ movements to get open shots. He caught fire on multiple occasions this season and was big in a win over Rampart, where he finished with a team-high 20 points on 3-5 shooting from deep. Ragsdale found his rhythm in his senior year and was counted on heavily to be a guard that created havoc. He did that with his scoring and stepped out and shot the ball well this season.
Tom Connelly Tom Connelly 6'4" | SF Denver East | 2021 State CO – Denver East
When Connelly catches fire, he has that kind of energy that can change a team’s momentum. He did that on multiple occasions this past summer as he helped provide spacing, and with Denver East, he makes it so that opposing teams cannot zone the Angels. Connelly has unlimited range and might be the best shooter when you speak about extending the defense a couple of feet away from the 3-point line. He shoots from the volleyball line on some courts, which makes the defense scramble and have to figure out how to slow him down with other players around him dominating inside. His shot falling is the difference-maker and makes him such a valuable player for Denver East. He also has excellent size at 6’4 with the newfound ability to also score inside. In Connelly’s senior season, he made the jump offensively and progressed on the small things as well. Connelly averaged 14.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists a game while shooting 44% from beyond the arc. If Connelly gets his feet set, he’s a lights-out shooter and only continues to get better. He is a player that will play at the next level and next year will play at Feltrim Academy.