2022 Rankings Update: Plenty to Prove (Part 2)

<p>With players coming into their senior season many will be looking to step up into bigger roles for their high school team. Here are some of the players who will be stepping into those roles with plenty to prove.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1284556" first="Landen" last="Dvorsky"]- Liberty</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1284556" first="Landen" last="Dvorsky"] has been one of our favorite under the radar guards to watch. Landen is a super skilled guard who uses his quickness on the court to his advantage. He has super snappy handles he uses to get defenders out of position. Landen looks his best in the mid to floater range where he gets most of his work in. Landen is also a good three-point shooter with a quick release. This year he will be looking to step into a leadership role with fellow senior classmate [player_tooltip player_id="918924" first="Jordan" last="McKay"] most likely missing this season due to injury. Landen is a player we can see having a huge season with him running the offense for Liberty.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="618866" first="Esmond" last="Griffin"]- Horizon</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="618866" first="Esmond" last="Griffin"] is another player who will be looking to step into a bigger role during his senior season. Horizon has lost two of their best players in the last two years to prep school but they still have a team looking to contend as one of the top teams in the Front Range division. Esmond is one of, if not the quickest guard in the state. He had a great summer with the Colorado Titans running the point guard spot for their squad. Esmond is great at creating for teammates, his quickness makes it hard for guards to stay in front of him, and once he draws help defense he is great at whipping the ball to an open teammate. He can also play well off of the ball, where he has a good sense of when to cut to the basket. When near the basket he can finish with layups but has an exceptional floater he often goes to. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="918905" first="Kijuan" last="Thompson"]- George Washington</strong></p> <p>George Washington is coming off of a 5A championship appearance but they had 10 players who graduated. [player_tooltip player_id="918905" first="Kijuan" last="Thompson"] is one of the few returning players who saw time in their rotation last year. Kijuan is a guy who plays with a chip on his shoulder and can get it done on both sides of the floor. On the defensive end, Kijuan uses his smaller size to get under players’ skin and press up on them due to his good footwork and speed. He seems to be everywhere on the floor, whether that’s diving for a loose ball or sneaking behind players to pick their pockets. The biggest thing Kijuan brings to the floor is energy! On offense, he makes tough shots that keep momentum on his team’s side. Expect the ball to be in Kijuans hands a lot this season, he will be looking to step into a big role. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1050926" first="Connor" last="Yslas"]- Cherokee Trail</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1050926" first="Connor" last="Yslas"] is a forward who seems to out-hustle any match-up he gets. Connor’s game has come a far way this summer as he has improved his post moves and finishing ability. Down low, Connor has a good set of post moves, including a hook shot from the middle of the lane and a good drop step he uses to get easy layups. From mid-range, his jump shot has looked very good. This opens up his game as he has been very good in the pick and roll and now has pick and pop potential. On the defensive end, Connor uses his good height at 6’6 to block shots, often making the hustle play on the help side. Connor also is great at creating contact to box out then hustling to pull down boards. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="618892" first="Elijah" last="Thomas"]- Rangeview</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="618892" first="Elijah" last="Thomas"] is a good guard who stands out on the court due to his freaky athleticism. Elijah may not look like a guard who can get in-game dunks due to him being only 5’9 but he has some legit hops. His solid frame and athleticism make him a tough defensive matchup when he is near the rim as he can hang in the air and easily finish through contact. On the defensive end, he is one of the better guards at staying in front of defenders. He is also an athlete who you have to watch your back when he is on the floor due to his ability to pin shots off of the backboard. Elijah is looking to help Rangeview to another successful year as they made it to the final four these past two years. </p>