Mid-December Report: 2022 Stock Risers

We’ve reached the middle of December and about two times each month, I’ll be breaking down some prospects from each class who have helped boost their stock with their play over the period of time. I’ll start with the 2022 prospects that I’ve caught in action. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Aidan-Mess.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1194829" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Aidan-Mess-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1110551" first="Aidan" last="Mess"] | 6’7 | Mount St. Joseph Mess has been nothing short of steady production as the Gaels have looked sharp in their first eight games sporting a perfect 8-0 record. Mess and our No. 1 player in the 2023 rankings [player_tooltip player_id="957018" first="Amani" last="Hansberry"] have together formed the most dominant frontcourt in the Baltimore Metro area. Mess’ pursuit of rebounds is like no other prospect in the area and it comes at both ends. His patience in the paint playing with his back to the basket has been superb as he baits his defender into errors with solid footwork and soft touch on over the shoulder hooks. Mess is finishing above the rim with regularity on the break and has even added a few poster dunks to his resume. You can pencil him in as a double-double every time he takes the floor, but he impacts the game in many more ways than just scoring and rebounding. Navy is Mess’ lone offer and if I was a low Division I program in need of a workhorse big, Mess would be on my list. [player_tooltip player_id="1110545" first="Cortez" last="Johnson"] | 6’7 | St. Frances Johnson’s stellar performance of 16 points and 20 rebounds in a win over DeMatha caught the attention of everyone, and rightfully so. His activity on the glass this season has been spectacular considering how undersized this St. Frances team is. He’s filling the role of a five and having to battle players with much more size, but he’s been effective and persistent. Johnson has also shown glimpses of a consistent jumper from mid-range and even three-point range, which has been music to college coach’s ears. Johnson holds offers from Morgan State, UNC-Greensboro and Siena with other low majors tracking him closely. [player_tooltip player_id="837927" first="Cameron" last="Whitmore"] | 6’8 | Spalding It may be ironic to include Whitmore on this list considering he is already our top prospect in the 2022 rankings, but the way he has supplied all with endless explosive finishes through traffic only confirms that he is a physical specimen that doesn’t often come along. His athleticism and explosion are truly unique. If you don't believe me, just spend some time searching his name on Twitter and you'll see his latest outing of 40 points and 11 rebounds to capture the Xaverian Classic title. Whitmore has Spalding off to a solid start as the Cavs have played a challenging schedule thus far. It’ll be interesting to see how he continues to back his ranking in league play and if he can help Spalding to a MIAA or BCL title when it’s all said and done before he head off to Villanova and plays under Hall of Fame coach Jay Wright. https://twitter.com/_camwhitmore_/status/1469733404065292291?s=20 [player_tooltip player_id="954640" first="Jordan" last="Pennick"] | 6’1 | Spalding Pennick has been a personal favorite of mine for some time now given how hard he works on both ends. He’s a true competitor with a dog mentality on the defensive end, embracing the assignment of the opposing team’s best perimeter threat. Offensively he has become a knockdown three-points shooter from anywhere on the floor off the catch and his athleticism comes into play when he’s sprinting the floor in transition. Pennick holds and offer from Navy, Chestnut Hill and is being heavily pursued by Division III programs for basketball and football. [player_tooltip player_id="837955" first="John" last="Thomas"] | 6’3 | Patterson I’ve yet to see Thomas in person this season, but tracking his production has been fun. The 6-foot-3 guard dropped 34 points in each of his first two games as his team is off to 2-0 start. He’s a tough, gritty Baltimore City guard who can mix up his scoring approach while bringing value with defensive versatility. Expect Thomas to post some crooked numbers this year as Patterson’s go-to option. [player_tooltip player_id="904659" first="Sammy" last="Scott"] | 5’8 | Milford Mill Scott started his senior campaign with a bang against Perry Hall as the floor general scored 34 points, collected seven rebounds, dished out five assists and recorded four steals. Scott has been a bulldog since he was a freshman and now has the experience combined with freedom to lead as a senior. The Millers are always a tough out in Baltimore County play, so look for Scott to lead that attack this season. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/11/Nick-Jones-2.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1335714 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/11/Nick-Jones-2-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Nick Jones | 6’2 | Parkville Jones is a name to for JuCo and prep programs to monitor. He’s off to a strong start with Parkville after consistently strong showings throughout summer and fall leagues that helped put his name on the radar. The Knights will be a contender for a state title this season and Jones is going to be a major factor in the equation. He doesn’t quite fit the eye test right now as he has to fill out his frame, but his athleticism is far superior than most at his height. Jones can get his elbow above the rim, which makes him a joy to watch in the open floor. Jones can also get going from deep and is an underrated playmaker off the bounce. [player_tooltip player_id="1215151" first="Cesar" last="Tchilombo"] | 6’8 | John Carroll The Patriots have experienced their ups-and-downs early this season as they embarked on a very challenging schedule, but Tchilombo has been a consistent bright spot with his ability to anchor the paint. He’s been known for his elite rebounding and shot-altering skills, but this season he’s been given the freedom offensively to take more outside jumpers. So far so good for Tchilombo on his looks from deep. They usually come trailing in transition at the top of the key, but he’s also knocked down a few from the corners and wings within the flow of the half court offense. The 6-foot-8 native of Congo holds offers from Howard, Mount St. Mary’s, Longwood, Siena and USC-Upstate. [player_tooltip player_id="904682" first="Kyle" last="Pulliam"] | 6’4 | Good Counsel I’m a strong believer that more programs should be in pursuit of Pulliam considering the fact that his best basketball days are ahead of him. He has great size as a combo guard at 6-foot-4 with a frame that will fill out over time. The southpaw has a smooth approach to the game to go along with a silky release on his jumper. His IQ comes to light with his play off the dribble. He has good instincts and processes the game at a good level. Pulliam is a player that can fit into a number of systems or playing styles. He can play on or off the ball while impacting the game on the defensive end as well. Pulliam holds two Division II offers and has the attention from a plethora of Division III programs. I don’t think it’s a stretch at all to say he could contribute and eventually be a key factor in a low major Division I program’s rotation.