2023 Rankings: Center Positional Breakdown
With a full season of high school hoops and a handful of spring club events under our belt, the Prep Hoops SoCal Staff was able to get a good grip on the class of 2023, which led to our latest…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWith a full season of high school hoops and a handful of spring club events under our belt, the Prep Hoops SoCal Staff was able to get a good grip on the class of 2023, which led to our latest update to the rising senior rankings. In this piece we breakdown what the center position looks like in this class.
Jazz Gardner Jazz Gardner 7'0" | C Los Altos | 2023 State #85 Nation CA-S , Los Altos, No. 1 center/No. 3 overall – Gardner is the top-rated center in the class for multiple reasons, but the main one being his inside-out scoring skill-set and his ball skills to go along with his 7-foot frame. Gardner can knock down catch-and-shoot threes, score inside the painted area with his back to the basket and is also a good passer out of the post.
Dennis Evans Dennis Evans 7'1" | C Hillcrest | 2023 State #28 Nation CA-S , Riverside Hillcrest, No. 2 center/No. 11 overall – We had Evans in our earlier piece on six players we believe could rise in the rankings in our next update and it’s easy to see why. The 7-footer has elite defensive instincts and a shot blocker and shot changer around the basket and his offensive repertoire continues to evolve each time we see him play.
Collins Acheampong Collins Acheampong 6'8" | C Fairmont Prep | 2023 CA-S , Fairmont Prep, No. 3 center/No. No. 25 overall – In addition to his basketball skills, Acheampong also happens to be a high level football prospect. The 6-foot-8 center is a physical interior defender and scorer who challenges shots at the rim and crashes the offensive and defensive boards.
Martin Gumwel Martin Gumwel 6'11" | C Rancho Christian | 2023 State CA-S , Rancho Christian, No. 4 center/No. 27 overall – Gumwel arrived at Rancho Christian as a high motor, active and shot blocking big man whose offensive skill-set was still of the “raw” variety. From what we’ve seen of the 6-foot-11 junior this spring, his hands, feet and touch around the basket have become positive tools of his game. While his rebounding, energy and rim-running translate to productivity, Gumwel still has some work to do on his offensive skills.
Pierre Geneste Pierre Geneste 6'11" | C Heritage Christian | 2023 CA-S , Heritage Christian, No. 5 center/No. 28 overall – Geneste reminds us a lot of Gumwel, which is why he’s sitting just one spot behind him in our rankings. The 6-foot-10 center is a long and wiry prospect who gets up and down the floor with ease, blocks shots, rebounds and does a lot of damage on the offensive boards.