2023 Rankings Update: Stock Risers (Pt. 1)
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With the 2022-23 high school season approaching Regional and State Championship games, the Prep Hoops SoCal staff put a fresh update on the class of 2023 rankings. The list went from 130 players to 175 and there was plenty of…
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Continue ReadingWith the 2022-23 high school season approaching Regional and State Championship games, the Prep Hoops SoCal staff put a fresh update on the class of 2023 rankings. The list went from 130 players to 175 and there was plenty of movement among players on the board. In this piece we break down some of the biggest stock risers in the latest update.
Marcus Adams, Jr., Narbonne
After returning to a California Interscholastic Federation affiliated school from a prep program, Adams, Jr. jumped back into the rankings at No. 25 in the late summer of 2022. We always knew the 6-foot-8 swingman was a gifted offensive player but we wanted to be tentative with where we placed him upon his re-entry into the 2023 grouping. Now that we’ve had time to evaluate him on multiple stages, and against some of the Southern Section’s top teams, it was a relatively easy decision to move Adams, Jr. to the No. 1 overall spot in the 2023 rankings. The senior forward has elite offensive feel and shot making ability in addition to his all-around basketball IQ as a passer and playmaker for teammates.
Dennis Evans Dennis Evans 7'1" | C Hillcrest | 2023 State #28 Nation CA-S , Hillcrest
Evans has always been a well-known commodity in Southern California basketball circles and the 7-foot-1 center saw his stock soar on the national level while playing for independent club Team Inland in the spring and summer. Evans jumped from No. 11 to No. 5 in the latest class of 2023 rankings update due in large-part to how he projects as an elite defensive center at the next level. Aside from his obvious physical tools and size and length, Evans’ timing and anticipation and ability to block and change shots around the rim is the reason why he’s being recruited at such a high level. Evans recently decommitted from Minnesota and reopened his recruitment and should land at the Power 5 level.
Aaron McBride Aaron McBride 6'7" | PF Corona Centennial | 2023 State CA-S , Corona Centennial
The ultimate glue guy went from very important piece to Corona Centennial’s success to perhaps the most important piece to the Huskies’ success this season and that moved him from a spot in the late teens to No. 12 overall in 2023. McBride, who will head to Loyola Marymount in the fall, is simply a winning player who does anything it takes to help Centennial come out on top. The best example of this was his game-winning steal and dunk in the last seconds of the Huskies CIF Southern Section Open Division championship victory over St. John Bosco. If production, versatility and high motor are things that college coaches value, LMU got one of the state’s best in this class.
Jacob McFarland Jacob McFarland 6'10" | C Rancho Verde | 2023 State #75 Nation CA-S , Rancho Verde
Like Evans, McFarland was another Southern California big man who saw his national stock jump into high gear over the spring and summer, especially at Section 7. The 6-foot-10 center was at No. 41 after the conclusion of the 2021-22 high school season and his improvements as a rim protector, versatile defender in ball screen action and screener and lob finisher in the half-court are what moved him up to No. 14. McFarland is an elite vertical and transition athlete with quick first and second jumps off the floor. It will be interesting to watch his development on the offensive end with the University of Houston.
Christian Jones Christian Jones 6'4" | SF Bishop Montgomery | 2023 State CA-S , Bishop Montgomery
Jones jumped from the early 60’s into the top 40 at No. 38 and that decision was based mainly on how many facets of the game he impacts. When we say the 6-foot-3 wing does a little of everything, we really want to put the emphasis on everything. Jones guards the opponents best perimeter player – and sometimes its best interior player – he rebounds on both ends of the floor, puts pressure on the defense in transition as the ball handler and lane filler and improved his half-court offense to where he became a respectable threat from 3-point range. Jones has seen his recruitment pick up with a handful of strong Division II programs in SoCal vying for his commitment.