2025 Rankings: Stock Risers (Pt. 1)
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Our most recent ranking update came to the class of 2025 which saw us expand the number of ranked prospects from 65 to 100, meaning: Tons of new names to get familiar with. In this piece we take a closer…
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Continue ReadingOur most recent ranking update came to the class of 2025 which saw us expand the number of ranked prospects from 65 to 100, meaning: Tons of new names to get familiar with. In this piece we take a closer look at the players who saw their stock soar in our latest update.
Gavin Hightower Gavin Hightower 6'0" | PG Windward | 2025 State #99 Nation CA-S , Windward, Previous Rank: No. 8, New Rank: No. 5
It’s not a huge bump but Hightower played his way into the 2025 Top 5 because of his on-court performance this season while leading a young team with a new coach to a 23-8 record and a strong post-season run. The 6-foot guard is one of the elite scorers on the west coast and his ability to fill it up at all three levels of the floor translates to all levels.
Mazi Mosely Mazi Mosely 6'4" | PG St. Francis | 2025 State #51 Nation CA-S , St. Francis, Previous Rank: 21, New Rank: 7
Mosely’s transfer to St. Francis opened up two opportunities to raise his stock and he ran with them. First, Mosely saw an uptick in playing time and his production, combined with his upside as a prospect, helped him make a big jump. Secondly, the 6-foot-5 guard was found himself in a situation where he had to adjust his game to system-style of basketball and he thrived in that setting which is what he will find himself in at the college level.
Tae Simmons Tae Simmons 6'7" | PF Heritage Christian | 2025 State #104 Nation CA-S , Heritage Christian, Previous Rank: 12, New Rank: 8
Simmons was at times one of the more dominant inside presences in all of Southern California and was simply a double-double machine during his sophomore season. The 6-foot-7 forward is a high level rebounder on both the offensive and defensive boards, has the athleticism to rim-run in transition and the hands and coordination to catch, gather and finish in one motion. Simmons made strides as a back to the basket scorer throughout the season, as well.
EJ Vernon EJ Vernon 6'7" | SF Crossroads | 2025 State #241 Nation CA-S , Crossroads, Previous Rank: 22, New Rank: 12
Vernon is one of the more versatile players in the class and his size at 6-feet-6 to go along with his dribble, pass and ability to score inside off slashes and paint touches makes him an intriguing prospect deserving of a 10-spot bump in the latest rankings. Vernon is of the point-forward mold due to his basketball IQ and playmaking ability.
Julien Gomez Julien Gomez 6'2" | CG La Mirada | 2025 State #264 Nation CA-S , La Mirada, Previous Rank: 28, New Rank: 13
The 6-foot-3 combo guard had a season for the ages as he proved to be one of the premier scorers in SoCal’s 2025 class. Gomez averaged 25.6 points per game while leading the Matadores to a 25-10 record, an appearance in the CIF Southern Section 2A championship game and a number of big nonleague wins. Many have begun to take notice of Gomez because of the unorthodox style in which he gets his points. He’s not an elite “athlete” per se, but his craftiness, shooting ability and space creation off the dribble make him one of the toughest covers in the region.