The 252’s Top Sophomores This Season

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With many sophomores, it's interesting to see whether they can make the sophomore jump, or fall into a sophomore slump. In the eastern part of the state, we've seen plenty of guys accomplish the former, and make big leaps to where they should be legitimate college prospects to monitor. Read below for five guys who have made waves as 2026s in the 252 area code.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1917812"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Coppedge is a physical forward prospect who is making huge strides in his second full season. He's picked up MVP honors at the WJG Invitational, dropped 16.2 PPG and 8.7 RPG so far for Greene Central, and improved his slashing and playmaking skills so far this year. He really attacks the rim and the glass efficiently and with power, making him a hard to contain player when he gets a head of steam and is going downhill.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["2252142"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Knight has been both the leading scorer and the most efficient John Paul player so far this season, and finished the season scoring 16.6 PPG. He's able to shoot it from deep, or attack the paint and really try to make things happen around the rim. He's been scoring well, but also brings a lot of intensity, defensive effort, and hustle to the court no matter whether his team is up or down. That's what will continue to make him a standout for WLE on the grassroots scene.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["1280985"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Smith is an electrifying player that may be the next big thing from the eastern part of the state, as he continues to kill it at Washington HS. He's averaging 20.6 PPG, 6.5 APG, and 5.6 RPG as a dynamic point guard who is equally able to set up his teammates as well as himself. He plays quicker than everyone else and is able to make reads and see passes one step ahead of others, while also using that elite athleticism to hammer the rim with contact dunks and finishes in traffic.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='2411568' first='Austin' last='Joyner']","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Hunt","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Joyner has been an impressive part of the Hunt rotation as they've gone 15-5 so far, with an 8-2 record in conference play. He's averaging 13.7 PPG, leading his group, and knows how to do it from a variety of spots. He's made 30 threes on the year, showcasing an ability to make simple shots and move well without the ball. Also able to work inside the arc, whether that's taking the easy layup or shooting off the dribble jumpers.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["1280878"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"McKoy is an athletic Swiss Army knife that sure knows how to score in bunches. He's up to 22.1 PPG and really has been scoring downhill and in the mid-range at certain times as well. With 8.1 rebounds per game and 3 combined steals and blocks per game though, his impact also comes on the defensive end, much more than the average player. He can pick guys up 94 feet, get into passing lanes, and make up for either his own miscues or others miscues by finishing the play with a block or steal.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65bcf8b4dbe56"} /-->