2026 Breakout Candidates: Central/Western VA

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A phrase I like to use in the scouting world is the "junior jump," where you see a prospect take a big leap in their game and production during their junior year. Players who have had success in high school usually are bigger, stronger and know the game better going into their junior year, so that's usually where you see the prospects turn the corner.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's a look at six players in the central and western parts of the state I expect to take that junior jump.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2459068' first='Dreylan' last='Creasy'] | 6'8” WF | Blue Ridge</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Creasy is one of the most intriguing prospects in the entire state of VA, as he has a unique skill set for his size, and this year could be the year he starts to put up big numbers. He'll be able to play multiple positions and create mismatches with their personnel, he can post up smaller defenders and finish at the rim, he can step out and make shots on the perimeter, he's a good rebounder and his athleticism allows him to make plays others can't.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2459400' first='Amir' last='Savage'] | 6'3” PG | St. Michael's</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Savage is part of a talented group at St. Michael's that should be a tough out int he VISAA D4 classification, and after a very good sophomore season he's set to have a big junior year this year. At 6'3” he has great size and long arms at the guard position, he's shifty off the bounce and can create space or get to the rim, he makes plays for others and he sets the tone on both ends of the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2459359' first='Jisaiah' last='Bryant'] | 6'5” WF | Liberty Christian Academy</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bryant is another player who's coming off a big sophomore season at LCA, and he's set to become one of the top players in Lynchburg this season. The 6'5” wing is a big time athlete with great size, he plays with a great motor on both ends of the floor, he's a menace in transition with his ability to play above the rim and he can score the ball from all three levels in a lot of different ways.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jayden Johnson | 6'2” WG | Roanoke Catholic</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Johnson is part of a young and talented Roanoke Catholic team that will continue to get better over the next few years, and he's set to have a big junior year for the Celtics. The 6'2” lefty is a long wing who can knock down shots from deep and in the midrange and doesn't need a lot of space to get his shot off, he can handle the ball and create for himself and others off the bounce and he's an unselfish teammate who will do whatever it takes to help his team win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Johnathon Hopkins | 5'10” PG | Bruton</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hopkins is coming off a big summer and is set to be one of the top guards in the VHSL Class 2 with his intensity and ability to impact the game across the board. He's very fast and can blow by defenders in isolation, he makes great decisions out of the pick-and-roll, he touches the paint at will and can finish at the rim and he's a very good on ball defender as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1588114' first='Tristan' last='Isenhour'] | 6'3” PG | New Covenant</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1592021,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/Screen-Shot-2022-09-18-at-12.50.52-PM.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/Screen-Shot-2022-09-18-at-12.50.52-PM.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1592021" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Isenhour has already had an accomplished high school career, starting since he was a freshman and leading his team to two straight state championship appearances, with a state championship as a sophomore. He's a big guard who has a great IQ for the game and handles pressure very well, he doesn't get sped up and makes plays for others, he can get to spots off the bounce and scores it well in the midrange and he can move off the ball and knock down shots too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->