Who Are The Best Playmakers in the 2028 Class? (Part 1)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the debut of our first ever Virginia 2028 class rankings last month, we'll take a deep dive into some of the players and their strengths now as we continue to watch them develop. Here's part one of some of the top playmakers in the sophomore class in VA.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2884415' first='Devin' last='Ainsworth'] | 6'2” PG | St. Stephen's St. Agnes (#4 Overall)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ainsworth started as a freshman for an SSSAS team that made a run to the VISAA D-I Final Four, and he has all the early signs of a talented guard that could play at the highest level in college. He's quick twitch with a tight handle and good burst to blow by defenders, he makes excellent reads in transition and in ball screen actions, he can score it efficiently from multiple levels, and he puts a lot of pressure on the defense with his ability to get in the paint at will.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2918891' first='Legend' last='Bunch'] | 6'1” PG | Norfolk Collegiate (#15 Overall)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2325651,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Legend-Bunch.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Legend-Bunch.jpg?w=400" alt="" class="wp-image-2325651" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bunch was a starter and the primary ball handler for a talented King's Fork team as a freshman, showing his ability to both run the offense and get his team into sets, while also being a guy who can create something out of nothing for himself and others. He has an advanced game for his age with his pace and ability to change speeds, he finishes well and makes good reads when he gets downhill, and he can knock down shots from multiple levels as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2763815' first='Hudson' last='Mostashari'] | 6'2” CG | Bishop O'Connell (#18 Overall)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mostashari was a star on O'Connell's JV team last year, and he had a great summer both in AAU and during the high school summer league and live periods, showing an advanced skillset and IQ for his age. The 6'2” lefty guard makes great reads and sees the game ahead of others his age, he uses fakes to deceive defenders and delivers a variety of passes on point, and he can keep defenses honest with his ability to make shots from deep and his crafty finishing ability as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2918940' first='Jace' last='Jones'] | 6'1” CG | Riverside (#25 Overall)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jones is a two sport star who started on varsity as a freshman in both football and basketball, and followed it up with an impressive summer with Team Loaded DMV and Team Museum. He's a dynamic athlete who thrives in transition with his speed and shiftiness in the open court, he makes plays defensively as with his quick hands and ability to jump passing lanes, he can score it from multiple levels, and he has good vision when putting pressure on the defense as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2918943' first='Linney' last='Reed'] | 5'11” PG | Stuart Hall (#26 Overall)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Reed was the sixth man as a freshman for a Stuart Hall group that won the VISAA D-IV state championship last year, and he's likely going to be their primary ball handler and playmaker over the next few years if things stay the same. He plays with a level of confidence most young guards don't have as he will attack defenders and is capable of threading the needle when defenders rotate, he's an aggressive and intense defender who can turn ball handlers over, and he can make open shots from multiple levels too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2918948' first='Damaries' last='Harris'] | 5'9” PG | EC Glass (#28 Overall)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Harris played big minutes for Glass as a freshman eventually earning his way into the starting lineup, and he looks like he's one of the top young players in Lynchburg already with a blend of toughness, IQ and skill well beyond his years. He is an aggressive downhill attacker who is shifty off the bounce with a tight handle and the ability to change speeds, he sets the tone defensively with his on ball pressure, he sees the floor well and makes the right read, and he shows no fear in any matchup he's a part of.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->