Freshmen Who Are Already Making a Name for Themselves (Part 2)

The 2029 class has yet to play an official high school game as freshmen, but it already has a number of players who have stood out in the fall and have shown they will be guys to watch this season moving forward. Here's a look at six freshmen to watch for in VA this season.   [player_tooltip player_id='2440984' first='Brayden' last='Ragland'] | 6'6” F | Highland School   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Ragland-Brayden.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Ragland-Brayden.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2967826" /></a></figure>   Ragland played a major role for Northside out of Roanoke on a run to a state championship last year, and he decided to transfer to Highland where he reclassified to be a freshman again, and so far this fall he showed he's not just there to develop but could start for the defending VISAA D-I state champions. The 6'6” hybrid forward is a do-it-all type of player who is a walking mismatch and can impact the game across the board for the Hawks already. He's a very good shooter with range and confidence from deep, he's an explosive vertical athlete who can play above the rim, and he has a mix of physicality and quickness in the paint on both ends, with the ability to finish with both hands offensively.   Niles Mason | 6'6” F | Steward   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Mason-Niles.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Mason-Niles.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2967827" /></a></figure>   Manning had a great fall playing for Steward, including a 30 point game in a CBG event where he showed he's ready to step in and be the man from day one for this young but talented Steward group. The 6'6” hybrid forward plays with a great motor on both ends of the floor, running the floor hard and attacking the glass for easy extra buckets, as well as the ability to create offense for himself. He's very good at attacking off the bounce to get to the rim or get to spots where he has a great pull-up, he can post smaller defenders and finish at the rim, and he gets to the line often where he converts at a high percentage.   Blake Watkins | 6'0” SG | Steward   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Watkins-Blake.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Watkins-Blake.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2967828" /></a></figure>   Watkins is going to be a great running mate with Manning over the next few years, as he's a super confident scoring guard who can fill it up in bunches when he gets it going. He can play on or off the ball with the ability to get to spots off the bounce and he moves well off the ball and sets his feet to make shots on the move. He can make very difficult shots with little to no space, he can handle in transition and get downhill, and when he gets it going it's hard to stop him.   Kade Winiarski | 6'0” PG | Trinity Episcopal   Winiarski split the fall playing JV football and playing with TES group in fall events, and it's clear that once the season starts he's going to not only be a starter, but one of their go-to ball handlers and playmakers as well. The 6'0” guard is tough as nails with a great motor on both ends of the floor, and he showed he's willing to stick his nose in on drives or sacrifice his body whether it's taking a charge or diving on the floor. He can drill it from deep off the catch and off the bounce, he's a sneaky athlete with good burst and good pop when he gets downhill, and he has a great IQ as a playmaker and a defender as well.   Jeremiah Robinson | 6'4” WG | Trinity Episcopal   Robinson is another impressive freshman who showed good signs this fall with TES, and he's got a lot of upside moving forward with his positional size and athleticism already. He played a role off the bench for them as an eighth grader so he already has varsity experience, and his ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor makes him able to play multiple roles and positions for this team as well. The 6'4” wing is dynamic running in transition and has shown the ability to handle it in transition as well, he can get downhill and use his size to finish through contact, he can knock down open shots from deep, and he makes plays defensively and on the glass as well.   Demari Smith | 5'11” PG | St. Christopher's   Smith has been one of the best middle school players in Richmond over the past few years, and was very impressive playing with the Loaded VA 15U squad this past summer, and while St. Chris has a veteran backcourt it's going to be hard to keep him off the floor. The 5'11” guard is a dynamic athlete who has a great first step and good burst, along with great hang time when he gets to the rim to finish through traffic. He has a tight handle with good counters and change of pace, he can pick up and guard the length of the floor, he can score it efficiently in a lot of different ways, and he exudes toughness as the lead guard.

The 2029 class has yet to play an official high school game as freshmen, but it already has a number of players who have stood out in the fall and have shown they will be guys to watch this season moving forward. Here's a look at six freshmen to watch for in VA this season.