Small School Hoopsters Who Leveled Up in 2026 Rankings

The spotlight doesn't always find them, but production does. In this final 2026 rankings update, a group of small school players forced their way into the conversation with consistent impact, big-time performances, and games that translate beyond their setting. With these players there were no big gyms, no constant buzz—just hooping and winning. These are the names that proved talent travels, rising up and making noise when it mattered most.   Use code dev30 for 30% off and secure access as we're going through rankings and preparing you for grassroots season. You don't want to miss any of our scouting.     Denver Jewish Day havethemselves a big time scorer and player in Solly, who was the sole double-digit scorer on his team, and the 6-foot guard dominated throughout his HS tenure. He finished with over 1,000 points scored as he averaged 20 points a game for his career, and he averaged 24.7 points a game in his senior season to go out with a bang. Solly also put up 7.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and was the team's defender with 3.5 steals a game to go along with it, which is why he was an All-State player for his class. He was a state sheet stuffer and one of the small school standouts who had a successful high school career. He deserves some love and attention.     Gordon is truly one of the top small school players in the state as the 6'2 guard was also a top-5 scorer in the entire state, and that is why he was an All-State player. Gordon finished with a career average of 21.6 points a game and upped that in his senior year, where he put up 28 points a game. He's a player who found the mismatch, scored through double teams, and made the right plays. He passed and got it right back, he found open men for plays of their own, and he also turned defense to easy fastbreak scoring opportunities for him as he put up 4.3 steals a game. Gordon was a Top 75 scorer in the entire country on average, and that deserves some attention.     Wright was a top 20 scorer in the state, and this small school standout turned some heads along the way as he put up 23.9 points a game with 4.5 rebounds and 3.1 steals to go along with it. He's an aggressive downhill guard who reads the floor well, uses his speed and quickness to get to his spots, and teams struggled to slow him down, so he got to the FT line as well. Wright scored in double digits in every single game this year, which shows off his consistency. He had some massive games where he put up 30 or more a few times, and also checks all the boxes as he impacts the game in every way. He's a player we wish we got to see at showcases and at our events, but we enjoyed what we did get to see, as he plays the right way and scores with the best of them.     Jarius made a decision to transfer to Lotus School for Excellence to finish out his high school career, and it was great to see him in a spot where he got to shine with the ball in his hands. He made the most of those opportunities when he made the biggest jump in points per game out of any player in the entire state. He had a +18 points per game increase; he filled it up every single night despite opposing teams' game planning for him and showed that he has what it takes to lead a team. Dicks scored in double digits in every single game this year. He erupted for 30+ points on multiple occasions, he knocked down the 3-ball at a 42% clip on high volume, and he also found teammates, as well as averaging just under 4 assists a game, and was an All-State Honorable Mention. He's an explosive PG who blows by defenders, he sets teammates up, and can score both in transition and in the half-court set. Solid end of his career and a player who rose in the rankings.     Jaden is a player who we got to see at our showcase this summer, where he had a few flashes, but what he was able to do in his senior year surprised many. Jaden finished with 22.3 points a game as a bruiser on the block who the team ran the offense through. He was a walking double-double as he finished with 9. He was one of the top scorers in 3A and an Honorable mention for All-State as he led the Black Forest League in scoring and 2nd in rebounds at 10.5 boards a game. Jaden is a hard worker who is high IQ. He isn't afraid to use his body, and his rebounding abilities gave him and his teammates extra scoring opportunities. He finished up his career showing that he belongs and was my pick for the 3A surprise player of the year.     Peyton was the top team in the Black Forest League, and the reason for that is their multi-sport and purpose guard, [player_tooltip player_id='2410520' first='Michael' last='Perry']. Perry got on our radars with a stellar junior year, but in his senior year, he was able to lead the way as Peyton finished with a 21-5 record. Perry is a 1,000-point scorer as he got that at the beginning of the year and did not look back since then as he put up 21.3 points a game, which had him as a 3A All-State player. He stepped up in the biggest game of the year, he dominated in other matchups, and scored despite being the focal point for defenses. Perry improved as a shooter and scorer who took what the defenses threw at him, but also used the pick and roll, attacked mismatches, and got to his spots, and that is why he was one of the top small school standouts on the year.     Lucas helped put Roaring Fork on the map as he was the top player in the conference and was also named to the 3A All-State team. He helped lead them to an undefeated conference record as well as one of their top seasons in school history. Lucas finished as a 1,000-point scorer in his senior year and improved in every single category from a season ago. Lucas filled it up as he put up 19.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists a game. He showed that he's a willing passer despite being able to score with ease, that he was willing to take shots and be the focal point of the offense, and still impact the game in various ways. He's a small school standout who turned heads throughout his time.

The spotlight doesn't always find them, but production does. In this final 2026 rankings update, a group of small school players forced their way into the conversation with consistent impact, big-time performances, and games that translate beyond their setting. With these players there were no big gyms, no constant buzz—just hooping and winning. These are the names that proved talent travels, rising up and making noise when it mattered most.