Central Cali's Class of 2027 Player Rankings (4.0): The Top Five

This is the 4th version of the Class of 2027 Player Rankings, with the first two rounds of player rankings for this class located at the Nothing But Net Magazine website, and the last round here at Prep Hoops. I have updated this list to include the 2025-2026 high school basketball season and postseason, as well as the Spring portion of the club season. I have expanded this list from 30 to 50 players from around the Central Section. This list of players was compiled using my own evaluations, along with feedback from knowledgeable media, coaches, and other relevant basketball personnel from the Section, to make up the top 50 junior prospects for this updated round of player rankings for the 2027 Class. However, the order of players on this list is my own. This list takes into consideration two key factors in determining where players are ranked, and will be the same criteria used each time this list is updated. The criteria for these rankings are as follows: current skill level and production on the court, as well as future projection at the collegiate level. Below is the first 10 players of these players rankings, broken up into two parts, and will be followed by the next 10 players, #11-#20. In this article, you will find the following information: current rank, their previous rank in parentheses, the player's name, height, player position, and current school they are attending. I know some of the players on this list will be,or are already at different schools, but I will update that in the next round of these player rankings. We begin this updated list with the elite bucket getter, and consensus #1 for this class, [player_tooltip player_id='2436278' first='Malcolm' last='Price'].     1 (1) [player_tooltip player_id='2436278' first='Malcolm' last='Price'] (6'1 | CG) - St. Joseph (Santa Maria CA)   Holding steady at the top of these updated player rankings and coming off a sensational junior season is the crafty and versatile combo guard [player_tooltip player_id='2436278' first='Malcolm' last='Price']. Price put up sensational numbers this season, stepping up and filling a large chunk of the scoring void left from Baylor standout freshman Tounde Yessoufou, averaging 21 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists per game, earned Central Coast-Mountain League All-1st Team honors, and helping the Knights win its second consecutive Division 1 Section title, where he would lead all scorers with 32 points, as well as the Most Outstanding Player of the Game award. Price was named to CalHi's All-State Open/Division 1 3rd Team, he played for the Swedish National team in early April at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament held in Germany, where he would be the event's 2nd leading scorer at 20 points per game, and is ranked nationally just outside the top 100 when you look at all relative national rankings. Price is playing with Team Why Not 17s, the club he has been with since his freshman year, and makes up an elite scoring back-court with NaVarro Bowman Jr. of Notre Dame Sherman Oaks. Price has elite handles, the moves to shake his defender, can score the ball from 3-levels off the bounce, moves well off the ball to get to his shot spots, is accurate with the jumper from the mid-range to the 3-point line, with great body control and confidence when hunting his shots. Price has great court vision to find open teammates, has active hands and elite footwork to stay in front of his opponent, and the instincts and timing to poke the ball out, jumps passing lanes, and turns defense to offense routinely. Price holds several D1 offers and will likely see that list expand over the next three months, with the scholastic live events and the remaining EYBL schedule.      2 (3) [player_tooltip player_id='2646533' first='Taiwo' last='Daramola'] (6'9 | PF) - Bakersfield Christian (CA)   Daramola moves up one spot and comes in at #2 in this updated list of player rankings for the 2027 class. Daramola had a sensational junior season and was pivotal in helping the Eagles win the D2 SoCal Regional title and D2 State runner-ups, was named South Yosemite Valley League Most Valuable Player, and averaged 14 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game, with double-double in 4 of the team's 6 state playoff games. Daramola was selected to CalHi Sport's All-1st Team for Division 2, and he has picked up offers from UC Riverside, USF, and UCSB over the past 6 months. Daramola is currently playing on the Pro16 Circuit for Team CPSA 17s and will likely gain more interest over the scholastic live periods in June and during the July club live periods. Daramola is an elite rim protector with the agility to step out and alter perimeter shots, the post-moves to score in the paint, the mid-post jumper to pull his defender away from the basket, dominates the boards on both ends, and has great timing on the lob dunk, where he has quick leaping ability and body control to score through contact.      3 (4) [player_tooltip player_id='2560849' first='Cobi' last='Posas'] (6'6 | WF) - Roosevelt (Fresno CA)   Moving up one spot and back into the top 3 for this class is [player_tooltip player_id='2560849' first='Cobi' last='Posas'], dropping in at #3. Posas was the one bright spot for the Rough Riders this season, as he put up a phenomenal stat-line, averaging 23.6 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.3 steals, and 2.5 blocks per game and earning 1st Team All-CMAC 1 honors. Posas was #3 in the country in double-doubles, accounting for 24 over the course of the season, and is currently playing with Clutch Elite 17s on the NXTPRO Circuit. Posas has great touch and hands around the basket, quick first leaping ability to get put-backs off the missed shots, can space the floor with the 3-ball off the catch or the dribble to open up the court, has enough handles to attack from the top of the key, and has the court vision to make reads from the high-post. Posas is a great rim protector in the paint, has the agility to close-out and alter perimeter shots, has active hands to deflect passes, instincts to jump passing lanes, and excels in the open court, where he can go coast to coast or outlet and get up the court for easy transition buckets. Posas could be on the move and if he ends up where I have heard, he will fit in nicely with some high-level guard play.       4 (10) Damon Jackson Jr. (6'5 | CG) - Clovis (CA)   Moving up six spots and coming in at #4 is one of the purest jump shooters in the Section in Damon Jackson. Jackson has a great junior season, helping lead his team to its first Section title in decades, while averaging 15 points and 7 rebounds per game, and earning 2nd Team All-TRAC honors. Jackson has been playing club ball with Clutch Elite 17s on the NXTPRO Circuit and has been showing out, with expectations to have a big June with Clovis at the Cali Scholastic Live event. Jackson is a true 3-level scorer, with dynamic handles, shifty moves to get his defender off balance, using the crossover, behind-cross, hesitation, spin-move, and between cross to create space from his defender, gets great lift on the jumper, is accurate from the mid-range to the 3-point line off the bounce, and is a creative scorer around the basket, with the up-and-under, reverse, and the Euro-step to evade shot-blockers. Jackson is at his best when he is hunting the mid-range jumper, getting to the elbows, and quick on the stop-and-pop middy. Jackson is active on the boards, looks to push the pace of play in the open court, has active hands and good instincts on defense, which allows him to jump passing lanes, poke the ball out, or deflect passes to turn defense to offense.       5 (6) Ethan Saenz (5'11 | PG) - North Bakersfield (CA)   Rounding out the top 5 and moving up one spot to the #5 position is lead guard Ethan Saenz. Saenz was coming off an MVP season as a sophomore and back-to-back Section titles, but this year's team was much younger and he would have to shoulder a lot of the scoring and leadership. And that is just what the standout junior did, averaging 23 points and 7.5 assists per game, earning 1st Team All-South Yosemite Mountain League honors, and establishing himself as the Stars all-time leading scorer in just three years. Saenz was also selected to the CalHi Sports Division 3 State All-Second Team. Saenz has taken the Spring off from club ball but will be back in action with North Bakersfield for the month of June, with the possibility of him playing club ball during the month of July. Saenz has dynamic handles, keeps the ball on a string to survey the floor, has the moves to create space from his defender, with use of the crossover, spin-move, hesitation, behind-cross, toss-cross, and between-cross to get his defender off balance, has good body control on the mid-range jumper, and is a creative scorer around the basket, with the Euro-step, reverse, and up-and-under lay-ups, as well as touch on the floater. Saenz is effective with the 3-ball off the dribble or off the catch, has great court vision and decision making to make tough reads in tight windows off the drive and kick pass, out of the pick and roll action, and up the court to open players in transition. Saenz is a solid on-ball defender with active hands, good instincts, and timing to jump passing lanes or poke the ball out, turning defense to offense. Saenz will be the preseason favorite to earn his second league MVP and lead the Stars back to being one of the best teams in the Section.

This is the 4th version of the Class of 2027 Player Rankings, with the first two rounds of player rankings for this class located at the Nothing But Net Magazine website, and the last round here at Prep Hoops. I have updated this list to include the 2025-2026 high school basketball season and postseason, as well as the Spring portion of the club season. I have expanded this list from 30 to 50 players from around the Central Section. This list of players was compiled using my own evaluations, along with feedback from knowledgeable media, coaches, and other relevant basketball personnel from the Section, to make up the top 50 junior prospects for this updated round of player rankings for the 2027 Class. However, the order of players on this list is my own. This list takes into consideration two key factors in determining where players are ranked, and will be the same criteria used each time this list is updated. The criteria for these rankings are as follows: current skill level and production on the court, as well as future projection at the collegiate level. Below is the first 10 players of these players rankings, broken up into two parts, and will be followed by the next 10 players, #11-#20. In this article, you will find the following information: current rank, their previous rank in parentheses, the player's name, height, player position, and current school they are attending. I know some of the players on this list will be,or are already at different schools, but I will update that in the next round of these player rankings. We begin this updated list with the elite bucket getter, and consensus #1 for this class, Malcolm Price Malcolm Price 6'1" | PG St. Joseph-Santa Maria | 2027 State #127 Nation CA-S .