This was my first time seeing Rippey Jr. in person, and you can totally see why he has the national attention he does. Every time he lowers his center of gravity and makes a move towards the rim, it looks like he was shot out of a cannon. The explosiveness and first-step quickness is out of this world, and he does a good job leveraging those tools to get paint touches. Once he gets into the lane, he makes smart decisions and reads the floor well. His three-point shot looked solid all week, too, which will be a key skill for him to continue developing if he wants to have the sort of long-term career some expect of him.

The best player in the state added another chapter to his storied legacy with a dynamic 25-point effort to secure the state title. He came out in attack mode looking to get downhill, scoring Blair’s first 8 points of the game while imposing his will physically and athletically throughout the first half. Aside from his trademark explosiveness, Rippey also showed advanced footwork and touch as a finisher in the lane. He showed his jumper in the second half with a pair of 3s and a midrange pullup before making a handful of key plays in the fourth as a facilitator, including setting up both the tying and go-ahead buckets in the final minute. Rippey did all this without ever coming out of the game and playing almost entirely mistake-free basketball. Great players tend to play their best in big games and Rippey served as just the latest example.

Our top ranked point guard in the country, Rippey Jr has an impressive offensive skillset with elite pace, passing and perimeter shooting ability. The Blair Academy product announced a Duke commitment a few months ago and could be given the keys to the Blue Devil offense. I’ve been able to see Rippey Jr in multiple different settings and he does an impressive job taking command of his team on both ends of the court. That leadership will be a requirement for a Duke program that has been consistently at the top of college basketball.

Consensus five star point guard Deron Rippey Jr. Deron Rippey Jr. 6'1" | PG Blair Academy | 2026 State #9 Nation NJ continues to validate his status among the nation’s elite. Nowhere is that more evident than in the control and composure he brings while orchestrating the offense for this Blair Academy squad. Rippey Jr. thrived when attacking downhill, leveraging his athleticism to apply constant pressure at the rim and forcing the defense to react, displaying a natural feel for the game and improved decision making. RIppey Jr. was ultra effective operating as a true table setter— navigating different PnR actions to create cleaning scoring opportunities not only for himself with explosive finishes at the basket and for others in a variety of ways while also making it an emphasis to find open shooters out on the perimeter in the right spots in different half court actions that Blair runs.

Rippey played like a true downhill point guard, constantly attacking the rim and forcing the defense to react. He showed high-level athleticism all game, getting up above the rim multiple times with explosive finishes in traffic. His first step and burst created consistent paint touches and easy offense for his team. Even when the lane was crowded, he stayed aggressive and finished through contact with confidence. He also made plays in transition, turning defense into instant points with speed and power. The overall impact was loud on both ends, controlling the game with pace, physicality, and energy. Performances like this are exactly why he’s widely viewed as the best PG in the country.

In Blair Academy’s commanding victory over TMI Episcopal (TX), Deron RIppey Jr. set the tone defensively— fueling defensive intensity with relentless ball pressure while consistently fighting over ball screens to be disruptive at the point of attack. Rippey Jr.’s approach on the defensive end of the floor that saw him be ferocious on the ball against opposing ball handlers and be in the right position(s) as a help defender were the spark plug for a lot of easy offense, often times showcasing his athletic leaping ability for emphatic above the rim finishes as well as easy layups in transition on the other end.

An explosive two way lead guard with glaring athleticism who reliantly controls the game and takes full command of the offense for Blair, consensus five star point guard Deron Rippey Jr. Deron Rippey Jr. 6'1" | PG Blair Academy | 2026 State #9 Nation NJ delivered another standout performance that highlighted the dynamic ability he possesses with the ball in his hands. Rippey Jr. continued to demonstrate the immense amount of pressure on the rim he constantly generates— utilizing his creativity off the bounce and good burst to get in the paint and convert on a number of tough and acrobatic finishes at the basket from different angles in the paint. With the usage rate that Rippey Jr. sees on the ball, he continues to show the vast strides he’s taken as an orchestrator of offense— making a number of high level reads and passes to cutters in different offensive actions, PnR opportunities, as well as spraying the ball out to open shooters.

Fresh off committing to the Duke Blue Devils just a couple of weeks ago, the consensus five star point guard Deron Rippey Jr. Deron Rippey Jr. 6'1" | PG Blair Academy | 2026 State #9 Nation NJ continued to prove why he is amongst the elite guards in the entire country— particularly with the command of the offense he showed in Friday’s action. Rippey Jr. is at his best when being aggressive downhill— leveraging his athleticism and quick change of pace to consistently apply pressure at the rim and convert on tough finishes in the paint. Throughout the course of this matchup against TPS, when the defense converged, Rippey Jr. showed strong feel and decision making ability— regularly finding teammates in advantageous scoring positions, and probably the part of his game that has seen tremendous growth over the course his overall development. His poise and confidence are evident and that continues to be proven true with each high level showing. Making a strong impact defensively, Rippey Jr. also brings consistent ball pressure— comfortable defending full court, navigating ball screens effectively, and excelling as a point of attack defender.

Rippey, a recent Duke commit, continues to show steady growth in his game with each high-level outing. He’s at his best attacking downhill, using his athleticism and burst to put pressure on the rim. His ability to break defenders down off the dribble makes him a constant threat in ball-screen and isolation situations. Rippey pairs that with a lethal shooting ability, capable of knocking down shots both off the catch and off the bounce. As defenses collapse, he consistently makes the right reads and elevates the play of his teammates. His confidence and feel for the game stand out, especially against elite competition. With his combination of skill, athleticism, and upward trajectory, he looks poised to make an immediate impact at the next level.

Deron put together a statement performance at the Scholar Roundball Classic, leading Blair Academy to wins over two nationally ranked prep powerhouses—Newman (No. 3) and Cats (No. 9) at the time. Against Newman, he exploded for 28 points, knocking down six three-pointers while adding 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals. He followed that up with a strong all-around showing versus Cats, posting 14 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals. Across the two games, Deron averaged 21 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3.5 steals. The tournament came shortly after he reached the 1,000-point milestone in his career, further cementing his impact as Blair moved to 8–0 and earned recognition as the No. 1 ranked prep team in the country.