2023 Rankings – Top Defenders

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>October is finally here and teams across Oklahoma have officially opened up practice! While October will bring plenty of preseason preview content throughout the site, September was about the individuals after the summer has wrapped up. Earlier in the month, we started our ranking updates with the 2025 class. We followed that up with the 2024 class. And finally, we're putting a spotlight on the 2023 rankings with the Top 75 seniors in the state. In case you missed it, you can check out the full rankings <strong><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://prephoops.com/oklahoma/rankings/2023-rankings/" target="_blank">RIGHT HERE</a></strong>. In this post, we put a spotlight on some of the best defenders in the 2023 class. As you'll see pretty quickly, the majority of the players featured are also standouts on the football field. These guards are lockdown defenders. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_633aed3f86506","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1156120"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"One of the more underrated guards in the state's 2023 class in our opinion is Bartlesville guard [player_tooltip player_id='1156120' first='Aadhi' last='Ayyappan']. Granted, you can see how he could be flying under the radar. Fellow Bartlesville guard [player_tooltip player_id='1367213' first='David' last='Castillo'] is considered one of the best 2024 prospects in the country. When Bartlesville gets covered, a lot of eyes float to Castillo. But when you watched the Bruins last season, it was Ayyappan who was the top defender on the Bruin team, constantly locking up the opponent's best ball handler. Ayyappan is also underrated on the offensive end of the floor. He's a great option for the Bruins on offense when teams try to focus their attention on Castillo. We're looking forward to seeing more of Ayyappan this winter as the Bruins could make a return trip to the state tourney.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"edit","anchor":"acf-block-6494f9f960721"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_633aed5086507","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1358850"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Another guard in the 2023 class that flew under the radar last season was Owasso's [player_tooltip player_id='1358850' first='EJ' last='Lewis']. Granted, every time we watched the Rams, Lewis definitely stuck out to us and he really impressed, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Lewis would create a lot of problems for opponents during his junior season. He moves laterally so well and did a great job defending some of the better guards on the east side of the state. Like Ayyappan, Lewis might have flown under the radar last year because a lot of attention went to a senior standout in Caden Fry. But coming into this season, the Rams are going to have a very balanced team with some really talented but young players. This gives Lewis an opportunity to step into a leadership role with the Rams going into the season.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"edit","anchor":"acf-block-6494f9f960753"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_633aed6486508","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1356632"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Starting with Del City guard [player_tooltip player_id='1356632' first='Jaedon' last='Foreman'], this begins a stretch of guards that are standouts on the football field. Foreman has been committed to Oklahoma State for nearly a year and is considered a top ten prospect in the state's 2023 class as a defensive end. But on the basketball floor, Foreman is such an important and underrated part of what Del City does. You can make the argument that had Foreman not get injured during his junior season, perhaps it would be Del City raising the gold ball. He's a ruthless defender that can lock up the opposing team's best ball handler. And on the offensive side of the floor he is steady and consistent. But on a team full of stars and scorers everywhere, the Eagles need a player like Foreman to be a leader and hard worker.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"edit","anchor":"acf-block-6494f9f96077a"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_633aed7686509","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1495345"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Right now, Booker T Washington 2023 prospect [player_tooltip player_id='1495345' first='Lathan' last='Boone'] is busy leading the Hornet football team as a three-year starter at quarterback. However, in a few months, he'll return to the basketball floor and become the leader of a Booker T Washington team that will have to reload after losing some of their best players from last year's team. The Hornets had two absolute stars with guards Aaron Potter and Kam Parker. But the unsung hero of that team in our opinion was without a doubt [player_tooltip player_id='1495345' first='Lathan' last='Boone']. Boone is one of those players that you need on your team to make a run at the championship. He's going to hustle every second he's on the floor. He'll dive to the floor for loose balls, he'll create turnovers, setting up easy buckets for the other guards. He was one of the best defenders we watched last year.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"edit","anchor":"acf-block-6494f9f9607a1"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_633aed8a8650a","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["967381"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Ready to defend his state championship, senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='967381' first='Rickey' last='Hunt'] will once again lead the Falcons into this season. But like Foreman and Boone, Hunt is still leading the Millwood football team. And like those other two squads, Millwood has high expectations for the football season so the basketball team might have to wait a while before they get their star senior guard. Hunt has been one of the best athletes in the Oklahoma City area for the last three years. He's one of those prospects who has been so good since his freshman season that by the time his senior year rolls around, it feels like he should already be in college. Hunt is an unselfish player who thrives on the defensive end of the floor. His strength and quick feet make him a real problem for opposing ball handlers.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"edit","anchor":"acf-block-6494f9f9607c7"} /-->