2024 Rankings: Primed to Rise

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The end of the high school season is the best time to throw a fresh update on class rankings and our latest 2024 update went live earlier this month. In this piece we take a look at a group of players who have the potential to rise in our next rankings based on their performance during the club and travel basketball season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1817906' first='Bryce' last='Bedgood'], Valencia</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bedgood had a breakout season in helping lead Valencia to Southern Section and State Championship victories. His combination of size, fluidity and basketball IQ to go along with his skill-set and defensive prowess as a rim protector make us think he will play his way into a higher rank with a strong performance this spring and summer. It might not be a huge jump from his current spot at No. 21 but the 6-foot-9 forward has a real chance to bump up into the top 15 or even into the top 10.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1817879' first='Nasir' last='Meyer'], Agoura</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was tough to rank Meyer after his impressive junior season at Agoura because we had a small sample size to go off of but after seeing him in his first club action with West Coast Elite it's clear that he has the talent to move up. Meyer's dynamic playmaking abilities combined with his positional size three-level scoring will put him in the conversation to be moved up from No. 25 quickly.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1502806' first='Isaiah' last='Bernard'], Foothill</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bernard is the type of player who is just scratching the surface of his potential. This season was his first as being a go-to option on his high school team and he handled it very well. Bernard showed confidence as a shot-maker and elevated teammates around him with playmaking off the bounce. We think Bernard has the tools to be a high level defensive wing if he buys into competing on every possession on that end of the floor. With that added element, the 6-foot-5 wing could see his stock rise.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1502875' first='Bishop' last='Brooks'], Taft</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brooks emerged, in our estimation, as one of the best players in the City Section this season. The 6-foot-4 wing has elite shooting touch from three-point range off the catch and is a guy who has the size, strength and athleticism to take defenders off the dribble and slash his way to finishes at the rim. Brooks was a key piece in the Toreadors run to the City Section Open Division title and, with a good club season, could make a leap from No. 34 in the next rankings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1502816' first='Jael' last='Martin'], Pacifica Christian/Santa Monica</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Martin, who is one of the most intriguing young big men in SoCal, will certainly have the platform to elevate his game as he's moved over to adidas-sponsored program Dream Vision to begin his spring of travel ball. The wiry and athletic 6-foot-7 forward has played well at a small high school program but a jump into the circuit world will test his overall athleticism, physicality and skill-set at one of the highest levels of club basketball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->