'26 Rankings Update: Top Stock-Risers

Previous Rank: 29   -One of several guards impressing for a Spalding team that has exceeded expectations out the gate as they sit in sole possession of 1st place in the BCL. Carter is the straw that stirs the drink as a high-IQ floor general that makes plays for teammates with or without a screen, manipulating the defense with eyes to take advantage of over-helping/late rotations. The scoring is consistently hitting in the mid teens to go along with 5 or 6 assists with low turnovers, a good recipe for a successful point guard at the HS level. Has had some big moments late in games, hitting a game-winning 3 behind a screen in one game and reeling off 6 straight points after being re-inserted late in a game that saw him plagued with foul trouble. Expect high academic schools to get involved as he continues to prove his worth on the big stage.     Previous Ranking: 49   -Lawson has been especially productive for a SFA team that feeds off his energy, play-making, and rebounding from the point guard spot. Lawson has a nose for the ball, coming up with some big rebounds in traffic and beating his matchup to long rebounds to ignite the fastbreak for a very good Panther team. Lawson excels at blowing past ball pressure and is really hard to double or hard hedge because he always has his head up and is thinking a few moves ahead of the defense. Lawson is beginning to knock down open looks off the catch on the perimeter to balance out the downhill slashing ability to the rim, if he can consistently hit shots from beyond the arc-- the sky is the limit.     Previous ranking: 72   -McLaughlin is making a steady climb up the rankings as a gritty PG that impacts the game in so many different areas. McLaughlin is a pitbull of a defender that leverages his size to keep his matchup from coming off of screens smoothly and does a great job of forcing his man to the sideline or forcing a turnover to get his team going in transition. He's hitting shots off the catch and off the bounce from beyond the arc more consistently but I've especially loved his focus on getting to the free throw line for a few trips to get him some easy ones and create momentum. The next stage in his development will be bringing the ball back out to set up the offense instead of trying to force a pass through a tight window, staying aggressive as a passer while limiting fastbreak opportunities for the defense.     Previous Ranking: Unranked   -Lyons debuts in the top-40 for his class, a rarity for our rankings that shows the strides that he has made as a primary play-maker within Clinton Grace's offense. Thrust into a bigger role this season after all 5 starters from last year's team graduated, Lyons has performed well as a shifty play maker that is beginning to see and execute on advanced passing reads off the bounce. He's continually improving his feel for when to score and when to create for his teammates, showing off an improved bag of finishing moves around the basket to convert on some great back foot pop as a driver that can really shift gears on the ball. Love the consistency of his shot prep on C+S looks on the perimeter, the next stage will be getting 3 point attempts up off the bounce with better balance to lead to a more consistent upswing into the flick of the wrist.     Previous Ranking: 76   -Utility guard has had several standout performances this season as a sneaky athlete that comes up with big steals, blocks, and buckets at the basket for a Boy's Latin team that I expect will finish the season strong down the stretch. Hopes' anticipation off the ball leads to a ton of steals or deflections for the Lakers but he is equally good on the ball, forcing his matchup to uncomfortable zones on the floor and taking away easy paths to the rim. Hopes also has improved his floor game and IQ in transition to be successful both running the break or running the wings in transition to get his team the best available look before the defense can get set. Expect him to continue to rise in our rankings as he carves out a prominent role with this scrappy Lakers team.     Previous Ranking: 130   -What the junior W/F tweener lacks in skill, he makes up with in pure heart and energy for the Dons. Olofintila runs the floor well, throws his body around in the paint to come up with rebounds, sets great screens, and is starting to consistently block more shots from the help side. The feel, positioning and awareness have improved even since the start of the season as he is understanding when to flash to the ball side block and when to hang around in the dunker's spot or move to the front of the rim to create good spacing for driving guards. His energy is contagious whether he is on the floor or on the bench, love watching him sacrifice his body for the team night in and night out.