2019 Player Rankings: Baltimore Prospects (Part 2)
As conference playoffs and championships begin to rain in, we start breaking down our updated player rankings from the class of 2019. At the top of this list, there are plenty of high-major talent players who are still developing their skill. For this particular series, we will focus solely on the Baltimore prospects that landed in the top 100.
Bassirou Diop | 6’7 | St. Frances/Team Thrill (Hampton commit)
Previous ranking: 34
New ranking: 16
Diop saw a huge jump in his ranking because of his play with St. Frances, the top ranked team in Baltimore. The recent Hampton commit is averaging 6.7 points and 5.4 rebounds on a loaded Panthers squad. More importantly, he leads the team with 79 offensive rebounds on the year. Diop’s biggest performance came in arguably the game of the year against Poly when the junior led the Panthers with 18 points. Since then, his confidence has been sky high and his play has shown. St. Frances will need him in their pursuit of MIAA/BCL titles.
Will Thomas | 6’6 | Mervo
Previous ranking: 17
New ranking: 17
When Thomas decided to transfer from Mt. Carmel to Mervo, it was a given that the ball was going to be in his hands often. He hasn’t disappointed. The ambidextrous play maker led his team in scoring for the regular season. He was the spark offensively and responsible for creating open shots for teammates on a consistent basis. With only his senior year left, Thomas will continue to develop his body and leadership skills to help him become an immediate impact at the next level. He currently holds offers from Towson and Quinnipiac.
https://twitter.com/Wthomas___/status/850433908407771139
Jalen Rucker | 5’11 | Gilman/Team Melo
Previous ranking: 43
New ranking: 20
Look around in any state and you may not find a more tough-nosed, scrappy competitor than Jalen Rucker. He has that old school competitive fire that so many look for in today’s younger generation. That isn’t the only reason he saw a significant boost in his ranking. Rucker filled up the stat sheet for a Gilman team that incorporated a ton of new, young players. Rucker recorded a 39-point performance in one game and surpassed the 1000-point mark this season. This summer will be huge for Rucker in terms of recruitment, he currently holds no offers.
Drew Green | 6’3 | McDonogh/Cecil Kirk
Previous ranking: 36
New ranking: 21
From both a basketball and education standpoint, Green transferring to McDonogh was the best situation for him. He was a 4.0 student at Lake Clifton and after having a solid sophomore campaign on their junior varsity team, he made the improvements that were necessary to become a vital contributor for McDonogh this season. Alongside future Florida Gator guard Noah Locke, Green was the beneficiary of getting many open looks. Teams keyed in on Locke, throwing double and sometimes even triple teams his way. Green made the most of that situation by attacking seams off the dribble and finishing well around or above the rim. The Eagles were vastly undersized, but Green’s motor and willingness on the glass helped them stay in the game as well as his ability to contest shots around the rim. Green currently holds no offers.
@HoopMajor ‼️‼️ pic.twitter.com/ciDLCouHA2
— Drew Green (@DrewGreen_) December 4, 2017
Rajeir Jones | 6’3 | St. Frances/Team Thrill
Previous ranking: 25
New ranking: 23
Jones was named Defensive Player of the Year for the Baltimore Catholic League earlier this week. Head coach Nick Myles has the luxury of throwing Jones on whoever the opposing team’s best perimeter player is with expectations that Jones will contain, or even shut them down. On the other end of the floor, the 6-foot-3 guard is a viable three-point option. He ranks second on the team with 47 made threes and is averaging 8.5 points and four rebounds per contest. Jones holds an offer from Norfolk State, but is gaining heavy interest from a number of programs.