The Unranked: Summer Review Edition

My first article about unranked players highlighted a player named Jalen Brooks from Woodlawn-S’port (2018). He ended up being first team all state and an all city performer for the Knights in 2018. In this edition of Unranked, I will highlight some players who had very good summers. While they may not end up having the season of a Jalen Brooks, these players should be ranked in the near future. [player_tooltip player_id="848213" first="Corey" last="Dunning"] / 6’8" / 2020 / Lafayette High Dunning is one of players who seems to have really improved going into his senior season. The 6’8" post was already a good shot blocker and rebounder. He covers plenty of ground when defending the paint and is exceptional at challenging short jumpers and layups around the basket. During the elite camp at Northwestern State, Dunning displayed an increased ability to score around the rim to go along with his defensive ability. His footwork appeared to be cleaner and more precise than earlier in the season. He attacked the boards (especially on the offensive end) and was good about keeping the ball over his head to finish strong at the rim. If Dunning continues this play when the season begins, the Mighty Lions may be in for a huge season. [player_tooltip player_id="848210" first="Billy" last="Francis"], Jr. / 6’2" / 2020 / Lafayette Christian (pictured above) Francis was one of the hardest working prep players this summer. I appeared that he used his Most Outstanding Player trophy from Marsh Madness to jumpstart his summer. To be honest, it is very hard to believe he is unranked. Francis is one of the better shooters in Louisiana and is developing into a more well-rounded player. During the grassroots season, he showed that he only needs a split second of daylight to get his shot off. When he gets going, he can bury quite a few in a row. This type of shooting continued at the NCAA College Basketball Academy. Along with his shooting ability, he was able to drive to the rim. Displaying his shooting ability and his willingness to put the ball on the deck was only a plus in a gym full of coaches. Hopefully this play will help Lafayette Christian secure a 4-peat. Cooper Smith / 6’3" / 2020 / Hornbeck High Smith is a player who has a great feel for the game of basketball. He is a shooter and slasher who does not mind handling the ball. Smith never seems in a rush and is always offensive-minded. He was a participant at the NCAA College Basketball Academy and the elite camp at Northwestern State. Floating between the off guard and the point, Smith played in control the whole time. He reads game situations exceptionally. Sometimes he would attack the goal while on others he would make the proper pass. At the Academy, he was more in attack mode trying to show that he could score against other elite competition. I believe that his participation in both camps can only help improve his game. Hornbeck may be the beneficiary this season. Consequently, Smith should end up benefitting as well. [player_tooltip player_id="848255" first="Cameron" last="Steward"] / 6’5" / 2020 / Southwood High Steward is a quiet and unassuming wing player for the reigning 1-5A champions. During the summer, while a couple of post players were injured, he stepped his game up rebounding and scoring. He defended other post players and handled his own. On offense, the elbows and the baseline were where he operated best. His mid-range jumper was a weapon in the Cowboys attack. Steward scored practically double digits this summer making jumpshots in those two areas alone. When he was not hitting the mid-range shot, he was running the floor finishing on the break. While Steward might not be a low D1 player at this point, he will have ample opportunity to prove that he can be. The Cowboys have an ambitious schedule and will play some primetime competition. If Steward performs well, he can very well see an increase in the schools interested in him. [player_tooltip player_id="931055" first="Bryce" last="Roberts"] / 5’10" / 2021 / Parkway High Roberts is a player I did not know much about during the season. However, as the summer progressed, I got to see more and more of him. Roberts is a wing/off guard who can score in various ways. He can be a stand still shooter from the wing or someone who puts it on the deck. When he does attack from the wing, the move is quick and definitive When he is given enough room on the perimeter, he is knocking down jumpers on a regular basis from three or inside the arc. Roberts is a legitimate offensive threat from two scoring levels. During the elite camp at Northwestern, his perimeter game began to open up driving lanes for him. This resulted in him being more aggressive going to the rack. If Roberts continues this development into the season, I see him going from unranked to ranked in no time. Unranked players will have ample opportunities to play there way into advantageous recruiting situations. Because of the talent in the 2020 class and beyond, players like the ones above will get to perform against elite talent night after night. Hopefully, their play will validate the work they put in during the summer to improve.