Previous Ranking: 86

-Ainsworth served as a strong, switchable wing defender that played a big role in RB’s success over the course of the season. With a sturdy frame, + wingspan, and lateral movement skills– he gave 1st year HC Rob Garner a ton of lineup flexibility at both ends of the floor as a prospect that contributed to winning because of his willingness to do all of the little things. Ainsworth was equally adept at fighting over ball screens as he was at guarding up a position group or two in the paint. His ability to cover ground on closeouts from the paint to the perimeter and vice versa played a huge role in the defensive success of his group that ended up flipping the momentum in several of their signature wins.

Ainsworth continues to be a dynamic guard that can score and isn’t afraid of physicality. With Riverdale Baptist lacking a ton of size, Ainsworth rebounded in and out of his area against the size of Minnesota Prep squad. He finished the game with 7 rebounds and adding 15 points including a smooth catch and shoot three and a baseline finish.

Dez stepped up in a big way for the Crusaders in their championship run at the Governors Cup. Riverdale Baptist was dealing with a bit of adversity during the game but Dez helped clean up the damage done to gut out an overtime win. He was all over the glass, pulling down a lot of second-chance opportunities for the team. After DJ went down alongside Dez in the frontcourt, Dez picked up the scoring and aggression the Crusaders were lacking. Made a lot of plays underneath the rim using his strength and IQ to outwork the opponents. His effort on both ends of the floor helped the Crusaders come back and take the W in overtime.

Dezmon legitimately showcased a complete game with IQ, toughness, and leadership qualities. He’s an incredibly crafty, polished creator and three-level scorer who knows how to consistently generate offense with the ball in his hands. Ainsworth aggressively attacks whoever stands in his path, yet still looks to make the right play. He’s so impressive at effortlessly walking defenders to his spots and getting what he wants as an (Avg 14.5 ppg) scorer. Ainsworth possesses excellent pace, playmaking feel (2.2 assists a game), and vision as a passer. He understands how to shift defenses through penetration. Ainsworth’s willingness and ability to set up others really make him difficult for opponents to defend. Blitzing or sending extra help doesn’t really work because he’s able to process so quickly and either evade the pressure or locate the open man. Furthermore, Ainsworth is the type of tough, rugged, bloodthirsty competitor every coach should want on their team. He simply has an “it” factor. Ainsworth is a quality rebounder, especially for his size/position, and displays sharp instincts defensively. He displays the quickness and anticipation to mirror opposing guards and force turnovers at a strong rate. Between his nonstop progression and overall trajectory, Ainsworth should only continue to turn heads throughout 2^nd half of the season for the Riverdale Baptist program.

Ainsworth makes his presence felt on the the boards and frequently finds ways to gather rebounds. Ainsworth keeps possessions alive with his hustle. He also does a great job scoring inside the paint and has no problem absorbing contact. He chipped in double digit points in a win over Friendship Tech (DC). His ability to turn defense to offense was seen a few times for RBS. I want to see him become a more consistent threat from behind the arc.

Dez may have had the most impactful performance of the day. For the size-lacking Crusader team, Dez had to step up in a forward/wing role and blossomed. Finished with a 20p-10r double-double and looked dominant through the game. Had a number of possessions owning the glass, rebounding over multiple players and muscling shots back up through contact. Still remained very effecting on the wing, spotting up for a couple of huge three-point field goals and drawing fouls with his sheer strength on the inside. A rugged two-way performance from the guard, showing a grittiness and versatile ability to play any position on the floor if asked. Truly inspiring performance from the senior VA transfer Dez Ainsworth. Never disappoints when asked to produce for his team, no matter on or off the ball.

Dezmon was a consistent producer for Higher Level this weekend, accounting for some pretty big baskets against a tough Adapt squad in Atlantic City. Once again, Ainsworth seemed to be the one to make the critical baskets when the team needed it. Made a couple three pointers to keep the team in reach before heading to overtime. I always like the way Dezmon shows he is well-equipped to attack the basket and score down low. Always strong at the rim and looks to attack his mismatches. Would like to See Dezmon a little more aggressive at times offensively, as he possesses an arsenal of ways to score the ball when in a crunch. But, Dezmon stays true to his natural PG ability and focuses on running a smooth offense, picking his spots to engage.

Ainsworth is a pure point guard who has a good pulse on the game. He crashes the boards and finds ways to gather rebounds. He is able to find his teammates for scoring chances at different places on the floor. He shows that he can use his athleticism to make plays on either end of the floor. Ainsworth gets to the foul line. Ainsworth needs to get better at not settling for not efficient offensive chances. He applies good on-ball pressure when on defense. Ainsworth is tracking as a scholarship prospect.