Sam Ralston Sam Ralston 6'2" | CG Dowling Catholic | 2027 State IA doesn’t possess the type of body that makes one think “Oh, he’s a basketball player,” but he uses his physical tools to his advantage on the court. A junior this year, Ralston is on the thicker, muscular side and he uses particularly well on the defensive side of the floor.

Physical without fouling, Ralston has a strong base and upper body that allow him to switch onto bigger offensive players and hold his own. Offensively, he found back door cutters for layups and can make open threes.

A combo guard with a great feel for the game, Ralston can play effectively with or without the ball in his hands. He handles it well and has really good vision, finding open teammates routinely for easy looks. He does a nice job leading the break, attacking until he gets the defense to commit and then leaving off nice dishes for his teammates. He looks to push the tempo, either off of his own ball-handling or by looking for a hit-ahead pass, and he’s really good in ball screen action in the halfcourt. He’s a good shooter off both the dribble and the catch, with a quick release and plenty of range on his jumper. Defensively he’s a competitor who moves his feet well, doesn’t shy away from bigger bodies on switches, and he competes hard on the glass on both ends of the floor.