Predicting the top scorers in 4A
Some of Colorado’s top high school scorers reside at the Class 4A level, a group that this season includes a handful of players who have already made verbal commitments to Division I schools. Here is a prediction of the classification’s…
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Continue ReadingSome of Colorado’s top high school scorers reside at the Class 4A level, a group that this season includes a handful of players who have already made verbal commitments to Division I schools. Here is a prediction of the classification’s top scorers during the 2015-16 season. Let the debate begin.
1. Michael Ranson, 6-foot-3 guard, Pueblo Central, 2016
All Ranson did as a junior last season was lead all players in the state in scoring, regardless of classification, at 25.6 points per game. The Northern Colorado commit can get a shot any time he wants thanks to a degree of athleticism that allows him to seemingly hang in the air for seconds. He can fill it up as well as any player in the state.
2. Justinian Jessup, 6-foot-5 wing, Longmont, 2016
Jessup may be Colorado’s most skilled player, and he averaged 17 points per game as a junior last season for a Longmont team that was undefeated before falling in overtime in the state championship game. Longmont is still a highly experienced squad, but don’t be surprised if Jessup, a Boise State commit, takes on an even larger scoring role this season.
3. Kobi Betts, 6-foot-4 guard, Pueblo Central, 2016
Rare is the program that has athletes like Ranson and Betts in the same backcourt. Much like Ranson, Betts is one of the state’s most athletic players, and he uses that ability to score in a variety of ways. His perimeter jump shots has made great strides, so the Air Force commit may be even more dangerous than he was a season ago, when he was fourth among 4A players in scoring at 19.8 points per game.
4. David Simental, 6-foot-2 guard, Pueblo West, 2017
Simental is whip-quick on the perimeter, and his quick release is tough to defend. Simental is fundamentally sound and knows how to get to the basket. After averaging 18.7 points per game as a sophomore, he has looked like a player during the fall who could compete for a scoring title.
5. D’Shawn Schwartz, 6-foot-6 forward, Sand Creek, 2017
Schwartz, who averaged 15.6 points per game as a junior, showed that he can compete with some of the country’s best players after a strong October showing at Team USA minicamp in his hometown of Colorado Springs. When he’s on his game Schwartz is simply one of Colorado’s best players regardless of class, and he only seems to be improving.
6. Hunter Maldonado, 6-foot-5 wing, Vista Ridge, 2017
Another top Miners 16U player this summer, Maldonado is fantastic in transition, where he allows his athleticism and power through contact take over. He’s a guy who plays with a chip on his shoulder and isn’t afraid to bang inside when that’s what his team needs. Creates a number of second-chance scoring opportunities that way.
7. Chudier Bile, 6-foot-5 forward, Denver South, 2016
Bile is athletically explosive, but he also has as high of a motor as any player on this list. Bile is a player with a super high ceiling who is continuing to inch closer to it. After averaging 15 points per game a season ago, it would not be a surprise to see that figure take a large jump. Bile is also a relentless rebounder who can get himself shots on extra possessions
8. Jonathan Scott, 6-foot-4 guard, Lewis-Palmer, 2016
Scott shot 47 percent from the floor and 42 percent from the 3-point line as a junior last season while averaging 18.7 points per game. He hunts shots with efficiency and is strong and physical enough to finish through contact. A strong offensive rebounder, Scott is a player who is always around the ball and has the craftiest to get a bucket almost any time his team needs one.
9. Jake Hornick, 6-foot-2 guard, Thompson Valley, 2016
Hornick, a Concordia (Neb.) commit, averaged 18.1 points per game for Thompson Valley last season, using a strong competitive will to outwork opponents. Hornick had 11 games of 20 or more points last season, including a string of five straight. He shoots a high percentage from the floor and finishes well through contact. Concordia is getting a great competitor.
10. Austin Fritts, 6-foot-2 guard, Green Mountain, 2016
Fritts showed during last weekend’s Colorado Elite Camp why he was able to average 17.5 points per game a season ago. Fritts is highly athletic and can get to the basket with ease and then rise up above just about anyone once he gets there. Particularly impressive over the weekend was his ability to hit the 3-pointer in transition – and off set action – with consistency. If he continues to master that skill, look for some big numbers out of Fritts.
11. Jalen Sanders, 6-foot-4 wing, Valor Christian, 2017
Coming off a sterling summer with the high-achieving Billups Elite 16U squad, Sanders is poised to make a big jump in production with former Valor teammate Khameron Davis having left the state to attend a prep school in Kansas. Sanders is a smart, aggressive player with a solid perimeter jumper who puts himself in optimal scoring position. Look for his 13.8 points-per-game mark from his sophomore season to take a big leap.
12. Ravel Moody, 6-foot-4 wing, Thomas Jefferson, 2017
Moody’s 12.3 points per game last season ranks lower than most of the other players on this list, but he is a player who seems to constantly be mastering his unique length and athleticism and using it to his advantage. Moody can get a shot whenever he wants, and as he continues to sharpen his skill set, the sky really is the limit.
Others to watch
Cameron Horning, 6-foot-2 junior guard, Glenwood Springs; Jose Orrantia, 6-foot-2 senior guard, Mountain View; De’Aundre Twilley, 6-foot-4 senior forward, Mitchell; Walker Korell, 6-foot-3 senior guard, Mead; Michael Scheid, 6-foot-4 forward, Windsor; Patrick Vasquez, 6-foot-1 guard, Fort Lupton; Tre Pierre, 6-foot-5 forward, Widefield, 2018.