2017 End of Summer Rankings (AZ)
2017 Rankings 2017 Old Faces New Spots The class of 2017 features some stock risers who went from not being ranked to jumping considerably in the End of Summer Rankings. No. 6 Marcus Shaver – Shaver spent the last season playing…
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Continue Reading2017 Old Faces New Spots
The class of 2017 features some stock risers who went from not being ranked to jumping considerably in the End of Summer Rankings.
No. 6 Marcus Shaver – Shaver spent the last season playing out of state after leaving St. Mary’s High School. If his Sophomore year is any indiciation of what he is capable of doing, the state is in for a lot of fun now that he is back. Shaver is a crafty player who might be the best in the state at creating shots for himself. He is a confident shooter who is willing to launch it from anywhere and does so with remarkable accuracy. In addition, he has brought back more athleticism and strength.
No. 21 Elijah Meads – Meads might have the most interesting story out of any of the newcomers to the 2017 list. He attended South Mountain High School as a Sophomore and averaged a little over 11 points per game. However, he left the school in favor of a charter school and played in the CAA conference. He posted big numbers but many cried that it was due to the league he was playing in. This summer, he has left no doubt. He is a low NCAA DIvision-1 prospect who can flat out shoot the lights out and has a solid handle. His length assists him in being able to guard most 1s and 2s. He has officially started to create some buzz around the state, but it would be long before the buzz evolves into a lot of noise as Camelback should be considerably more competitive with his presence.
No. 27 Logan Matulis -Matulis has emerged as one of the best 2-4s in the state. He is long with a good motor and can shoot the basketball at a high level. Furthermore, he has a high basketball IQ and does a solid job on the defensive end of the floor. He also demonstrates a lot of maturity on the offensive and defensive boards as he gets in the battle and cleans up the glass. With Meekness Payne leaving the program to explore the Hillcrest Prep waters, Matulis will definitely see an increased role and much more responsibility on a guard packed roster.
No. 37 Tre Mitchell – Meads is the most unheard of player in the class of 2017 and Mitchell is by far the most underrated. He has great length for a point guard that allows him to play the 1 or 2 offensively and defensively. Moreover, he does a great job of using the live dribble and his footwork out of triple threat to create space. His ability to change pass and use his physical skills are college level as well. His ability to shoot the basketball has improved considerably to the point where defenders must respect his range much more. Lastly, he has a very high basketball IQ and he uses it well to dictate the tempo of the game and put his team in a position to be successful.
No. 44 De’Mond Hart – Hart had a really strong showing this summer and looks to be a force around the rim. Defensively, he does a really nice job of rotating backside and altering shots. Offensively, he has improved his touch and footwork around the rim. He has a lot of potential due to his uncoachables. Look for Hart, Malik Porter, and Donald Carter, all 2017 prospects, to have big time years for the talented Cesar Chavez program.
2017 Early Commits
No. 3 Saban Lee – Many did not know who Saban Lee was during his Sophomore season due to the talented varsity roster that he was apart of. However, all it took was seeing one practice and one club game for me to be sold on him. He has a great feel for the game, he is as competitive as they come, and he has great versatility. Lee stopped playing late in July for PowerHouse Hoops Black due to his commitment to Vanderbilt. Lee has a compelling argument for even being ranked higher and due to his strong play, Corona has without a question the best back court in the entire state.
No. 16 Noah Baumann – Baumann did not play a lot of minutes this past year at Desert Vista. However, that did not stop San Jose State and Central Arkansas from offering him. Baumann committed to play for the San Jose State Spartans after a strong showing in the spring and summer. Although it is quite rare for a NCAA Division-1 program to take a chance on a player with such a small high school sample size, they can rest assured that he is the real deal. He brings a vast and versatile skill set that will serve him well as he heads off to college after this year.