2018 Updated Rankings: Central/Western VA Guards
This year, for our updated rankings breakdowns we decided to do it by area and by position. The Central and Western VA area is comprised of mainly smaller areas in VA, but they always have athletes and also have some of the best boarding schools in the country as well. With that being said, here’s a look at the Central and Western VA guards that were ranked in the 2018 class in VA.
*Note: This list only includes players who play high school basketball in the Central and Western part of the state.
Jaelin Llewellyn | 6’2” | Virginia Episcopal School (#5 Overall)
The Princeton commit is one of the most naturally talented guards we have seen in the state in the past few years. The Canadian national is a superb athlete that’s as shifty as they come and can make plays on both ends of the floor. Off the bounce he’s hard to contain, and once he gets it going from deep he can string off a number of buckets in a row.
Rasir Bolton | 6’2” | Massanutten (#8 Overall)
One of the best shooters on this list, Bolton is a scoring guard who can create his own shot from all over the floor. He has deep range off the bounce, is a surprisingly explosive athlete in downhill settings and is adept at getting to the line consistently. His biggest attribute is his ability to shoot it however, and at Penn State he’ll be looked at to make a lot of shots early.
Mac McClung | 6’1” | Gate City (#11 Overall)
The Georgetown commit has gone viral because of his unbelievable hops and flashy handles and passes, and McClung is very close to breaking the all time scoring record in VA. How will he translate to the next level? Pretty well in my opinion. He has the ability to create space with ease, is a better athlete than almost anyone he steps on the court with, and can create his own shot with ease. Believe the hype.
Darius McGhee | 5’9” | Blue Ridge (#14 Overall)
The Liberty commit has scored a ton of points not only this year but in his career, and he has played against some of the top teams across the country. Against Blue Ridge’s extremely tough schedule, McGhee has time and time again showed up and scored the basketball extremely well. He has unlimited range, a lightning quick first step and is as explosive an athlete as McClung, allowing him to finish above the rim too.
Deshaun Wade | 6’3” | Miller School (#24 Overall)
Wade has really improved his jump shot over the past few years, making him very tough to guard because defenders can’t just back off him. He isn’t the fastest or most athletic guard, but he’s strong and plays with pace, and he can make shots from all over the floor. It’s unclear whether or not he’ll be at ECU after their coach resigned, but he should be well sought after if he reopens.
Nick Price | 6’1” | Northside (#34 Overall)
One of those kids that division three schools are hoping falls is Price, because they know he’s too good to play there but he has no division one offers. He’s won more games than any other player in VA over the past four years, and his team is undefeated this year. He’s a quick and tough leader who defends the basketball, makes plays for others and has the ability to create for himself and others off the bounce with ease.
Michael Brown | 5’9” | Handley (#130 Overall)
Brown would be a stud at almost any small school in the area. He’s a strong lead guard who uses his body and athleticism to finish in the lane. He’s a big time athlete that has a great first step, is explosive around the basket and he can stuff the stat sheet like a guard much bigger than he’s listed at.
Cartier Key | 5’9” | Albemarle (#132 Overall)
Key has been the forgotten guy on an Albemarle team who has seen a ton of success over the past four years, and now he’s the leader on a senior ladened contender again. He’s small but tough, as he’ll sit down and guard, he’ll get out in transition and make plays and he can knock down shots from all over the floor.
Latrell Winkey | 5’9” | Tandem School (#140 Overall)
A natural scorer, Winkey is one of the top scorers in the state over the past couple of seasons. A lights out shooter from deep, he has effortless range, is smooth off the bounce and he has the mentality to be the go-to guy down the stretch for his team. With the game on the line, he wants the ball in his hands, and he’ll go make the plays needed to win.
Zach Hatter | 5’11” | Eastern Mennonite (#143 Overall)
Not many shoot it better than Hatton, who’s shooting it around 45% from deep for Eastern Mennonite this year. He’s a skilled and high IQ combo guard who starts from deep, but can also put it on the deck and attack closeouts where he has a solid middle game. He can score with ease but is also a smooth creator as a secondary ball handler.
Jake Martin | 6’0” | George Wythe (Wytheville) (#150 Overall)
Martin jumps into the rankings after some big outings the past few years. He was huge in the state championship game that they lost in a heartbreaker, but he’s continued to impress this year. He’s a lights out shooter with a toughness about him, as he’s going to miss a few shots but he’s always looking for his next shot. He has been one of the best players in Class 1 this year.