UPDATED 2020 Rankings: Stock Risers (Part II)
We’ve seen plenty of Iowa’s class of 2020 guys up to this stage of their high school careers, but there’s still plenty left to see. These guys are at a point where they’re no younger underclassmen on the hardwood, yet there’s still so much ahead of them. Some guys flourished as sophomores, others gems have yet to be unearthed. Here you can see the new and current installment of 2020 rankings, and below are some of this edition’s biggest risers.
Peyton Pope (West Marshall)
64 to 25
A prolific scorer with a knack for hitting the long-ball, Pope makes a huge jump in the latest rankings after averaging 21 points per game on a 15-win West Marshall squad. He proved himself to be one of Iowa’s best snipers, too, canning 89 3-balls at a whopping 49 percent clip.
John Steffen (Linn-Mar)
31 to 27
For the second straight time, this smooth Linn-Mar guard makes a rise in the rankings. As a sophomore, he was able to suit up for the Lions’ varsity, one of the state’s most storied hoops programs. And although Steffen only saw minutes in three games, he was the only sophomore at Linn-Mar to do so. He could have a big summer with a stacked Iowa Mavericks 16U squad ahead of a breakout junior season.
Seth Juhl (Des Moines Christian)
42 to 30
As lightning quick as any other player in state, Juhl made his mark in a big way with one of 2A’s best teams, Des Moines Christian. The 5’11 guard was the second-leading scorer on the Lions as a sophomore, going for 11.3 points per game. And he was getting it done defensively while leading the team in steals.
Zach Huff (Don Bosco)
56 to 41
Huff has benefited from a week showcasing his skills down at the state tournament last March. He’s smooth and skilled and was critical to the success of the Dons this season as a sophomore. The 6’2 point guard was best at distributing this season, and he averaged a team-best five helpers per game. He can score it, too, and should see his numbers balloon dramatically next season as a junior.
JD Stout (Keota)
57 to 52
Nobody in the class of 2020 scored it better this season than this Southeastern Iowa diamond in the rough. And he was doing it on a good squad; Keota won 15 games this season. The 23.9 points per game are great, and the fact that he did it while shooting 55 percent from the floor makes it better.
Sayvion Armstrong (Sioux City East)
70 to 53
It’s tough to crack the lineup of any 4A varsity team as a sophomore, let alone a state tournament one. Armstrong played valuable minutes this season for the Black Raiders, and played some very good basketball in the process. The quick 5’10 point guard shot the ball efficiently, assisted at a high rate and swiped more than a steal per game in limited action.