UPDATED 2020 Rankings: Stock Risers
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 is this edition’s biggest risers.
AJ Coons (Solon)
7 to 6
Only leaping one spot is not really that significant, but when it’s within the top-10 it is. Making a move up when you’re already so highly ranked is no small feat, and Coons’ sophomore season at Solon was enough to make him a stock-riser — even though he was already very highly regarded by us at Prep Hoops Iowa.
Easton Darling (Winterset)
10 to 8
Darling continues to make his move up the rankings after a stellar sophomore season at Winterset. The quick and athletic guard is as confident of a player as there is in the state, and that’s plain to whether he’s attacking the hoop aggressively or launching 26-foot 3-balls. Division I and Division II coaches will want to keep tabs on him this sporing and summer.
Keshawn Christian (Iowa City High)
11 to 9
For the second straight installment of 2020 rankings, this athletic and strong Little Hawkeyes guard moves up in the rankings. His leaping ability is among the best in the state, and he can get up and jam with the best of them. As he continues to develop his ball-handling and shooting ability, he should continue to see a rise in his stock.
Jack Wetzel (Cedar Rapids Kennedy)
17 to 10
This 6-foot-4 wing makes a huge jump, and it was a strong season paired with a MVP performance at the FutureStars Showcase in March that resulted in the big leap. He averaged 13.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game for the Cougars as a sophomore, and shot the ball well while leading them in 3s and shooting at a 41 percent clip.
Ty Anderson (North Scott)
19 to 12
When a sophomore is a starter and a key piece on a 4A state qualifier, that’s a pretty big deal. Anderson was just that, and it’s his rangy and athletic frame that makes him an even more intriguing prospect. The 6-foot-4 forward averaged 7.4 points per game on 54 percent shooting, and he led the ream in rebounds and blocks for good measure. His recruitment could begin to surge while playing with the 16U Barnstormers this summer.
Zach Carr (Glenwood)
22 to 16
Another guy who greatly benefits from being a key piece on not only a state qualifier, but a state title team. Carr was brilliant while coming off the bench for Glenwood at Well Fargo Arena last month. And it was his performance in the quarterfinals against Norwalk — 11 points, five rebounds (three offensive) — that helped launch the Rams into a the semis and eventually the finals where they defeated mighty Oskaloosa.
Jaxon Smith (Ankeny)
29 to 18
One of the best sophomore scorers in all of 4A (only Wetzel scored it better), Smith had a big-time breakout season with the Hawks this season. What’s more impressive, is Smith had been known as a defensive-minded prospect coming into the season, and while he’s still that — he’s got some of the quickest hands in the state — he’s now proven to be a well-rounded player.
Sam Kilburg (North Scott)
33 to 24
The second North Scott sophomore to make this list, Kilburg, like Ty Anderson, made a huge splash with the state-qualifying Lancers this season. A sharpshooter who does a little bit of everything on the floor, he’ll play a vital role for North Scott the next two seasons as they look to again compete for 4A a state title.