Top-Tier Shooters
Chase Johnston, Westminster Academy
The 6-foot-5 Class of 2019 sniper hit a barrage of clutch shots during the program’s state title winning campaign in 2017-18. Johnston relished the trigger man role during the summer, averaging a team-best 22 points and emerging into a certifiable flamethrower. He displayed a deft touch and NBA caliber range, dialing in from several feet beyond the 3-point line.
Johnston’s most compelling attributes are his bolt-quick shot release and his IQ.
It’s translatable to his ability to spark runs and break open games with timely 3-point sniping. Johnston opened up a new unique facet of his game this summer–A transition pull-up 3-pointer. Expect much of the same this winter. A high academic prospect, Johnston has offers from Vermont, Stetson, Florida Gulf Coast, IPFW, and UT-Arlington. Programs such as Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, UMBC, and Siena have been in pursuit.
Austin Galuppo, Scotland Campus Sports
The 3-point assailant made headlines when he authored a 51-point eruption during a game last season. As a re-classifed 2019 prospect, Galuppo possesses deadly range and a consistent touch capable of decimating defenses. He’s got the confidence and know-how to be a consistent shot-maker from NBA range.
He can’t be pigeonholed as strictly a shooter, either. He’s shown an adept feel for the game with his finishing and the ability to score in traffic. He’s got the build of a reliable two-way guard. Pepperdine, Princeton, and several other mid-major programs have inquired about the California native.
Richard Charles, North Miami Beach
The Class of 2019 prospect’s maddening corner treys have dissected and given fits to defenses throughout South Florida these last few years. Charles, a 6-foot-2 off guard, has added considerable range to his shot. His ability to free up space and bury deep 3-pointers has made him one of the Miami area’s most prolific and high percentage scorers.
Throughout his career, he’s done a commendable job of circumventing those agonizing funks which tend to derail shooters. A 43-point effort, on the strength of 11 3-pointers, against Gulliver Prep last season is quite indicative of his game-changing ability with his adroit touch.
He’s improved with his ability to knock down straight-away 3-pointers and stepback treys as well. If he can continue to develop a fluid off the dribble game, he’s got the chance to be a unique and prolific scorer while cementing his legacy this season.
Mike Bradley, Mater Academy
The Class of 2023 prospect continues to prosper despite not playing age appropriate. While he’s just 5-foot-7, he’s displayed deadeye shooting and a blossoming set shot. He doesn’t shy away from the big shot and has improved with his shot speed, an aspect that has given the gritty guard confidence as he plies his trade on bigger stages.
While his body and his skill development are still in the embryonic stages, he’s got quite the future ahead of him.
Balsa Koprivica, Montverde Academy
The 7-foot-2 Serbian has a soft touch from outside and can create mismatch headaches with his perimeter shooting. Recently, he has gone to work at sprucing up his catch-and-pop game and knocking down the 10-footer with consistency. He’s worked with 6-foot-10 former George Washington forward and Montverde assistant Joe Katuka and becoming more reliable with his pick and pop jumper and post-up game.
Koprivica appears to be leaning toward Florida State, Gonzaga, and Baylor as potential destinations. Gonzaga would be a likely favorite because Koprivica’s close friend and former Montverde teammate, Filip Petrusuv, is there now. Petrusuv’s long range shooting was a pivotal factor paralleling 36-0 Montverde’s ascension to the Dick’s Sporting Goods 2018 national championship.
Oli Jacquot, Scotland Campus Sports (Pa.)
The 6-foot-2 sharpshooter has really improved with his shot speed and ability to hit straight-away 3-pointers. He’s learned how to subscribe to a blackout work ethic and also taken leadership matters into his own hands both on the court and off it.
His conditioning has also been notable in the pre-season, as he recently clocked a 25-second 200-meter dash with no prior training.
He’s shown he wants to play big minutes on a big stage. If he continues to tighten up his handle and show the supreme play-making ability he did during spurts last season, he’ll be a very important figure for the national high school team at Scotland Campus this season. Instrumental in propelling his development has been SCS coach Blake Kingsley, a player development ace who hit the recruiting trails hard this off-season and brought several unique prospects to the program.
RJ Davis, Stepinac (NY)
The heavily recruited 6-foot guard hit a number of timely shots during heightened crunch time last season. He’s the plenty tough program’s longest tenured guard, having started since he was a callow and undersized freshman who became instrumental in leading the team during tense moments.
The Class of 2020 Davis, who averaged 17.5 PPG during the prestigious Torrey Pines tournament in California last year, has rapidly evolved into one of New York state’s elite catch-and-stick options. He’s got a sheer automatic release and has really shown out as a guy who can stick transition shots with relative ease.
Kentrel Garnett, Catholic High School (Baton Rouge, La.)
The Class of 2020 prospect has a deadeye shooting touch, the type capable of sparking scoring runs and also navigating a pressure cooker with amplified face-guarding.
He’s got considerable range and can dial in from beyond the arc, as evidenced by several games of 4+ treys as a sophomore. As a junior with a wealth of big game experience, anticipate Garnet seizing a leadership role and increasing his scoring production as a go-to source.