2022 Class Rankings: The Top Ten
With our first ever 2022 rankings comes our first bit of analysis. Some of the top ten are names that have been heard quite a bit already while others are lesser known. These rankings are going to move quite a…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWith our first ever 2022 rankings comes our first bit of analysis. Some of the top ten are names that have been heard quite a bit already while others are lesser known. These rankings are going to move quite a bit as time goes on but for our first batch of rankings, this is the top ten:
- James Jewell, Eastern – Long and athletic, Jewell finds himself at the top of the rankings for his incredible upside more than his current high school production. At the Next Up Freshman Camp back in the fall, Jewell was dominant. In the drills and the games, the 6’6 freshman stood out among his peers. Playing a role for the Eagles this season, look for Jewell to be a go to player by this time next season. Don’t be surprised to see his name associated with some D1 colleges this summer also.
- Justin Becker, Robertson County – Becker is a big, strong kid who has a high skill level to go with it. Justin’s ceiling will be determined by if he grows 2-3 more inches or if he can improve his lateral quickness enough to guard wing players at the next level. As it is, Becker is a really good high school player that is going to score a ton of points in the 10th region before his time is done.
- Kendric Adams, Trigg County – Adams is a kid who makes his living on the court with a high basketball IQ and even higher motor. Kendric is a work in progress as a wing but he is able to slash to the bucket and finish through contact. Averaging 13 points and 7 rebounds per game for an extremely young Trigg team, Adams should be primed for a big AAU season as he has played up at least one grade level the last few seasons.
- Colby Fugate, Paintsville – A pretty bouncy wing with good size for a freshman, Fugate is having a good season already for the Tigers. Averaging 17 points and 7 rebounds, Colby is going to have to become a more efficient scorer as he ages and develops. With shooting splits of 44/34/65, there is plenty of room to improve as Fugate should be a go-to scorer for Paintsville for the next 4 years.
- Jerone Morton, George Rogers Clark – Averaging 6 points as a freshman at GRC, some may wonder how Jerone ended up this high. Simply put, if he played at another school, he would already be the go to scorer. Morton is a talented lefty with a great motor and is one of those players who is not afraid of the big moment. He reminds me of a young Trevon Faulkner and is on the same type of path that Faulkner was as a potential Mr. Basketball candidate in a few years.
- Turner Buttry, Bowling Green – Buttry is a high IQ player that can knock down shots with efficiency. After playing varsity last year at Madison Southern, Turner transferred to Bowling Green and is now an important role player for the Purples. Buttry, like most of the freshmen in the state, will have his ceiling determined by how much he grows. Already a pretty polished player, Buttry could me a mid major type player in a few years if he can hit a growth spurt or two.
- Aden Slone, Danville – Slone is a shifty, pass first point guard who has drawn comparisons to past 12th region point guard Timmy Taylor. Aden is the younger brother of former Boyle County shooting guard Bryce Slone and was the starting point for Boyle before transferring after Christmas. Now at Danville, Slone may miss the second half of the season but is a nice prospect to keep tabs on for the next few years.
- Andru Markham, Fern Creek – Markham is the type of long wing that could find his way in the top 3 of this class before graduation. Averaging 5 points and 4 rebounds as a freshman, Markham could be a Jared Savage type of slasher/scorer within a year or so if he continues to grow and develop like he has been. For now, Markham is a no doubt top 10 prospect and could move up significantly in the future.
- Turrell Cleaves, Jr., Butler – Admittedly, Cleaves is one of my early favorites in the class. I was really impressed by his skill level and positional size when I saw him this fall. Turrell needs to continue to develop his game and especially the range on his jump shot. Right now he is more of a slasher but I think he has all the makings of a potential star in Louisville in the next year or two.
- Miles Franklin, Trinity – Likely the next man up for the Rocks after David Johnson and Stan Turnier graduate, Miles is currently waiting his turn as a role player for Trinity. In his limited varsity time, Franklin has shown ability to get past his man and finish or to knock down open shots. He’s a very intriguing prospect to keep an eye on for the next few years as he should play a much bigger role in the 7th region next season.