The Unranked – Guards and Forwards
The first half of the season has concluded and there have been plenty of players who have had stood out. Ranked players like Reece Beekman and Jalen Cook have put up triple doubles and 50 point performances that remind recruiters…
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Continue ReadingThe first half of the season has concluded and there have been plenty of players who have had stood out. Ranked players like Reece Beekman and Jalen Cook have put up triple doubles and 50 point performances that remind recruiters why they are highly rated. However, there are other unranked players who have performed very well this first half. These unranked players should be on recruiters’ lists as the season moves into the second half.
Herman Key / 2020 / 5’9″ / Point Guard / BTW-Shreveport
Key is the “key” reason that Booker T. has being playing better as of late. He is the primary ball-handler for the Lions and has worked hard to orchestrate their offense over the past two seasons. This season, Herman has become lethal as a scorer. Key has led his team in scoring practically every game and does it with his dribbling ability. The use of the dribble is not necessarily for penetration but to create space. This junior, even at 5’9″, has learned to create maximum amount of space to shoot his jumper. Key has also learned to guard his opposing number more effectively. He is definitely a pass first guard. However, with that way his offense has developed, he can slide over and be just as good. The Lions playoff aspirations definitely ride on his back. From the looks of it, he does not mind carrying the load.
Jalen Qualls / 2021 / 5’9″ / Point Guard / Rayville High School
A player that has come out of nowhere to be one of the better guards in Louisiana has been sophomore Jalen Qualls. Qualls is the emotional leader for Rayville this season and he shows it on the floor. Along with his energy, he has the knack for making shots. Throughout the season, Qualls has made shots (mostly corner threes) that have broken teams backs. Qualls also has displayed the ability to get into the lane and create contact. He is a guard that does not shy away from the free throw line either. Jalen has become a true difference maker on the basketball floor. On a team which has three of the top 30 players in the 2019 class, that is saying a lot about his importance. This Hornet team has aspirations of repeating in class 2A and this unranked guard is important to the success of this team.
Zarious Lewis / 2019 / 5’9″ / Point Guard / Lakeview High School
The Lakeview Gators have been one of the hottest teams in Louisiana and Zarious Lewis has been at the forefront. Lewis is a small guard who has big heart and bigger scoring ability. His various scoring methods make him a hard guard for defenders. Lewis can push the ball and distribute like a true point guard. His ability to shoot from deep, with consistency, is a weapon few teams have been able to curtail. If that is not enough, he can guard his opposite number full court or be the lead on the Gators press. For someone with these talents, it is hard to believe he is unranked. He has put up 37 (against Huntington) and twenty plus against Woodlawn and Red River showing that he can score against high levels of competition. If this play continues, Zarious Lewis will be well known by season’s end.
Nick Traylor / 2020 / 6’3″ / Forward / Wossman High School
At 6’3″, Nick Traylor is definitely a player some would believe is undersized at the four position. The way that he plays down low, however, is a different story. Traylor is a hard-working, punishing forward that gives the Wildcats a legit scoring threat on the block. He rebounds the ball like someone 6’6” and has a feathery touch in the lane. Along with his ability to bang, he has range out to about 16 feet consistently. This style of play has allowed him to post double-doubles in tournament games against Carroll and a couple of other opponents. I forgot to mention that he is also the Wossman quarterback so the rough play down low is nothing for him. Traylor plays bigger than his size and is one of the reasons Wossman is a top 3A team. It may be why they win a state title also.
Joseph Wiggins III / 2020 / 6’5″ / Forward / Parkway High School
Wiggins has been the top player on the Panther squad all season and has led the team in scoring or rebounding most nights. He is Parkway’s most feared offensive weapon and does it in a variety of ways. While he is known as a leaper because of his ability to block shots, it is his paint jumper that allows him to score the most. His high release is untouchable at this level. The consistency of his scoring from that area makes him a constant threat. Coupled with his glass-eating prowess and Wiggins is a double-double guy every game. Wiggins ability to change ends of the floor sets him apart as well. If he is running a wing, look out! While he is reclassifying to the 2020 class to attend prep school, it is hard to believe he is unranked. He is definitely one of the better forwards in north Louisiana.
Sadarionne “SD” Ellis / 2019 / 6’3″ / Combo Guard / Southwood High School (pictured above)
During the first half of the season, the most feared scorer on the team has been Sadarionne Ellis. Teams have attempted to stop the multiple weapons he has with little success. He has the best mid-range jumper of any player I have seen this season. His elevation and release is fluid and hard to block. Ellis also has range to 25 feet. He places defenders in a dilemma nightly because he has such a vast repertoire. Offensively he can do it all. Ellis has stepped up his defensive game as of late as well. His quickness causes problems on both ends of the floor. If the Cowboys are going to make another quarterfinal (or deeper) run, Ellis will shoulder a lot of the scoring. His game is not one of an unranked player as he has shown over and over this season.
Devonte Austin / 2021 / 6’0″ / Point Guard / Wossman High School
One of the more explosive guards in any class is sophomore Devonte Austin from Wossman. His bounce off the floor is eye-catching from a six foot guard. Whether it is driving through the lane for a dunk or finishing with an acrobatic layup, Austin can make defenders regret challenging him. While he is gifted at attacking the rim, he can also drop jumpers from deep. He has had games hitting multiple threes so he is a threat from inside and out. His athleticism helps him defend at a high level as well. Austin is also becoming better at being a distributor to the multiple weapons that Wossman has. That maturity is essential if they are going to make it back to Marsh Madness in March. If they do, Devonte will not be unranked anymore.