Recruiting Report: Ryan Prather Jr. (2021)
Ryan Prather, a class of 2021 guard from Clarksburg High School, was one of the best sophomores in Montgomery County last season. He closed out last year's campaign by scoring in double figures for 12 games running, including dropping a season-high 36 points during a win over Kennedy. Prather averaged 15 points and 9 rebounds per game last year, but there's still a ton of room for improvement.
For example, Prather hit just 11 threes as a sophomore, but has worked hard to become consistent in that department. He feels much more confident with his shot, and should be prepared to showcase that during the upcoming season. There is evidence that Prather's shooting should improve. If you look at his free throw numbers, you'll see that in 25 games he made 87 of his 110 attempts which means he shot close to 80 percent. Generally good free throw shooters become reliable shooters from the field as they continue to put up reps.
Besides more consistent shooting, one other thing that Prather will take back with him to Clarksburg are the leadership intangibles he picked up while playing on the grassroots circuit with The District Basketball Club.
"High school we were together, but The District is more like a family. The coaches and all, we come together as one," he said during a recent interview with Prep Hoops. "High school I have to be more of a leader. For The District, I feel like everybody is a leader and talks on the floor."
Prather mentioned that an underrated aspect of his overall game might be his shooting off the bounce. He says he's working on getting more explosive and getting to the rim better. JMU and Mount St. Mary's are two schools who have shown early interest in Prather. It probably won't be too long before one of those schools pulls the trigger with an offer.
What are Prather's expectations heading into what should be a huge junior season?
"I feel like I can step up more and lead my team. Hopefully we can go to states this year."
Ryan Prather Jr. is currently ranked by Prep Hoops as a top-50 prospect in his class. To view the full ranking of Maryland and DC's 2021 class, click here.
