2020 Rankings update: Deep Sleepers at Wing
This past week we discussed some of the top guys in the 2020 and 2021 class as they head into their senior year. We looked at the guards and now we are taking a look at the wings as there…
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Continue ReadingThis past week we discussed some of the top guys in the 2020 and 2021 class as they head into their senior year. We looked at the guards and now we are taking a look at the wings as there were plenty that slipped through the crack or just not have gotten around to but that stops now as this 2020 class is loaded. Taking a look back at last season and also with some jumping on the scene in grassroots there were a few wings that jumped out and captured our eyes.
We like to call them sleepers, or in this case deep sleepers. Here they are for the wings.
(Number is their ranking)
Deep Sleepers:
- Randall Days – Widefield
Days is one of the Springs players that is a force inside. He is a powerful player with great strength but he also plays with finesse on the basketball court to get what he wants. He is also very underrated due to team success. He is efficient inside as he finished well around the rim and also can score on the perimeter as he was just shy of 40 percent from beyond the arc. He can change it up and make it extremely difficult for defenses to stop him as he has the strength, speed and size to be a force on both sides of the floor. Although he is not talked about a ton, this will be a year he has to put his name on the board and get back to the winning ways for Widefield as he will have to carry the load yet again. Days has what it takes to play at the next level and this is the year that he proves it.
- Tristan Hurdle – Highlands Ranch
Hurdle is a player that is picking up some momentum from colleges which is a great thing for one of the state’s best shooters. He has a game that translates to the next level as he can stretch the floor. Last season for HR he put that on display as he shot near 40 percent from beyond the arc as he put up 10.1 points and 3.5 rebounds a game. He is a microwave scorer that you can run plays for and he is going to capitalize. He also is very active on the defensive end of the floor and is a combo guard you can slash with. I would like for him to make it a point to shoot more this year as when he is on there is not much you can do to slow him down as he shoots It off of the dribble as well as able to consistently knock down set shots. Schools should continue to check for him and I expect him to sign before the year is up.
- Caleb Rillos – Ralston Valley
A surprise team from last season was Ralston Valley as they finished up the year with a 17-7 record and was amongst the top of the Jeffco league, there were plenty of players that stood out as that was a bunch that worked together, amongst those standouts was combo-guard Rillos. Rillos is a stat-stuffer as he fills in so many boxes. He scores (11.8 ppg) and rebounds (6.8 rpg) Rillos has great size and is very strong which makes the offensive player second guess going at him. He is athletic and gets to his spots to make defenses pay. Rillos is a multi-sport athlete that has a high IQ and gets the job done. This year he will have to continue getting after it offensively if RV wants to have another successful season.
- Isaac Tesfaye – Cherokee Trail
Last season was not a good season for Cherokee Trail but there are two things that the Cougars can harp on:
1) It is a new season.
2) They are returning their best scorer and rebounder.
Tesfaye did it all for CT last year as he put up 12.3 points and seven rebounds a game. He has the size and strength to go inside and bang and finish over larger defenders but he also is able to put the ball on the floor and free himself up with scoring. He just has to put it together and have it translated to wins. Tesfaye is more of an inside force but was asked to do it all. This season he will have to take on even more on a varsity inexperienced team so his leadership, outside scoring and versatility will have to be elevated even more. I expect him to continue putting up big numbers, hopefully it correlates with winning.
- Imani Grigsby – Sierra
Grigsby is a hidden gem in the Springs that is due for another big year. If Sierra has a big winning season, expect him to be a household name. Last season Grigsby was able to put up 13.5 points and 6.4 rebounds all while being one of the most efficient shooters in the entire state. While he does not take a ton of 3-point shots, when he shot them, he made them as he finished off the year shooting 48 percent from beyond the arc. He is a floor-spacer as he is best dissecting defenses from inside-out. Grigsby is surgical in the open court as he is a bigger guy with a tight handle and finishes aggressively at the rim, he takes pride on the defensive end and plays the passing lanes well. This will be a trying season for the Stallions as they have a very young bunch but I expect some very big outings from Grigsby as he leads the charge.