2021 Rankings update: Deep Sleepers at Wing
We have discussed at nauseum some of the top players in the state heading into a big junior year, but we have not discussed some of those wings and combo-guards that help those players and teams operate. In the 2021…
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Continue ReadingWe have discussed at nauseum some of the top players in the state heading into a big junior year, but we have not discussed some of those wings and combo-guards that help those players and teams operate. In the 2021 class it is pretty deep so before a crucial junior season we take a look back at some players that we have not discussed who are poised to have a big season.
(Number is their ranking)
Deep Sleepers:
- Logan Owen – Belleview Christian
One of the best scorers in all of 1A was Owen as he was relegated to do it all for Bruins. He was the leading scorer on the team at 17.5 points a game as well as rebound and get others involved. He showed that he is able to play off ball but is comfortable making plays with the ball in his hands. During grassroots season he made sure to get involved with the top players in the state as well as he went to a couple showcases as well as had a run with Seventwentykingz. Owen has a few things to work on as the speed of play was something that he is not used to but that run in the summer showed that he could keep up and compete no matter the competition, has an offensive game that translates and is a player that fits a team need as a scorer that has nice touch inside as well. Owen is not very big in size but can shoot lights out and create a shot for himself. Plenty of what he learned of the summer I am sure he will take back to 1A and dominate.
- Gavin Poxson – Legacy
Poxson is a guard that can step out on the wing and operate. For Legacy last season he was able to showcase that he can score and will be a go-to player heading into junior season. He is coming off of a sophomore season in which he was productive as he had multiple double-digit scoring games. What really stands out about Poxson is that he stepped up in big games. He averaged 9.5 points and had 2.5 rebounds to go along with it. He can score in multiple ways and all three levels. He runs the baseline and finds creases in the defense. He can put the ball on the floor and also let it fly from beyond the arc. He got more confident as the season went along in his jump shot and started being a player that got plays for him to get open. In grassroots, for the Colorado Chaos he was able to display that he could also be a swiss army knife. He carved up defenses with his balance on knocking down open jumpers as well as getting to the rim and finishing with either hand. Poxson is a name to know as he heads into a critical season where he will be asked to do plenty.
- Jarmell Johnson – George Washington
Got an offer from Barry University after a solid grassroots season with Knights Elite. Johnson is a combo guard that is comfortable with the ball in his hands as a facilitator and play maker. He can stay on the perimeter or mix it up and has strength to go inside as well and battle. With the way that the Patriots played last season it was more of a free-flowing offense that allowed their players to create for themselves and others. Johnson only played in the last few games of the season for the Patriots but showed that he is a guard that can switch it up. He can score as he attacks the paint and he can also defend to earn extra minutes. He will have to become a better shooter in this coming year but he is a player that makes others around him better and he is able to provide versatility.
- Skylar Wilson – Eaglecrest
This is our pick for one of the biggest breakouts in this class as he showcased in this grassroots season with a very, very talented Billups elite team in which he was surrounded by some of the state’s top-rated players and more often than not he was one of the leading scorers on the team. There is not a single thing that he cannot do. He can score, shoot, dunk, defend and rebound with the best of them and whenever he is on the court he is looking to make winning plays. Wilson is a springy wing that gets inside of the paint and creates havoc. He is able to consistently shoot the 3-point shot but is also not afraid to go dunk it on top of a defender’s head and is one of the best athletes in this class. Last season for the Raptors he averaged five points a game and had a few flashes of what he is capable of, now, he looks as if he approaches every game with a chip on his shoulder. In each ranking that we have come out with he has jumped up the rankings chart, I do not see the next one being any different as I expect an incredible year with one of the biggest improvements in the class. I’ll go even further and say I feel as if he will crack the Top-20 in the class by season’s end.
- Eddie McPhee — George Washington
Another Patriot that made the list is George Washington wing McPhee. McPhee is a player that while he did not have an explosive sophomore season putting up 5.1 and 4.3 rebounds a game, he made plenty of game changing plays. He has a great motor, is able to defend multiple positions and has shown promise since the season ended. McPhee is a strong defender that uses his body. He gets his hands in the passing lanes as well as has quick feet to stay in front of the defender. He is a slasher offensively that also keeps plays alive for his teammates. One of the things he will have to do this year is showcase that he can put it all together, especially offensively. He has the foundations to be a player that can get what he wants offensively. He moves well and has the strength to get to his spots, he just has to be a bit more consistent as I expect him to step up and help the Patriots get back to being contenders.