2021 Rankings Update: Floor Generals
The 2021 class is one of the deepest that we have in the entire state and is the class that took the most time to debate, but we have done it — we have come out with our latest update.…
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Continue ReadingThe 2021 class is one of the deepest that we have in the entire state and is the class that took the most time to debate, but we have done it — we have come out with our latest update. We added over 30 players to the list and saw the most movement from any other class that we have had. If there is one position that this class is lacking it is point guard duties so we had to dig deep to come out with a top guards list. Here is what we have come up with.
Ben Bowen – Mountain Vista
Bowen has made major improvements from the last time that we did an update as a player that has leapfrogged his entire class. He has grown immensely as a player and has worked on every single aspect of his game as he went from a seldom-used sophomore on a very good Mountain Vista team that was only putting up 3.1 points and 0.6 assists a game to now being a standout in his junior year putting up 14.5 points, 2.8 assists and 4.3 rebounds a game. He is a game-changing guard that already has the size and will probably keep growing. He is an athletic bigger guard that is driving the lane and dunking, finishes with either hand and also now understands the game a bit better from last season which is easier for him to set teammates up. While Bowen is not a knockdown shooter, he is a guard that has to be taken seriously from beyond the arc as he does not turn down shots and is a volume shooter that is capable of getting hot from deep. What Bowen is best at is being a downhill runner that can either finish on his own or set up a teammate for an easy basket with the attention he gets. He is one of the most improved players in the class and will continue to grow.
Myles Purchase – Cherry Creek
Purchase is one of the very best two-way players that we have in the state and he just might be the best perimeter defender in the class. Purchase is a 1stteam All-State defensive back that will surely be playing on the gridiron at the next level at a Division I school of his choosing but he also is a player that gets after it on the hardwood and makes players around him better as well. Purchase is a high IQ guard that although he is athletically gifted, the game seems to slow down for. He runs the break and sets his teammates up for easy baskets. He uses his ballhandling skills to break free of defenders and then penetrates the defense for easy kickouts. He is a guard that can be used on and off of the ball and is a downhill attacker. He is putting up 9.9 points and 2.8 assists a game while also recording 2.8 steals a game as well and that is why he comes in as the No.2 floor general in the class.
Tommy Apodaca – Lutheran
There are not many players as tough as Apodaca is in the state, let alone in the class and that is why he jumped onto our rankings list after going unranked at our last update. Apodaca jumped on the scene this summer at various showcases as a hard-nosed defender that can defend 90-feet but has added to his game heading into the season. Right now, Apodaca has the perfect home in Lutheran where they allow him to be himself. A hardworking guard that takes chances on both ends of the floor and also steps up to the challenge. He is a great perimeter defender that has fit in seamlessly with one of the state’s best recruits in Baye Fall. He finds his big man in open spots and is the perfect complimenting piece. As a sophomore Apodaca put up 4.8 points and 3.1 assists a game but came into this summer and season on a mission. He is averaging 11.0 points and 8.0 assists a game as one of the top floor generals in all of 3A on the No.2 team in the class. He is also averaging 2.8 steals a game while being an inside and out force that is shooting just under 40% from beyond the arc as well. He is the No.3 floor general in the class but just might be the best true point guard in the class which is saying something.
Garrett Arnold – Thunder Ridge
Thunder Ridge seems to be going through a bit of a rough patch right now but one thing that we surely know about a Joe Ortiz led team is that they are going to be ready when it all said and done. Thunder Ridge is slowly figuring it out and while they are getting themselves together their best players are also starting to find a groove. Arnold is the T-Ridge player with the most varsity experience and has been attempting to get his team in the right direction and his numbers have seemed to have dipped as a part of it. He is not scoring in the same ways as he was last season or shooting the ball as well but he still remains a big part of the offense and his usage as the team’s playmaker remains the same. Although the Grizzlies are not scoring as much as years past or having the same success he is still dishing the ball as he has always done. He is averaging 3.3 assists a game and those numbers will surely increase as T-Ridge begins to look more like their usual selves. He is a high IQ guard that is the team’s best ball handler and is a leader that is going to put the blame on himself. Thunder Ridge will get right here soon and it will be behind the play of their true point guard.
Luke Yoder – Fossil Ridge
Yoder is a special guard as he is a true point guard that is unselfish and makes the right play to hit the open man but when he gets an inch of room he is letting it fly as he has a rocket. He passes the ball around and finds the open spot on the court to make teams pay but is a high usage guard that also is capable of breaking a defender down, getting into the teeth of the defense and disrupting the game plan with his ball handling. Yoder played as a sophomore and was one of the go-to scorers a season ago but has seen his game expand as the lead guard. He looks more comfortable with the ball in his hands and is now starting to understand what the defense is giving him which opens things up for himself as well as teammates. Yoder is averaging 10.2 points a game but is also dishing out a team-high 3.3 assists a game as well. He keeps the defense on their feet as he can shoot the ball well so that brings attention his way but he can also find the open guy in stride as well which spaces the floor as well. Looking forward to seeing how his game continues to expand.