2021 Top Stars on the court & in the classroom
Being a student-athlete is a difficult task as it is a position that comes with many responsibilities. Too often overlooked is the academic accomplishments of high school athletes. Stars on the court have even more pressing things to accomplish at…
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Continue ReadingBeing a student-athlete is a difficult task as it is a position that comes with many responsibilities. Too often overlooked is the academic accomplishments of high school athletes. Stars on the court have even more pressing things to accomplish at school. but somehow balance both. There are some high school basketball players that are able to star on the court while they also excel at school. Let’s take a look at some of those young men.
In our quest we wanted to find high academic players that not only make an impact on the hardwood but also inspire others in the classroom as well as education is the gateway to a better future. Here are of our highest ranked players in the 2021 class that have stood out both with and without a basketball as they are some of our state’s brightest stars.
Taeshaud Jackson Jr. – Dakota Ridge
On the court, Jackson Jr. is a star amongst stars as he is a top-5 player in the class with room to grow which does not bode well for the rest of the state. He is one of the most unique players in Colorado as he is a 6’5 point forward that is athletically gifted and has the ability to play all five positions on the court. He has vision, size, strength and possesses the ability to score, defend and rebound as well. He is putting up 15.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals a game while also having some of the best highlight dunks out of anyone this season. He is a natural leader and his teammates follow his lead.
As lethal as he is in the open court, he is as dangerous in the classroom. He possesses a 3.2 gpa and is striving to get even better with the remainder of this year and next. He said his goal heading into his senior season is to continue to grow with the hopes of not only winning a state title before his time is up but be the on principals honor roll as well. Can’t beat that.
Jarmell Johnson – George Washington
Johnson is an overachiever. Whether it’s on the hardwood or in the classroom he grades out with an A. On the season, Johnson is averaging 12.9 points a game for a George Washington team that began the season in the Top-10 with high hopes. He is the team’s second leading scorer while also helping on the boards and defending the opposing team’s best ball handler. He is coming off of two games where he put up 22 and 29 points including the wins in both and maybe this kickstarts his scoring as he is a player that is capable of averaging 15+ points a game as he can not only shoot the ball but jump with the best of them as we have seen with a couple of body-to-body dunks this season.
In addition to competing at a high level with the basketball team, he is also a star in the classroom as well. He is currently holding a 3.6 gpa on the year and says that his major in college will be in business or in art.
Boston Stanton III – Denver East
Stanton is a player that we have had a hard time ranking as he has catapulted up the rankings from last season to this year and has made the argument at being a top-10 player in the class with a push at Top-5. He is off to a stellar season where is putting up 22.3 points and 6.9 rebounds a game and not many guards in the state have his size and skill with the ability to impact the game without having the ball in his hands but he also creates easy opportunities for himself to score when he does have it.
He already has a Division I offer and more should be piling up as he is atop the state leaders in points a game and also is holding a 4.6 GPA and recorded a 1320 on his SAT as well. A school will be getting one of the best STUDENT-athletes that the state has to offer.
Ben Bowen – Mountain Vista
Bowen is one of the top combo-guards in the state as he is a skilled 6’2 guard that plays on the perimeter and off of the ball. He is an elite slasher that can knock down the shot when open but created for himself. Bowen is a player that excels in pick and rolls and once he hits the corner he is liable to pullup for a stop and pop or get to the rim and either dunk it or dish it off. For Mountain Vista this season he has been one of their best players as he is putting up 15.8 points and 4.4 rebounds a game. He has started to come on as of late as he has scored in double-figures in eight straight games. in He is a great perimeter defender that moves his feet well and uses his body. He is a stock booster that has shot up the leader board but with how he played this summer in various showcases and tournaments and begun his junior season he is now one of the top players in the class and his excellence extends to the classroom as well as he has a 3.9 gpa. His head is in the right place.
Cade Palmer – Rangeview
Cade Palmer has been playing varsity for three straight seasons and has been starting for two of those years. It is no coincidence that as soon as he was inserted into the starting lineup is when Rangeview started winning games as he is one of the most hard working players in the state. He is a sharpshooter that creates so much gravity with his outside jumper that it creates scoring opportunities for others around him. He plays within the flow of the offense, does not make many mistakes and is a player that gets the team into their offense and calms them when they are sped up. Palmer is putting up 10 points a game while shooting 41% from beyond the arc. He is a high IQ guard that works extremely hard on both ends of the floor and just as fearless as he is on the court, he is as tenacious in the classroom. Palmer has a 4.1 gpa and while he is undecided right now he said that he is gravitating towards a job in Sales or Marketing.