Updated 2022 Rankings: Wings Rankings (10-1)
With the updated 2022 rankings, we will continue to do in depth breakdowns explaining why we ranked who we ranked. Right now, we’re going to look at how the rankings are broken down by position. Here’s a look at part…
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Continue ReadingWith the updated 2022 rankings, we will continue to do in depth breakdowns explaining why we ranked who we ranked. Right now, we’re going to look at how the rankings are broken down by position. Here’s a look at part two of the guards rankings, looking at some of the shooting guards and small forwards in the class.
#10 Davin Cosby Jr Davin Cosby Jr 6'5" | CG Word of God | 2023 #111 Nation NC | 6’3” | Benedictine (#32 Overall)
Cosby had a breakout year at Benedictine and continued to get better and better every time that I watched them. A 6’3” off guard with long arms and is likely still growing, Cosby has no conscience from deep as he will let it fly and he can get hot quickly and fill it up from deep. He moves constantly without the basketball and gets set quickly, he has a quick release that allows him to get it off with little space and he’s always looking for his next shot.
#9 Jaeden Freeman Jaeden Freeman 6'4" | SF Nansemond Suffolk | 2022 State VA | 6’4” | Nansemond-Suffolk (#31 Overall)
Freeman is a two sport start at Nansemond-Suffolk who missed most of the basketball season with a knee injury but also decided to reclassify to the 2022 class. He’s a wing with good size that fits the mold as a “3 and d” kind of guy with his ability to catch and shoot from deep and guard some of the better scorers on the perimeter as well. He’s a high motor guy who rebounds well for his position and makes the right play consistently.
#8 Brycen Blaine Brycen Blaine 6'5" | SG LC Bird | 2022 GA | 6’3” | LC Bird (#29 Overall)
Blaine is a guy who could shoot up this list over the next few seasons if he continues to grow and improve the way that he has so far. He’s a strong kid that’s starting to fill out and continues to get taller and more athletic every time I see him, he’s a hard nosed guy who works hard on both ends and works to improve throughout the year and he has a great base skill set with the ability to make shots from deep and attack in straight lines. As he continues to get more athletic and get more shifty he’s going to be a guy to watch moving forward.
#7 Kendon Peebles Kendon Peebles 6'4" | SF Catholic | 2022 State VA | 6’4” | Hampton Christian (#24 Overall)
Peebles burst onto the scene this year at Hampton Christian after dealing with some injuries his freshman year and he’s going to be a guy coaches will be asking about here shortly. He has a great frame and is a natural athlete that plays on both ends of the floor, he’s an athletic finisher in transition where he can handle and run the floor and he’s a good shot maker from multiple levels as well. His motor combined with his skill set makes him very easy to like.
#6 Christian May Christian May 6'6" | SF Bishop O'Connell | 2022 State VA | 6’4” | Paul VI (#22 Overall)
May is a guy who came on throughout the season and earned himself a big role in PVI’s state championship run, and with the departure of so many of their kids this year he’s likely going to get more and more chances to prove himself moving forward. He looks the part at 6’4” with great length and strength, he’s a natural athlete that rebounds well and can finish above the rim and he has all of the tools to be a lock down defender moving forward as well.
#5 Cavan Reilly Cavan Reilly 6'4" | SG Bishop O'Connell | 2022 State VA | 6’2” | Middleburg (#20 Overall)
Reilly doesn’t have the name recognition that the junior guards on Middleburg have in Jaden House Jaden House 6'4" | SG Middleburg | 2021 #246 Nation VA and Isaiah Folkes Isaiah Folkes 6'1" | PG Middleburg | 2021 PA , and he’s still somewhat under the radar because of the success of those guys but he played a very important role as a sophomore for them this past year. He’s a guy who plays with grit and a high motor on both ends, he’s an exceptional shooter from deep and he’s a savvy defender who has good feel and understanding for the game. He’s an underrated athlete and playmaker that should be able to show more of that moving forward.
#4 George Beal George Beal 6'4" | SF Kings Fork | 2022 State VA | 6’4” | King’s Fork (#16 Overall)
Beal is part of a very young and talented group at King’s Fork that went on to win a state championship this past year and should be in the running next year as well if they all stay together. He’s a high motor wing with great physical features as far as his length and frame, and he’s an exceptional athlete that uses it to rebound at a high clip and finish above the rim in transition. He’s an underrated shooter off the catch and he showed that he can create off the bounce and get to spots where he can use his size to shoot over top of people. He’s a guy who shows great potential on the defensive end as well.
#3 Alphonzo Billups Alphonzo Billups 6'7" | SF Varina | 2022 State #154 Nation VA | 6’5” | Varina (#7 Overall)
Billups played sparingly as a freshman on a very talented and upperclassmen ladened team, but with the departure of almost all of those guys he stepped up as the go-to guy and looks like one of the best prospects in Richmond in this class. He’s a long wing with great athleticism and a skill set to go with it as he can handle the basketball, he can shoot it off the catch from deep and he’s a big time finisher above the rim as well. He has to sure up some of his game and continue to fill out but he has tons of potential and all the tools to be a good two way player at the next level.
#2 Justin Taylor Justin Taylor 6'5" | SG IMG Academy | 2022 State #156 Nation FL | 6’5” | St. Anne’s-Belfield (#6 Overall)
Taylor improved upon an already impressive freshman season at STAB and has been starting there for three years now. He’s the prototypical shooting guard at the next level with good size and length, he’s a very underrated athlete that can play above the rim in transition and he’s one of the purest shooters in the class with a quick release and size to get it off while being guarded very closely. He’s improved in his ability off the bounce to make plays for others and create his own shot, and he’s already grabbing offers and interest from schools at all levels right now.
#1 Tyler Nickel Tyler Nickel 6'8" | SF East Rockingham | 2022 State #85 Nation VA | 6’6” | East Rockingham (#3 Overall)
Nickel has gotten off to a historic start in his first two seasons at East Rock, as his coaches recently confirmed that he broke the freshman and sophomore year scoring record and is already sitting at 1,464 points already in his career. Nickel has a lot of tools that already translate well to the next level with his positional size, his natural athleticism at the rim and his ability to score from all three levels both off the catch and off the bounce. He plays with a good motor on both ends and he’s a guy who wants to be great, and he’s the type of guy that wants to kill everyone that is put in front of him.