Prospect Power Rankings: 434 (5-1)
With no live periods or AAU so far this season, we decided to take our content a different way and do power rankings for each metropolitan area in the city. These rankings include all classes between 2021, 2022 and 2023…
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Continue ReadingWith no live periods or AAU so far this season, we decided to take our content a different way and do power rankings for each metropolitan area in the city. These rankings include all classes between 2021, 2022 and 2023 and are based on how good we think the prospects will be at the next level. This is one of the hardest things to do because it encompasses all classes, but should be great for debates throughout the cities.
With no further ado, here’s a look at the top five prospects the 434 area code.
5) Clarence Rupert Clarence Rupert 6'7" | PF Miller School | 2021 State VA | 6’7” PF | Miller School 2021
Rupert was already a star in VA High School basketball after he was named VHSL Class 5 Player of the Year two years ago when he helped Maury win a state championship, and this past year he decided to reclassify to the 2021 class and head to Miller School where he had a huge season. The 6’7” hybrid forward is a guy who can beat you in a number of ways whether it’s battling in the paint and finishing through contact or taking your big out to the perimeter where he can shoot it and put it on the deck as well. He’s a strong kid who plays with a good motor and is all over the glass, he has some toughness to him as he’ll play through contact and he’s very productive in a number of ways. He picked up a recent offer from Murray State to go along with a host of other offers he already had and will be a breakout guy this summer if he is able to play.
4) Mark Sears Mark Sears 6'1" | CG Hargrave | 2020 #220 Nation VA | 6’1” CG | Hargrave 2021
Sears started last year for a Hargrave team that finished #2 in the national post grad rankings and was in a lineup with Georgia, Tennessee and Missouri State commits as well as one of the top bigs in the country in Gabe Wiznitzer Gabe Wiznitzer 7'0" | C Hargrave | 2021 VA (see below). A strong and athletic combo guard that has a mix of feel and flair that makes him fun to watch, Sears is a bully of a guard who can get downhill and get in the lane at will where he can finish through traffic or find his teammates for easy looks and finishes. He can score it from multiple levels, he’s all over the place making plays defensively and next year he’ll have the luxury of having the ball in his hands more often. He’s seen interest from the likes of Washington State, UAB, NC State, Clemson and South Alabama and should have a breakout season next year.
3) Justin Taylor Justin Taylor 6'5" | SG IMG Academy | 2022 State #156 Nation FL | 6’5” WG | STAB 2022
Taylor has been a fixture in the STAB starting lineup for the past three seasons and this year he really took off as far as getting on the national scene as he became a nationally ranked player in the 2022 class earlier this year. He has the prototypical body and game to be a high major two guard at the next level as at 6’5” he has long limbs and an absolute flame thrower from deep that he can hit even when he’s being guarded closely. He worked hard on his game as he showed improvement off the bounce and athletically around the rim, and if he can continue to work to become more consistent he’ll have his pick of schools moving forward. He already holds offers from Liberty, JMU, ODU and George Washington and he’ll see many more as he continues to play in front of more coaches.
2) Maliq Brown Maliq Brown 6'8" | PF Blue Ridge | 2022 State #123 Nation VA | 6’8” PF | Blue Ridge 2022
Brown was a guy that we were high on as a freshman and saw a lot of potential in him even though he played sparingly in their state championship run that season, but he made us look really good this year as he was the breakout guy on Blue Ridge this year as they went back-to-back. He worked his way into the starting lineup and was highly productive for them on both ends of the floor and was named Second Team All State by the end of the year. There isn’t much that’s “sexy” about Brown’s game as he isn’t flashy and probably wouldn’t make for a great mixtape, but he knows his game and plays his role extremely well, and his game will likely grow as he continues to work on it. He has great mobility and runs the floor well, he has terrific hands that helps him catch tough passes and rebound well and he finishes everything around the basket as well. He picked up offers from Georgetown, TCU and Penn State this year to go along with ones he already had from Virginia Tech, ODU and JMU and the list should continue to grow with time.
1) Gabe Wiznitzer Gabe Wiznitzer 7'0" | C Hargrave | 2021 VA | 6’10” C | Hargrave 2021
Wiznitzer broke out on the national stage this year with Hargrave’s post grad team and while he flirted with the possibility for going in the 2020 class he ultimately decided to return to Hargrave after seeing his recruitment blow up for the 2021 class. He isn’t the most athletic guy but Wiznitzer is a stretch big that has great feel, plays at his own pace and is able to dominate the game in a number of ways. His size and motor makes him a big time rebounder on both ends of the floor, he can run the offense from the top of the key, he can trail and make shots and he has a killer pump fake that allows him to get in the lane where he’s able to make an array of shots. He understands angles and can score with is back to the basket and he’s a very cerebral guy who can make good reads and rotations on the defensive end as well. He’s one of the most highly recruited bigs in the country with over 20 offers including recent ones from Virginia Tech, Cincinatti, West Virginia, Ole Miss, Iowa, Xavier and Providence.