Prospect Power Rankings: 540/276 (15-6)
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 prospects 15-6 in the 540 and 276 area codes.
15) Ayrion Journiette | 6’0” CG | Northside 2022
Journiette was a guy who played sparingly as a freshman when Northside won the state championship two seasons ago, and this year he got his chance to contribute and did so at a really high rate throughout the season. He’s an athletic, slashing combo who’s strong with the ball and fearless around the rim as he’ll score it through contact and find his way to the line often. He improved as a playmaker and a shooter from deep, and he has big time potential as a two way impact guy moving forward.
14) Jamonte Smith Jamonte Smith 6'0" | CG Patrick Henry (Roanoke) | 2021 State VA | 5’11” CG | Patrick Henry-Roanoke 2021
One of the purest all-around scoring guards in Roanoke, Smith was a huge reason Patrick-Henry made a state semifinal run and he was named to the All State team because of it. He’s a guy who plays on the ball for the most part and can get guys involved with his playmaking ability, but when he needs to take over the game he does so easily with his natural ability to create and make shots from all over the floor. He’s an underrated athlete who can finish at and above the rim, he’s shifty off the bounce and he can make contested shots when he gets it going.
13) Reed Pendleton Reed Pendleton 6'1" | SG Moravian Prep | 2021 State VA | 6’2” WG | Cave Spring 2021
Arguably the best shooter in Roanoke, Pendleton was a breakout guy this year that earned All State honors while helping Cave Spring to the Class 3 State Championship. He has an absolute ratchet from deep with great consistency and range and he’s always working to get open and get good looks, he can attack closeouts and find his way to the line and he’s an underrated finisher in transition as well. He’s improved on his ability to create his own shot and he should be one of the top scorers in Roanoke next year.
12) Ricky Goode-Wright Ricky Goode-Wright 5'10" | PG James Monroe | 2021 State VA | 5’10” PG | James Monroe 2021
Goode-Wright has one of the best resumes of anyone on this list as he has proven to be one of the top scoring guards in Fredericksburg over the past three seasons. A highly skilled guard who can handle pressure and create his own shot, he’s a three level scorer who makes things look easy and can fill it up with the best of them when he gets it going. He’s already the school’s all time leading scorer and has an outside shot at reaching 2,000 points for his career, and he does so while often being double teamed and game planned for as he’s a nightmare to try to guard in isolation situations.
11) Jayson Easton Jayson Easton 6'4" | SG James River (Buchanan VA) | 2022 State VA | 6’2” WG | Alleghany 2022
Easton is a guy not many people outside of the western part of VA know about but the sophomore wing had a huge breakout year and may have been snubbed as an All State selection when you look at his numbers. The 6’3” wing plays all over the floor for Alleghany and was their go-to guy along with his twin brother Corey Easton. A highly skilled scorer who has a great savvy for the game and a high IQ, Easton is a guy who can fill it up from all over the floor, he can work on and off the ball and he has a killer instinct and a motor to go with it. He finished the season averaging close to 22 points and 5 rebounds per game while shooting 48% from the field and 41% from 3, and he won’t be a secret for much longer.
10) Ethan Millirons Ethan Millirons 6'0" | PG Auburn | 2022 State VA | 6’0” PG | Auburn 2022
Millirons was quietly one of the best players as a freshman in the New River Valley as he helped Auburn to a state tournament appearance, but his second year there was nothing quiet about how good he was as he led Auburn to a state championship and was named the Class 1 Player of the Year as just a sophomore. The do-it-all guard is fun to watch if you enjoy watching guys play the right way, as he consistently makes the right play and has the ability to make others better while also taking over the game when he needs to. Off the bounce he’s terrific in pick-and-roll situations, he makes great reads and he can make shots from multiple levels as well. He finished the season averaging 21.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.
9) Grayson Honaker Grayson Honaker 6'0" | CG Hargrave | 2021 State VA | 6’0” CG | Honaker 2021
If there was ever a snub for a First Team All State selection it was Honaker this year as he was named to the second team but averaged a double-double and had some of the most impressive scoring performances of the season. He plays an area that isn’t known for the toughest competition but it isn’t an understatement to say that Honaker did literally everything for his team this year. He’s a very confident and skilled guard that can score from anywhere on the court, he has in the gym range off the catch or off the bounce and he competes hard on both ends of the court. He averaged 29.4 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3 assists per game, he scored 62 points and hit 17 three-pointers in a win over Claiborne County of Tennessee and has already scored 1,895 points in his career.
8) Donovan St. Juste Donovan St. Juste 6'4" | SF William Fleming | 2021 State VA | 6’3” WF | William Fleming 2021
St. Juste is a guy who has steadily gotten better every year at Fleming and he’s arguably the most dynamic athlete in the Roanoke area which college coaches will love from the moment they see him. He’s grown to a legitimate 6’3” over the past few years, and while he’s always been long and athletic he took another step this year as he routinely has his chest over the rim when finishing lobs or going up for rebounds in traffic. He can shoot it from deep when he’s set and has improved his handle and ability to create in isolation situations, he’s excellent in transition, he’s a good help side defender who can challenge at the rim and he still has a lot of room to improve moving forward.
7) Demetri Gardner Demetri Gardner 6'5" | SF John Handley | 2021 State VA | 6’5” F | John Handley 2021
Gardner is arguably the best prospect in the Winchester area and he had a great season being named District Player of the Year, First Team All Region and Second Team All State. A versatile 6’5” forward that can play all over the floor, Gardner has a great frame that should translate well moving forward and he has a great skill set to go along with it. He can score it from deep when he’s set, he can handle in transition and get downhill where he can finish at and above the rim and he rebounds well on both ends too. He’s able to play and guard multiple positions and at the next level will be able to be an inside-out guy. He averaged 22 points and 8.8 rebounds per game and is one of the most slept on guys as far as recruitment goes in the state.
6) Cade Looney Cade Looney 6'8" | C Grundy | 2021 State VA | 6’8” PF | Grundy 2021
Looney was named to the VHSL Class 1 All State First Team as he absolutely dominated the local competition with his mix of size and skill that most teams simply couldn’t match up with. While he doesn’t play in the biggest area, don’t let it fool you, Looney can hang with the best of them. He’s continued to fill out and get stronger, he’s very mobile and agile for his size and he plays his tail off on both ends of the floor no matter who he’s matched up with. He was dominant in the post on both ends and put up ridiculous numbers of 23 points, 13 rebounds and 3 blocks per game, which is impressive no matter who you’re playing against. He’s a sleeper in that neck of the woods who will make someone happy and still has room to get better as well.