Regional Rankings: 2021 IE Players to Watch (II)
Over the last few months, the Prep Hoops SoCal staff has broken down each ranking update with in-depth pieces on the top players by position, by class and covered sleepers and players to watch across the vast SoCal area. In…
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Continue ReadingOver the last few months, the Prep Hoops SoCal staff has broken down each ranking update with in-depth pieces on the top players by position, by class and covered sleepers and players to watch across the vast SoCal area.
In our latests rankings coverage, we wanted to regionalize the lists a little more, and in this piece we take a look at the best players and prospects in the Inland Empire region regardless of class with input from PH SoCal staff writers taken into consideration.
Our earlier coverage broke down the Top 15 prospects in the I.E. region while this piece discusses more players to keep an eye on over the next couple of years.
Past IE Coverage:
Regional Rankings: IE Top Five
More 2021 IE Players to Watch
Chris Nickelberry Chris Nickelberry 5'10" | PG Damien | 2021 State CA-S , Damien – One of the more steady ball handlers and decision-makers SoCal hoops has to offer. Nickelberry understands how to control pace, plays with a pass-first mentality, and plays with a high IQ when setting up teammates and making the right choices in transition and half-court settings.
Uriyah Rojas Uriyah Rojas 6'1" | PG Los Osos | 2021 State CA-S , Los Osos – Rojas made some major strides from game-managing point guard to a guy can impact the game both as a passer and a scorer. The 6-foot-1 rising senior is as smart and crafty as they come with the ball in his hands and makes the right decision more often than not.
Johnathan Stradford, Yucaipa – Stradford is a very good transition offense player with his combination of size, strength and ability to create space after taking the initial bump when driving. The 6-footer has a good overall feel for the game at the point guard spot and uses the hit-ahead pass in transition to find open teammates.
Tyler Darrett, Jurupa Hills – Darrett makes his biggest impact as a “three-and-D” guy. The 6-foot-3 wing can guard multiple positions at the high school level and usually draws the opponents best ball-handler because of his willingness to pick-up full court and make it difficult for his opponent to initiate offense. Darrett moves well without the ball, gets good lift and has a high-arching shot.
Donovan Cox Donovan Cox 6'1" | CG Linfield Christian | 2021 State CA-S , Linfield Christian – The 6-foot-2 combo guard had a great year at Linfield Christian after making the move from Rancho Christian. Cox hit 68 three-pointers at a 38 percent clip and netted 18.3 points per game on average. The senior-to-be has also shown smooth and high IQ creating ability off the bounce.