Re-Ranking the 2018 Class (Part 5)
We’ve been thrown a curveball this summer. Due to social distancing guidelines, opportunities to comprehensively evaluate prospects in and around the DMV area have been few and far between. As a result, we will not be providing a mid-summer rankings update as we typically do.
But to be creative and keep content flowing consistently, the team is excited to take a look back at the 2017 and 2018 rankings. Our aim is to re-rank notable prospects in those respective classes based on their performances since high school and ultimately come up with a new top-30 for each.
Here we continue this series by taking a closer look at #10-6 from the new 2018 update.
#10 | Bryce Golden, 6’9″ P | Saint James | Original Rank: #12 | College: Butler
Wilson: The Butler program has found success recruiting in the DMV and Golden is one of the latest reasons why. Golden was originally committed to Pittsburgh but when Kevin Stallings was let go, Butler got involved with Golden right away as he ended up committing to the Bulldogs This past season Golden found himself averaging 22.2 minutes per game and shot an efficient 50% from the field while averaging 7.9 points per game. Look for Golden to continue to have himself a productive presence in the low post for his last two years in the program.
The Big Man had a Big Night. pic.twitter.com/ItJcnWB6w0
— Butler Basketball (@ButlerMBB) February 20, 2020
#9 | Montez Mathis, 6’4″ W | John Carroll | Original Rank: #6 | College: Rutgers
Giacubeno: When Mathis was a senior at John Carroll, there was little doubt he’d be ready for high-level college basketball given his size, athleticism, and skill. He’s a big reason why Rutgers was able to turn around their program and showed flashes of how he could be a future building block as a freshman where he started in 23 of the 31 games averaging 8.5 points and 2.9 rebounds. This past season as a sophomore, Mathis started all 31 games, averaged 7.4 points while grabbing 3.5 rebounds and scoring in double figures 10 times. Although his scoring numbers decreased slightly from his freshman season, Mathis was more efficient overall as the Scarlet Knights went from winning 14 games in 2018-19 to 20 games in 2019-2020.
Montez Mathis dunking on all the haters who thought Rutgers would miss the NCAA tournament this year pic.twitter.com/bu7OQTrosF
— The RU Screw Podcast (@RUScrewPod) March 4, 2020
#8 | Myles Dread, 6’4″ W | Gonzaga | Original Rank: #8 | College: Penn State
Wilson: Dread committed to Penn State very early and is going to end up being a very good college player for the Nittany Lions. Dread’s jump shot remained very consistent during his senior year of high school and continued to be one of the best ball defenders in the area. Whenever Dread is on the court you know he is going to make an impact on either side of the ball because that is just the way he is. This past season he put up 8.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game while getting 26.2 minutes of burn a game.
MYLES DREAD COMES UP CLUTCH! 👌@PennStateMBB wins a thriller at home! pic.twitter.com/lCP8EWszgn
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 27, 2020
#7 | Jared Bynum, 5’10” PG | Georgetown Prep | Original Rank: #10 | College: Providence
Ayalew: Bynum earned 2018 IAC Player of the Year and an All-Met First Team selection after his memorable senior year at Georgetown Prep. He followed that up by playing in 33 games and putting up consistently solid numbers for Coach Phil Martelli during a promising freshman season at Saint Joseph’s. Bynum has since transferred to Providence, where he had to sit out last season due to transfer rules, but is expected to be a crucial part of the team moving forward.
Freshman season highlights from the newest Friar transfer, Jared Bynum (@JBDimes3). #pcbb #gofriars pic.twitter.com/oZMdobPDYu
— FʀɪᴀʀTV (@FriarTV) April 25, 2019
#6 | Noah Locke, 6’3″ CG | McDonogh | Original Rank: #4 | College: Florida
Giacubeno: Coming out of McDonogh as a senior, Locke was proven to be one of the top snipers in his class. His long-range shooting carried over nicely to SEC play with the Florida Gators averaging 9.4 points and shooting a team-leading .37.9 percent from beyond the arc. He appeared in all 36 games, making 26 starts. While this past season for the Gators was full of ups and downs, Locke improved with 10.6 points per game and upped his three-point percentage to 43.2 percent. The 6-foot-3 guard brings the most valuable aspect in today’s game which is his shooting. If he can increase his numbers and percentages in 2020-21 it should result in the Gators getting back on track and being a true threat in the SEC.
Halftime score
Florida 48
Vanderbilt 19Noah Locke with 13 pts
4-for-5 from behind the arc pic.twitter.com/kuXXlE2qhR— CBS4 Gainesville (@mycbs4) February 16, 2020