Reason for the Ranking (Top 40)

Time to revisit the Class of 2022 rankings and adjust to account for the player’s growth or stagnation.  Rankings are subjective and PrepHoops.com/Tennessee (@CourtneyHoops90 + @AndrewForce8) ranks purely upon potential and where the player will be at their basketball peak.  Production factors in only when helping prove the potential is greater or lesser.  Why did we rank these guys?  Why are they at this spot?  Take a look at several Class of 2022 prospects and learn a little about their reputation. 36 Jakobi GillespieJakobiGillespie6'0" | PGGreeneville | 2022StateTN 6’0" / PG Greeneville BMaze Elite 37 Tabias SirmonesTabiasSirmones6'6" | PFLoretto | 2022StateTN 6’6" / PF Loretto Tennessee Tigers 38 Jaden LylesJadenLyles6'1" | PGLipscomb Academy | 2022StateTN 6’1" / PG Lipscomb Academy PSB-Nashville 39 Evan ShifletEvanShiflet6'3" | SGC.P.A. | 2022StateTN 6’3" / SG C.P.A. Tennessee Tigers 40 Joshua ScretchenJoshuaScretchen6'1" | PGNashville University School | 2022StateTN 6’1" / PG Nashville University School PSB-Nashville The following players are now ranked in the Top 80 statewide (LEFT-new rank).   Read about #66-70. Read about #71-75. Read about #76-80. Read about #81-84. #36 Jakobi GillespieJakobiGillespie6'0" | PGGreeneville | 2022StateTN (Greeneville) One of the leading scorers for BMaze 16u, JaKobi continues to embrace every challenge before him.  INf act, Gillespie is the kind of man who intentionally invites challenges into his life.  He competed at a PrepHoopsTN Combine.  He didn’t have to compete against mostly older campers, to put himself and his reputation on the line, but he did.  JaKobi didn’t have to seek out a top-tier AAU program like BMaze.  Even during the Co-Vid era of AAU basketball, plenty of forgettable programs exist.  JaKobi could have selected a program that was centered around him and his offensive skills.  Instead, JG once again welcomed a challenge and conquered.  #37 Tabias SirmonesTabiasSirmones6'6" | PFLoretto | 2022StateTN (Loretto) Sirmones plays football and basketball.  Rebounds well outside his area.  At his size, Sirmones is in danger of exiting high school as a tweener.  Since he will continue playing both basketball and football, Sirmones is likely to graduate in 2022 as a 6-foot-7ish, 230-poundish power forward. That can work.  Forward is the landing spot for sure.  Sirrmones is not going to evolve into a taller wing.  What earned him this elevated ranking?  Sirmones is a Scretchen’s court awareness and poise hint at a bright future. fighter for loose balls, for rebounds.  There is an uncommon tenacity.  Contact is not a problem although Tabias could improve his explosion and timing on the low blocks.      #38 Jaden LylesJadenLyles6'1" | PGLipscomb Academy | 2022StateTN (Lipscomb Academy) Jaden is a very productive high school basketball player.  The reason for the ranking is complex.  The question we always must answer with the rankings is, 'How good can he be?'  In order to determine or predict this we must spot the limitations.  What are Lyles' limitations?  Are they things he can improve or are they things he can't improve?  Though he handles the basketball effectively, Lyles needs to change pace much better.  This is obviously something he can improve.  Lyles would be better served with better height for the position.  This is not something he can improve.  Two other limitations are finishing through contact and lateral quickness.  Both are controllable, to a degree.  Lyles is quick, but at his size and speed he will need to be very quick.  If a 6-foot-4 college guard is able to keep Lyles in front of him, then Lyles is failing as an attacker.  He must burn that type of player and burn him effectively.  Right now Lyles is ok, not great at carving up defenders at the top-tier of 16u basketball.  The handles are definitely better than average and this will be one determiner of his final ability as a point guard.   #39 Evan ShifletEvanShiflet6'3" | SGC.P.A. | 2022StateTN (C.P.A.) Plus-plus perimeter defender.  Shiflet is a technician guarding the point of attack.  Already Evan looks to have invested time in the weight room.  He will need to continue adding "good weight", but every indication exists that Shiflet will be a lockdown defender throughout his high school and college career. While Shiflet is a proven catch-and-shoot guy, proving he can breakdown a defender via the dribble will absolutely open up important doors for him.   #40 Josh Scretchen (University School of Nashville) During his sophomore season, Scretchen averaged 15.8 ppg, 4 apg, 4 rpg. Plays with PSB-Dozier. Scretchen showed off innovative passing in the July window.  Even though Scretchen shared the backcourt with Jaden LylesJadenLyles6'1" | PGLipscomb Academy | 2022StateTN and occasionally other teammates, his future will be as a lead guard.  There are no limitations in the dribbling or passing category.  Scretchen sees the floor well and definitely accurately predicts the immediate future movements of defenders well.  An area of minuscule concern is his infrequency of moving without the basketball. Over and over JS would make the simple pass to the top of the key and then relax.  He needed to re-position himself, drag the defender either away or make him split his attention away at the very least. Further, Scretchen must become better at shot preparation.  He was not shot-ready often enough during his game against Team SMASH.  One specific pass arrived and Josh still needed to set his feet, figure out where the basket was, and get his shot up through the shooting pocket.  These steps could have been mostly finished prior to the ball’s arrival.  Peruse the complete 2022 rankings. Follow @AndrewForce8.