2022 Rankings Update: The Top Ten
There has been a ton of movement in the latest rankings update for this 2022 group. With Brandon Rayzer-Moore moving to Indiana and several kids either missing out on AAU altogether or having limited AAU seasons, it has been hard…
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Continue ReadingThere has been a ton of movement in the latest rankings update for this 2022 group. With Brandon Rayzer-Moore moving to Indiana and several kids either missing out on AAU altogether or having limited AAU seasons, it has been hard to get great evaluations on everyone as they head into their Junior seasons. Here’s a look at the shuffled top 10.
James Jewell James Jewell 6'6" | PF Marion County | 2022 State KY , Marion County – There isn’t, in my opinion, a clear cut #1 player in the class at this point. Jewell returns to the top spot but it’s still hard to figure out what his ceiling is. James has wing size and post player skill set. Right now he’s probably an OVC level power forward but he is working on improving his ball handling and shooting and could be a mid major plus wing. At 6’6 and long, James is an excellent defender and is almost too passive sometimes on offense, which isn’t a bad thing. Until someone else takes the #1 spot, it belongs to Jewell. Tennessee Tech and North Texas have offered.
Christian Spalding Christian Spalding 6'4" | PG Evangel Christian | 2022 State KY , Eastern – Jewell’s former teammate at Eastern, Christian had a chance to seize the top spot this fall and got injured. Spalding is very skilled and has a very high basketball IQ. He’s a willing passer at the point guard spot and doesn’t back down from a challenge. If he can show off improved athleticism this winter, his college stock could boost quite a bit. He’s a capable defender and if he starts finishing above the rim, he could draw mid major plus attention this season. Tennessee Tech and Southeast Louisiana have offered.
Maker Bar Maker Bar 6'9" | C Ballard | 2022 State KY , Ballard – Maker still has a lot of potential but played out of position this summer as a wing. Bar is big, long and athletic and has tremendous skill around the rim. Also a good rim protector, Maker needs to work on his ball handling and perimeter shooting before he can be labeled a wing. Thanks to his height and ability, Maker has the most potential out of anyone to be a high major recruit but still has to put all the pieces together to reach that ceiling.
Jordan Akal Jordan Akal 6'1" | PG Harlan | 2022 State KY , Harlan – Akal is a great athlete for his size and can score the ball all over the floor. There’s a chance that Jordan will lead the state in scoring this season. Missing summer high school ball and AAU, the star from Harlan will need to go out and show he hasn’t lost anything by not playing a game since March. Tennessee Tech has already offered and Akal could get several more offers if he picks up where he left off last season.
Jerone Morton Jerone Morton 6'3" | SG George Rogers Clark | 2023 State KY , George Rogers Clark – Jerone is a talented scorer who can get to the rim on anyone with his left hand. Better suited to play off the ball than on it, Morton is going to benefit from the addition of Aden Sloe from Danville. If he can bulk up heading into the season and become a more consistent outside shooter, Jerone can see multiple D1 offers coming in his future.
Turner Buttry Turner Buttry 5'11" | PG Bowling Green | 2022 State KY , Bowling Green – Turner is a player who maximizes his potential with a relentless work ethic. He could be the best shooter in the class from deep and is a good passer. The knock against him in the past was that he struggled against bigger athletes but that hasn’t been the case this summer. Eastern Kentucky is making him a priority in the 2022 class and Buttry can be a solid contributor in the OVC.
Justin Becker Justin Becker 6'6" | SF Robertson County | 2022 State KY , Robertson County – Perhaps the most valuable player in the state to his high school team, Justin was one of the best scorers in the state last year and has nearly averaged a double-double during the summer AAU season. Becker has good size but the concern has been and continues to be his lateral mobility on defense. At 6’6 with a guard’s skill set, he’s a matchup problem for bigs because he can drag them away from the rim. If he gets a chance to show D1 coaches that he can guard quicker players, he should see D1 offers coming his way.
Rylee Samons Rylee Samons 6'7" | SF Pikeville | 2023 State KY , Pikeville – Samons is another player who has gone quiet this summer as Covid-19 has affected AAU and eliminated summer HS ball. At 6’6, Rylee has the ability to stretch the floor or put his head down and get to the rim. If he shows that he can dominate teams outside of the mountains like he does against mountain competition, Rylee could have more offers coming his way. Tennessee Tech and Pikeville have already offered.
Tim Hall Tim Hall 6'6" | PF Westminster Catawba | 2023 State SC , Paul Laurence Dunbar – Probably the best athlete in the class, Tim has had an up and down summer as he has had to play the post more than the perimeter. His skill set is still a little raw but Tim could be a lockdown defender or 3 and D type at the next level. Hall slipped in the rankings but his upside is tremendous and if he can continue developing, he could be back near the top of the rankings in the next update.
Luke Imfeld Luke Imfeld 6'1" | SG Boyle County | 2022 State KY , Boyle County – Wired to score, Luke’s stock continues to rise as he becomes more than just a shooter. Imfeld is a good athlete and has improved his handle and court vision to become a better all around offensive player. It will be interesting to watch how often he gets to the free throw line as a Junior as he barely got to the line last season. If Luke is invested in playing defense, he can guard smaller, quicker players and switch onto forwards without issue.