New 2021 Rankings: Class 1A’s Best
Prep Hoops Class of 2021 rankings have recently been updated and here’s a series of what they are looking like, players to watch, and some information on each player. Here is where Class 1A’s best ended up in the overall…
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Continue ReadingPrep Hoops Class of 2021 rankings have recently been updated and here’s a series of what they are looking like, players to watch, and some information on each player. Here is where Class 1A’s best ended up in the overall rankings:
Angelo Winkel Angelo Winkel 6'9" | C Bishop Garrigan | 2021 State IA – Bishop Garrigan High School, Forward – #7 Player in Iowa
The Class 1A runner-up Bishop Garrigan also had the tournament captain in Angelo Winkel Angelo Winkel 6'9" | C Bishop Garrigan | 2021 State IA . Winkel averaged a double-double for the Golden Bears and shows he can score from anywhere on the court. He is a really good rebounder as well with his length and strength and the way he positions himself when the shot goes up. Obviously with Winkel’s 6’9 frame he is long and finishes above the rim with some authority. He is able to block shots on the defensive end of the floor and averaged nearly 2 this past season, which helps on the defensive end for his team to have that kind of last line of defense. He has a good shooting motion and can expand the defense out to the 3 point line shooting it at a 30% clip. He’s a forward who also makes good passing decisions when he has the ball in his hands. He can lead the break and find the open man or finish at the rim. In the post he likes to face up his defender and use a strong, quick rip through move to get by his defender or get a step ahead to put him into a good position to score. Winkel and Bishop Garrigan will be looking to get back to the championship game again this year with a different outcome. Winkel committed to Augustana University back on July 23rd, who is transitioning to becoming a DI program.
Trey Shearer Trey Shearer 5'10" | PG Montezuma | 2021 State IA – Montezuma High School, PG – #13 Player in Iowa
The third place team in Class 1A was Montezuma. Trey Shearer Trey Shearer 5'10" | PG Montezuma | 2021 State IA is the engine to the offense for the Braves, and he’s our 2nd best in the whole 1A Class. Shearer is someone who impacts the game in many different ways but the first thing that stands out about him is his scoring ability, coming in at #11 in scoring of all classes. Shearer scores at all three levels well, and shooting the 3 is one of his strong suits exemplified by his 44% 3 point percentage. He also has a quick first step to put the defender on his hip for a pull-up jumper or to get to the basket. It’s hard to not pay attention to an efficiency rate of nearly 62% from everywhere on the court. Another part of his offensive repertoire is his passing ability where he averaged 5 per game. He is a really good decision-maker with the ball and had a 4:1 assist/turnover ratio. Shearer is also effective on defense getting into passing lanes and taking it the other way. He helped his team with 2.5 steals per game this past winter. Montezume was a young team last year, and doesn’t lose a lot of production, and Shearer will be looking to lead his team to the championship game this year. Shearer has been committed to Truman State University for over a year now.
Kaleb Cornilsen Kaleb Cornilsen 6'5" | PF Easton Valley | 2021 State IA – Easton Valley High School, Forward – #56 Player in Iowa
Kaleb Cornilsen Kaleb Cornilsen 6'5" | PF Easton Valley | 2021 State IA was out towards the end of last year with an injury that kept him out of the postseason tournament. Hard to think he wouldn’t have impacted the game positively for his team. Cornilsen is a talented post player who has a bevy of moves whether back to the basket or face up. He uses a variety of spin moves, up fakes, and and turn around jumpers to convert around the basket. Cornilsen is someone who you can throw the ball into and expect him to do the right thing with it when he gets it. He has a strong right hand that he likes to go to around the basket. He has a jumpshot out to the 3 point line, but he is at his best inside 15 feet. He can be a zone breaker with the way he can shoot the 15 footer from the elbow. I like the way he passes the ball in the post to cutters, shooters, and even on the fast break. Cornilsen runs the floor well and fills the lanes to get to the right spot for his teammates to find him. Cornilsen is an efficient scorer eclipsing a 60% FG percentage this past winter. On the defensive end he is good about picking balls off and he averaged nearly 3 steals per game. Hopefully Cornilsen has recovered from injuries and goes into the season with a clean slate of health to take his team deeper into the postseason. Kaleb’s recruitment right now has no known offers, but he could be a gem of a DIII, NAIA pick-up for a program out there.
Cole Watts Cole Watts 5'10" | SG Montezuma | 2021 State IA – Montezuma High School, Guard – #62 Player in Iowa
The second Montezuma player on this list is Cole Watts Cole Watts 5'10" | SG Montezuma | 2021 State IA . Watts is a solid 3-and-D prospect for the Braves as he is almost as efficient as his teammates Shearer from the 3 point line shooting 41% from range. Watts has a smooth shooting touch from the outside with a qiuck release off the catch. After watching Watts, he’s one of the more efficient shooters off the catch overall in the state. Watts is also good at getting to the basket either in transition, cutting off the ball, or taking it off the bounce with a quick first step to get by the defender. Watts is a good on-ball defender who gets into passing lanes in order to get out in transition. Watts provides his team with someone who the defense has to account for because if he’s left open he will make them pay. He’s good at finishing around the basket as well, even through contact. As has been said before, Montezuma will be looking to take their season a game further this season and Watts’ deep shooting ability will only help that. Watts has no known offers right now, but I could see him fitting in at the NAIA level as a 3-and-D player with room to grow off the bounce.
TJ Harkins TJ Harkins 6'0" | SG Earlham | 2021 State IA – Earlham High School, Guard – #64 Player in Iowa
Another prospect in this class for one of the best shooters in the state would go to TJ Harkins TJ Harkins 6'0" | SG Earlham | 2021 State IA . Harkins does a lot of damage off the catch and shoot 3 point shot, but he also is able to pump fake, let a defender go by, and take a side dribble to drain a 3. His shot translates to the mid-range as well and he can hit a one dribble pull-up well. He gets nice elevation on his jumpshot and is able to to shoot over the top of the defense by the way he releases it at a higher point. Harkins looks for his shot whenever he has the ball in his hands on the offensive end and if the defense gives him space, that’s all he needs to cue up a shot from mid-range or on the perimeter. Harkins is also able to handle the ball at the piont guard position and get the offense into play and into positions to succeed. Another attribute that Harkins is good about is he turns the other team over, as he averaged just over 2 steals per game The thing that I like the most about Harkins game in the times I’ve been able to see him is the way he competes on both ends of the floor and effort is not something you have to worry about with him. The Earlham team was young, exemplified by their 3 leading scorers being underclassmen, and Harkins will be leading the charge for the Cardinals. I could see Harkins at the NAIA-low DII level as a 3-and-D guard who can grow his game into being more with the right situation, he has no known offers right now.
Trey Baker Trey Baker 6'4" | SF Martensdale-St. Mary's | 2021 State IA – Martensdale-St. Mary’s, Wing/Forward – #66 Player in Iowa
Trey Baker Trey Baker 6'4" | SF Martensdale-St. Mary's | 2021 State IA is one of the more efficient and skilled players within 15 feet that I’ve seen so far in this class. Baker has good balance, and is able to pivot really well and effectively on the block. Baker is a good back to the basket player on the block and uses both hands to finish around the rim, even to the point where I couldn’t figure out what hand he’s dominant with. His post moves include a nice spin move to his left handed hook, spin move into an up and under shot, and then a nice looking fall away jumper that he can use out to about 15 feet. I like the positional flexibility of Baker’s game as he can catch it on the wing and make plays, or he can get it on the block and is able to find ways to score. Baker is effective defensively by blocking shots, and is a good passer who understands where his teammates should be. His shot on the perimeter is repeatable, but could be more efficient, and if that happens he could be an even bigger weapon for the Blue Devils. Baker and his teammates were bounced in the first round at Wells Fargo by a good Montezuma team, but they will look to take another trip back to Des Moines with big plays from Baker. No known offers for Baker at the moment, but a DIII, NAIA program could get a good one.
Hunter Caves Hunter Caves 6'0" | PG Alburnett | 2021 State IA – Alburnett High School, Wing – #67 Player in Iowa
Coming off of a year where he wasn’t able to play hoops because of an ACL tear suffered during football season, Hunter Caves Hunter Caves 6'0" | PG Alburnett | 2021 State IA will be looking to make a comeback statement this upcoming season. Before the injury, in the 2018-2019 was a breakout year for Caves as he averaged nearly 14 points per game as a sophomore. Caves is an interesting prospect when it comes to position as he can run the offense as a scoring PG but he also led his team with 4 assists. I also think he’s fully capable of running off the ball and being a scoring wing. His best attribute is the way he weaves through the defense with either hand to get to the basket to finish with his left or right. He’s patient with the ball in both transition and the half-court offense to find an opening in the defense. He is strong and able to finish through contact well at the basket, as well as looking for the dump pass when he draws defenders around the rim. Caves plays well on both ends of the floor and sets the tone on defense with the way he can poke the ball free and get out in transition. He has a nice jumpshot from about 15 feet out and can shoot it off the dribble or catch. Coming off a long-term injury such as a knee injury and being out of competitive games for over a year can be tricky and it will obviously be a process to get back up to speed, but Caves seems like a player fully capable of that in order to bring a little more punch to the Pirates offense. Recruiting wise is hard to tell for Caves as he’s been off for quite a while now, so I think those type of evaluations will come later on when the season starts.
Taurice Grant Taurice Grant 5'11" | PG Meskwaki Settlement School | 2021 State IA – Meskwaki Settlement High School, Point Guard – #76 Player in Iowa
The #8 assist leader in the state of all classes this past season was Taurice Grant Taurice Grant 5'11" | PG Meskwaki Settlement School | 2021 State IA from Meskwaki Settlement. Grant not only led his team in assists but he’s in the top 2 in mostly all categories of his team. Grant is an efficient shooter from 3 but is definitely an efficient scorer everywhere else on the court. With the ball in his hands Grant makes play happen for his team and is a good lead guard who will do whatever his team needs to do. He’s best in transition and is good about taking it off the rebound and pushing the pace in order to beat the defense down the court. He’s physical at the point of attack and will use his body to create separation or to finish the play at the hoop. He has a nice mid-range game where he uses a nice floater and good touch from about 12-15 feet out from the basket. He has a quick first step that he can pair with good sweep through and ball fake moves in order to get by the defender and to the basket to make the best play possible for his team. Grant excels on the defensive end as he’s a good on-ball defender, plays good team defense sliding over to take charges, and making it tough on offensive opponent. Grant overall has a good change of speed and balance going towards the basket and is a good play-maker for the Warriors. Meskwaki came one game from going to Wells Fargo this past year, and with a tough competitor like Grant on the team again, they will have another chance to punch their ticket. Recruitment wise for Grant I see as a potential DIII player who could be a steal for some program.
Alex Koppes Alex Koppes 6'0" | PG Springville | 2021 State IA – Springville High School, CG – #84 Player in Iowa
Alex Koppes Alex Koppes 6'0" | PG Springville | 2021 State IA is a player for Springville who makes the team go in all aspects of the game. Koppes was the leading scorer for his team at just a touch under 20 points per game and did so at all three levels of the court. He’s a good 3 point shooter off the catch and coming off screens which he showed in his 45% 3 point percentage. Koppes is athletic and can get up and finish above the rim, and he is good in transition to finish at the rim. He reads the opponent offense well to move into a spot before the play even begins to develop. He can take his defender off the dribble and take strong drives using both hands. He’s a good passer and is able to find an open teammate within the offense. He has a good jumpshot from 12-15 feet out off the catch and gets good elevation on it. The thing about Koppes is he can play the point guard position who can lead the break and the offense in the half-court, but I feel he is able to slide off the ball and be a nice shooting/scoring guard. Springville lost to a talented Bishop Garrigan team in the first round at the state tournament, but with Koppes back Springville will look to take their season deeper into the tournament. Koppes does have a couple of offers in hand for his recruitment in DIII programs Dubuque and Central College.
Kayden Ames Kayden Ames 6'1" | SG West Fork | 2021 State IA – West Fork High School, Wing – #88 Player in Iowa
This list already has quite the shooter, but what’s one more in Kayden Ames Kayden Ames 6'1" | SG West Fork | 2021 State IA . Ames is someone who shot it from the perimeter at a 42% clip which proves itself that he can really shoot it. Ames is good at getting his hands and feet pre-shot and catches the ball and goes right into his shooting motion to create a quick release. This makes it difficult for defenses to cover him up without giving enough space for him to get his shot off. HIs screen footwork is good and developing and provides another way to get open for an open shot. Ames also has a nice dribble pull-up and can take it off the pump fake, one dribble pull-up with ease. He can take it to the hoop when he has space to to use quick bursts to get to the hoop or the defense has chased him off the line. He is effective on the post entry and relocate to get an open shot as well as coming off of a ball-screen to get a pull-up jumpshot in space. He has good touch and adds a nice floater to his game. He also is a nice slasher from the arch on back cuts, face cuts, etc. On the other end of the floor, Ames is tough defensively getting into passing lanes and turning the opponent over as well as getting on the boards to help his teammates out both offensively and defensively. West Fork came up short and finished the season in 4th place, losing the consolation game to Montezuma in the end and Ames will be apart of the 1-2 punch they have with Jakob Washington Jakob Washington 6'2" | SF West Fork | 2021 State IA to take them to the final game. As far as recruitment goes I think Ames is due for a jumpstart, and it could come this winter with no known offers at the moment. I think he has NAIA potential in his game.