Updated 2021 Rankings: Baltimore Combo Guards
Last week we updated our 2021 players rankings for the last a final time before they head to their next destinations. As usual, I’ll focus on the Baltimore prospects that appeared in the rankings breaking them down by position. We…
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Continue ReadingLast week we updated our 2021 players rankings for the last a final time before they head to their next destinations. As usual, I’ll focus on the Baltimore prospects that appeared in the rankings breaking them down by position. We move onto the Baltimore combo guards.
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Khyrie Staten Khyrie Staten 6'2" | CG St. Frances | 2021 State MD | St. Frances
Ranking: No. 14
Positional Ranking: No. 5
Staten has put together a high school career the old fashioned way. After two seasons on junior varsity, he earned his stripes and quickly became a steady producer on a nationally ranked team. The 6-foot-3 guard is headed to Delaware State in the fall where he’ll provide head coach Eric Skeeters with endless energy on the defensive side of the ball. He can matchup against either guard position and is known for his lockdown tendencies. Offensively we haven’t seen Staten featured as a primary ball-handler, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see him slowly develop into one as his career progresses. What he’ll bring automatically is shot-making from the off-ball position and a consistent finisher out in transition. Most importantly, Staten knows what it takes to create a winning culture.
D’Angelo Stines D’Angelo Stines 6'2" | CG Mount St. Joseph | 2021 State MD | Mount St. Joseph
Ranking: No. 15
Positional Ranking: No. 6
Stines took a similar path to Staten and used last season’s MIAA playoffs as a breakout stage to boost his recruitment. The 6-foot-3 combo guard will head to Old Dominion for his freshman year of college and look to bring his dynamic scoring to C-USA. Stines is a gritty defender who earned my respect this season by willfully guarding the opposing team’s best perimeter scoring option. A lot of times when you watch committed seniors, they tend to focus on the offensive end of the floor, but the strides that Stines took as a defender futher convinces me that he’s in store for a productive collegiate career.
Byron Ireland Jr. | St. Frances
Ranking: No. 22
Positional Ranking: No. 7
Ireland experienced quite a breakout season with St. Frances and was equally used both on and off the ball. Especially towards the latter portion of the season, Ireland became a primary scoring option thanks to his ability to do so off the catch or create for himself off the bounce. He hit the biggest shot of his career in the BCL title game as he nailed a stepback triple as time expired to force OT. Despite his team coming up short, he led the way with 22 points and that shot alone is one example of the growth in his game. There are a couple of Division I programs on the verge of offering Ireland, but he remains without any offers from any level up to this point.
Jalen White Jalen White 6'2" | CG Mount St. Joseph | 2021 State MD | Mount St. Joseph
Ranking: No. 56
Positional Ranking: No. 14
It’s always difficult to adjust from public school play to the MIAA and BCL. That was the case for White as he transferred from Old Mill this past summer. The 6-foot-2 lefty had some moments where he was comfortable and with a full schedule I think would’ve eventually found his stride within his role, but ultimately it was a challenging transition. White holds an offer from Navy, but it’s unknown as to what the rest of his recruitment is shaping out to be.
Vincent Payne Vincent Payne 6'2" | CG St. Maria Goretti | 2021 State MD | St. Maria Goretti
Ranking: No. 79
Positional Ranking: No. 22
Payne announced his commitment to Randolph Macon earlier this winter, which in my opinion, was a great decision. The 6-foot-2 sharpshooter had to carry much of the scoring load from the backcourt perspective and as a result, saw many opposing teams game planning to do whatever they could in order to contain him. It meant playing complete denial, throwing double-teams his way, and not allowing him to breathe whenever he caught the ball. Payne had his few 20+ point outings, but got a taste for how defense will be played at the next level, which will ultimately prepare him to make a smooth transition.
Jaylin Webster Jaylin Webster 6'0" | CG Dulaney | 2021 State MD | Dulaney
Ranking: No. 95
Positional Ranking: No. 28
Webster was unable to showcase his skills under the official whistle due to COVID forcing Maryland Public Schools to cancel the season. The 6-foot-2 combo guard showed progression as a junior in becoming more comfortable as a scorer and playmaker off the dribble. He can still use polish with his decision-making and trying to force the ball into small windows, but usually you see those progressions throughout a prospect’s senior season when the game slows down mentally for them. Webster has been contacted by Army and a list of schools at the Division II and Division III levels, but it’s unknown as to when he’ll come to a final decision.