The 2022 Rankings All-Stars (First Team)
In this article:
How could you possibly leave Gradey Dick Gradey Dick 6'7" | SF Sunrise Christian (KS) | 2022 State #21 Nation KS off of an all-star team? Well, this is the 2022 Rankings All-Star Team, the collection of all the players…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingHow could you possibly leave Gradey Dick Gradey Dick 6'7" | SF Sunrise Christian (KS) | 2022 State #21 Nation KS off of an all-star team?
Well, this is the 2022 Rankings All-Star Team, the collection of all the players ranked by their position. It just so happens that Gradey Dick Gradey Dick 6'7" | SF Sunrise Christian (KS) | 2022 State #21 Nation KS , one of the very finest players in the nation, is categorized by Prep Hoops at the same position as Mark Mitchell Mark Mitchell 6'7" | SF Sunrise | 2022 State #8 Nation KS , the top rated player in the state.
Don’t throw anything at the computer! Hold your angry emails! We realize that many of our ranked players could play several different positions. And we realize that some guys, like super-versatile guys like Dick and Zaid Dajani Zaid Dajani 6'4" | CG Olathe Northwest | 2022 State KS defy positions.
But just for fun, here’s the 2022 Rankings First Team, the top player at each of our six positional classifications (listed by position, name, state ranking, size and high school):
First Team:
Point Guard: Mozae Downing-Rivers Mozae Downing-Rivers 6'3" | PG Free State | 2022 State KS , #4, 6-foot-3, Free State HS:
Downing-Rivers was the catalyst of the 20-4 team that narrowly lost to Campus in the semi-finals. He has an unfair physical set of tools for a point guard. He’s got length and size, to go with his intangibles like vision and competitiveness. He attacks opposing point men and creates trouble at the defensive end. He can create opportunities for himself, but does a great job of distributing the ball.
Combo Guard: Fontaine Williams Fontaine Williams 6'1" | CG Derby | 2022 State KS , #5, Derby HS (pictured):
It’s tough to stand out when there are so many quality guards around, but Williams is the unquestioned standout for the Panthers. He averaged 16.4 points. He combines a remarkable ability to beat a defender off the dribble and an efficient 3-point stroke. If there was any doubt about his talent, he wiped them away with an impressive showing with the Kansas Players this summer.
Shooting Guard: Jordan Brown Jordan Brown 6'2" | SG St Francis | 2022 State GA , #7, 6-foot-4, Free State HS:
How can two of the top guards in the rankings be on the same high school team? It’s because Brown transferred to Free State during the summer. There’s not a lot Brown can’t do – he’s a top-ranked prospect on the gridiron, and one of the finest shooters in the state. He’s got length and spring, making him as dangerous on the drive and in transition as he is spotting up on the perimeter.
SF: Mark Mitchell Mark Mitchell 6'7" | SF Sunrise | 2022 State #8 Nation KS , #1, 6-foot-8, Sunrise:
How good is Mitchell? Well, he’s good enough to relegate Gradey Dick Gradey Dick 6'7" | SF Sunrise Christian (KS) | 2022 State #21 Nation KS to the second team. He’s currently rated the #12 player in the nation by Prep Hoops. He’s got incredible length and explosiveness, great skill with both hands and excels around the bucket. After leading Miege to a state title, he’ll hone his game at Sunrise this year. He’s the object of quite a recruiting battle.
Power Forward: Trey Moala Trey Moala 6'7" | PF Paola | 2022 State KS , #9, 6-foot-7, Paola HS:
Moala flies under the radar somewhat, but he got a lot of praise for his work this summer for Team KC. He’s long and athletic, lending to a very versatile game. He averaged 17.1 points, 6.2 assists, and 2.3 assists as a junior. He runs the floor, scores in a variety of ways, and crashes the boards. Moala moves his feet on defense and has great hands, leading to a lot of frustration for opponents at the defensive end.
Center: Jace Linenberger Jace Linenberger 6'7" | C Hays | 2022 State KS , #26, 6-foot-6, Hays HS:
The highest rated true center in the class, Linenberger may prove to be ranked too low by the time his senior year is over. He played on a loaded Hays team last year, so his stats might not overwhelm you. But he’s one of the most rugged and relentless men in the lane you’ll find. For Midwest Magic Elite, he was a go-to performer when the team needed it. As a junior, Linenberger scored 16.5 points and grabbed 8 boards a game, shooting 66% from the field.
Fear not, the second and third teams are soon to come!