Updated 2022 Rankings: Stock Raisers (Pt. 1)
It has been a crazy couple of seasons in Southern California high school basketball. From COVID-19 canceling spring and summer club sessions to delaying an entire high school season and causing some game cancellations, we were finally able to get…
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Continue ReadingIt has been a crazy couple of seasons in Southern California high school basketball. From COVID-19 canceling spring and summer club sessions to delaying an entire high school season and causing some game cancellations, we were finally able to get a season that allowed us to get a complete look at how the 2022 class stacks up which leads to our most recent updated rankings for the senior class.
In this piece we take a look at some of the biggest stock raisers who have been making their case to move up in the rankings over the last couple of years and were able to reap the benefits of their hard work.
Donovan Dent Donovan Dent 6'1" | PG Corona Centennial | 2022 State CA-S , Corona Centennial – There’s a lot to be said about Dent that can’t fit into this small paragraph, but his ascension from junior varsity player to back-up point guard to completely dominant California Player of the Year type of production are the reasons why he’s the second-ranked prospect in the region behind only Amari Bailey Amari Bailey 6'4" | SF Sierra Canyon | 2022 State #2 Nation CA-S of Sierra Canyon. Dent’s ability to control the pace of a game, his first step explosiveness and finishing ability around the basket, in addition to his poise and high basketball IQ in pressure situations make him the best point guard in the state, and perhaps on the west coast. Dent, a New Mexico-commit, helped lead Centennial to a CIF State Open Division championship in the 2021-22 season.
Jaden Henley Jaden Henley 6'7" | SF Colony | 2022 State CA-S , Colony – There are few players in the state, even the country, whose reputation rose more over the last two years than Henley. Our No. 3 overall prospect went from a sixth or seventh man type of role on a very good Colony team to the go-to player and one of the most dynamic playmaking wings we have in California. Henley is a a wiry, quick twitch athlete who can create shots for himself and teammates off the dribble. At 6-feet-7, Henley is an inside-out scoring threat who also has a tough mid-range game in his arsenal. One of the more intriguing parts of his game is his ability to handle and make decisions as a primary ball-handler, lending to his long-term potential as multi-positional guy who has tremendous upside. It remains to be seen how big of a steal Minnesota got in snagging Henley out of the Inland Empire, but it could be a major one.
Malik Moore Malik Moore 6'3" | SG Heritage Christian | 2022 State CA-S , Heritage Christian – Moore just oozes potential and upside to go along with his production at the high school level the last two seasons. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard is one of the best pure shooters in the region and is heading to a conference that could help boost his offensive game even more as he heads to Pepperdine and the West Coast Conference. When looking at projecting and long-term potential of a prospect, the ability to dribble, pass and shoot are the three key things that allow a high school player to be ready to contribute at the college level. Moore, our No. 8 overall prospect, has all of those tools with emphasis on the shooting ability.
Roddie Anderson Roddie Anderson 6'1" | PG Fountain Valley | 2022 State CA-S , Fountain Valley – Anderson is one of the most explosive athletes in all of Southern California, and when you combine that with his aggressiveness on both ends of the floor, transition speed and scoring ability and untapped potential, you have a player who has some major long-term upside. The 6-foot-1 point guard enters our top 15 after being in the 30’s after his junior season and the biggest reason for his jump is his combination of size, strength, athleticism and how his game translates to the modern point guard position. Anderson has some things to clean up with his three-point shot, but his two-way projection is a good one for the UC San Diego-signee.
Chol Deng Chol Deng 6'4" | SF Fairmont Prep | 2022 State CA-S , Fairmont Prep – We had our eyes on Deng early on in his junior season at Fairmont Prep and the 6-foot-4 wing continued to elevate his game against good opponents throughout his senior season. Deng is a long, wiry and athletic slasher who is tough to deal with in transition and really improved his ball skills and ability to get to the basket off the bounce in the half-court setting. Deng also proved to be a versatile on-ball defender and good offensive and defensive rebounder whose impact on that end of the floor made a huge difference for his high school team. Deng remains one of the top unsigned seniors in the region and should get plenty of Division 1 interest while playing in live period events this spring and summer.