Updated 2023 Rankings: Possible Breakout Prospects

<p>The 2023 player rani=kings were updated earlier this week and with that comes a slew of content. For this article, we’ll look at prospects who received a boost in their rankings and should continue on an upward trend as the summer progresses.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1049863" first="Ace" last="Valentine"] | Mount St. Joe/Mid-Atlantic Select</strong></span></p> <p><em>Ranking: No. 12</em></p> <p>Valentine’s stock has continued to ascend since he made the move to Mid-Atlantic Select. The 6-foot-3 lead guard also had a strong showing at Maryland team camp over the weekend. He’s always been dependable when it comes to putting the ball in the basket. He can shoot it off the catch from three, get to his spots in the mid-range and uses his improved burst to get to the rim especially in transition. Continuing to progress his point guard skills will be the aspect that college coaches evaluate closest. He has interest from LM-MM programs.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1114027" first="Aidan" last="Harris"] | St. Mary’s/DMV Stags</strong></span></p> <p><em>Ranking: No. 19</em></p> <p>Harris is back to 100 percent health after a rough year dealing with a few injuries. The 6-foot-6 forward continues to produce in DeMatha’s summer league and the last time I saw Harris live at Southern Jam Fest, he put on a show by scoring 25 points in a win. He’s a stretch big who poses as a legit pick-and-pop threat. When operating on the block, he resorts to his strong frame to bully his defender deep in the paint before finishing soft over the shoulder hooks. He defends both frontcourt positions well, rebounds well out of his area and understands leverage when battling a bigger matchup inside. Harris has several Division II and LM programs recruiting him.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1482973" first="Jake" last="Stout"] | Boys’ Latin/Mid-Atlantic Select</strong></span></p> <p><em>Ranking: No. 18</em></p> <p>Stout is another Mid-Atlantic Select guy who has taken advantage of the spring stage. He has good size at 6-foot-6 and a good face-up game that has given Patriot League programs reason to show interest. He’s becoming more comfortable operating off of 1-to-3 dribbles and effectively creates enough space to get his shot off. Moving forward, becoming more light on his feet and agile will only further help his stock. If he can show potential to play the three or four at the next level, the interest will turn to offers in a hurry.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1114029" first="Ryan" last="Sabol"] | Gonzaga/Prospect U</strong></span></p> <p><em>Ranking: No. 71</em></p> <p>Sabol caught my eye over the weekend at Maryland team camp as he formed a dynamic backcourt duo alongside 2025 Nyk Lewis. The 6-foot-3 guard can make shots at a high rate. His move to Gonzaga should result in him getting open looks on a regular basis considering the playmakers that will be around him. He’s also capable of breaking his defender down in quick isolation scenarios and often times results in step-backs to free up space of his shot. When he gets into the paint, he’s disciplined in using jump stops and using his feel and vision to find bigs lurking in the dunker’s spot. Sabol currently has no offers, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he gains significant Division II interest in the next month.</p>