Class of 2018 Rankings: Breaking Down The Bigs (Part I)
We our continuing our comprehensive content launch around our new rankings with a position-by-position breakdown of various positions.
Today we are breaking down the post players. We’ve included players who primarily play the four or five for their teams.
Let’s get right to it:
Will Becker, 6-8, No. 4, Smoky Hill/Colorado Hawks
The ultra-athletic Becker is coming off a season in which he led all big schools in the state in rebounding (11.6 per game) and blocks (4.6). Add in 10 points per game on offense, and few players affect the game in more ways on both ends of the court. Becker is sure to catch the eyes of mid-major Division I schools on the Adidas Gauntlet circuit this spring and summer. Becker’s strength is in his motor that combines with his athleticism, a pairing of traits that allows him to constantly be around the rim. He’s a fastbreak lob dunk waiting to happen, but he also handles well enough to run breaks and can take even smaller defenders off the dribble. Becker needs to continue to get stronger physically, but he has intriguing upside.
John Harge, 6-7, No. 7, Smoky Hill/Billups Elite
Another Smoky Hill product, Harge made big strides in his game as a junior, perhaps most notably in the way he’s expanded his offensive skill set. Harge displayed good feel for the ball and has come a long way as an outside shooter. He was in much better condition after injuries had robbed much of his sophomore season, and when Harge is running the floor, he can be a real load to contain. Expect to see him garner attention this spring and summer as a frontcourt centerpiece for Billups Elite.
Brendan LaRose, 6-8, No. 13, Falcon/Colorado Hawks
LaRose is a prototypical three-and-defend stretch four. He provides good rim protection because he is athletic, has a good nose for the ball and is will to run the floor. And LaRose has the ability to step out behind the 3-point line and hit shots on a consistent basis.
Tray Pierce, 6-8, No. 14, George Washington/Billups Elite
Coming off strong play in the 5A state tournament, where he helped lead George Washington to the championship game, we’re excited to see what Pierce brings to the table as he joins Billups Elite by way of its merger with Colorado Connect, with whom Pierce really started rising last summer. Pierce is as long as anyone in the state, and he’s got good athleticism. That combination alone makes him a threat at the rim on both ends, but the stride Pierce seems to have made most is that he’s become more assertive. Pierce is a reserved, quiet kid and early in his career that would sometimes match his persona on the court. But Pierce has become much more aggressive, and he’s seeing the results.
Luke Martin, 6-7, No. 22, Cheyenne Mountain/The Force
Martin is another “stretch four” player who can really stroke it from behind the arc. He ramped up his scoring as a junior this season (14.4 points per game) by being more aggressive in taking the ball to the basket. Though his 38 3-pointers were only two more than he made as a sophomore, Martin attempted 60 more free throws (108, made 77 percent) than he did as a sophomore. It also helped him average 7.3 rebounds this season.