#1 Laron Black

7th Graders

1. Laron Black 6′4 (Forward Cordova M.S.) If you watched him as a younger player a few year ago, you knew you were looking at a future star. Well, that time has come and Black is not only a rising player in the state but in the country. Able to play the 3-5, he is more projected more as a 3 man with the ability to do a little bit of everything well. Not only can he score the ball with the jumper but what some don’t know is the kind of player he is in the post, and very good he is. Facing up or with his back to the basket, he is money around the rim to about 10-15 feet out. He rebounds better than any player his age in the state making him able to control games and he blocks shots at a good rate. He’s always around the basket and he’s hard to keep from scoring because of lenght. His handle is good enough right now but he has a tendency to dribble a little high making him succeptable to steals. Because he blocks shot so well, he does get into foul trouble sometimes being over aggressive. Black is on the verge on making himself a household name on the local scene but his game has already taken him to a national stage.

2. Jerry Johnson Jr 5′11 (Guard Germantown M.S.) Deadly 3 point shooter trying to turn himself into more of a scorer as offensive player. He has very good range on his shot and he shoots it as good as anyone in Middle School. He can shoot it on the move but he’s much better as a spot up shooter. Ball handling is deceptive but it needs to get better if wants to learn to create more off the dribble which is a problem. He has a floater that he has developed over the year and he can hit it when he gets to middle. Lateral movement is a bit of a problem, will it hinder his development. Creating his own shot is something that he needs to improve on so he won’t just be known as a shooter.

3. Tony Becton 5′10 ( Guard American Way) Fastest player in the open court in Middle School, regardless of class. He has a great change of direciton dribble and he can get to the goal almost whenver he wants. Defensively, he’s good but I think he could be the best on ball defender in this class if he really wanted too. He has all the tools to be a really good player for years to come. He can rebound with bigger players and his motor doesn’t stop when he’s on the floor. His shooting needs to become better so defenders don’t start to play off him and play him for the drive. He also seems to be really hard on himself and if he’s not playing well and  his emotion shows on the court which can lead to erratic play. I have no doubt that Becton can put himself into a class by himsef as one of the best point guards in the state, if he wants it bad enough.

4. Joseph Williams 6′3 (Forward/Center) Established himself as one of the best post players in the city last year after hitting the scene last season. He’s so athletic, you can see him as a small forward like his brother (Calvin Williams) in a few years with a lot skill development. He on more than a few occassions got over the rim for rebounds last year showing a skill for rebounding the ball. He gets off his feet very quickly, making him very good at tip backs on the offensive end and getting big blocks when a guard is able to penetrate past his teams guards. He has developed a nice baby hook and he can turn in both directions on the pivot to score. To develop more as a post, he has to develop a consistent jumper so he can use his quickness to get by bigger and slower forwards and centers. Fouls often put him on the bench early in games so he has to learn to stay on the ground when guys try to get him in the air. His talent level will only continue to improve and when it does, he could be the best player in his class.

5. Tim Shaw 5′7 (Point Guard Catholic M.S.) Crafty lead guad with a good feel for the game for a player in the 8th grade. Shaw can hit the open jumper and make smart decisions in a fast tempo or half court style. He’s not afraid to take and make big shots when the game is in balance. He’s a coach on the floor type of point guard and he plays aggressive defense on his man. He tends to jump in the air and make passes at times forcing turnovers. Shaw has improved a lot in the 2 years and will continue to do so because of his basketball IQ and talent.

6. James Prather 6′2 ( Forward/Center) Big strong  power forward with good moves around the basket. He knows how to position his body for rebounds and he can finish through hard fouls. Sometimes he tries to do things that are not his strong suit (spin moves) and his footwork makes him prone to get beat by quicker post players. The  best part about Prather is how hard he plays.

7. Malik Sanders 5′8 ( Shooting Guard Ridgeway M.S.) Scorer who unlike a lot of player in this class can get his own shot. He can score in a variety of ways including on the move, and with the jumper. He’s just a player that knows how to score. He should find himself in Ridgeway’s starting line up this year and put up some good numbers. Some question his emotions on the court at times but don’t question his ability as a player.

8. Trey Moore 6′0 (Forward MUS) His size makes him a very interesting player. He puts it on the floor well enough that he probably will and can play some guard this year. He has a good physique so most coaches will try to put him in the post but he is more of a perimeter type who can make jumpers.

9. Cedric Anderson 5′9 (Guard) Long combo guard with the ability to shoot the ball as well or better than most players in this class. Problem is that he could do so much more but he has become to dependant on the jumper for him to start using all of his talent. He could be a very good offensive player but he has to start to believe in other tools that he has. He has good lenght and should be able to shoot over and create his own shot over most players. If he starts to do this, he could rise to a top 5 slot.

10.Chris Chiozza 5′6 ( Point Guard Appling Farms M.S.)  Didn’t play basketball this summer but for him to still be in the top 10 says a lot about his talent. Chiozza has a flair for passing and penchant for hitting 3-pointers. Smallish, that he is but he is in the conversation as one of the best point guards in his class.

11. Shuterrio Alexander 6′0 ( Forward/Center American M.S.) Played a little bit last year but should have more of role this year maybe as a starter for American Way. He’s strong and is very good at the catch and turn in the post for easy lay ins. Boxing out is something that he has to get better at because a lot of boards come off of his strenght.

12. Douwante Thomas 6′1 (Forward Schilling Farms M.S.) Extremely athletic forward who has been put in the post and now has to try to start working on perimeter skills. Thomas needs ballhandling work and work on his shot but without a doubt, I think he’s the most athletic player in this class right now.

13. Marcus Deanes 5′6 ( Point Guard ) Surprised me this summer with his scoring and he a big time competitor. Could be a nice pg if he can knock down open shots.

14. Tyrone Banks 4′11 ( Point Guard) Little guard with a lot of scoring ability. Banks is adept with the runner and hitting the 3 but his height hurts him at times like it does other small players. He can hurt you though offensively though and he has experience because he started some games last year at Southwind Middle.

15. Nick Smith 5′5 (Point Guard Cordova M.S.) Smart point guard who can run the team and not try to do things that he can’t do. Quickness is what is missing right now but Smith knows the game and he can play his position.