LINK: Class of 2014 Rankings-Top 60
As a supplement to Capitol Hoops’ class rankings (see link above), Marc Stern and Edgar Walker have teamed up to provide more information about some of the top prospects in each class. For the class of 2014, the top 10 players are broken down with a brief scouting report and recruiting update.
1. Dwayne Morgan, F, City College HS: Morgan has been climbing the national rankings in recent weeks, and it’s not hard to see why. A legitimate wing prospect at 6’7″, Morgan has incredible length, high-level athleticism, and an insatiable appetite for improvement. His work ethic is outstanding, and it is beginning to pay off; everyone could see Morgan’s upside as he began his high school career, but now all of the tools are coming together. He currently holds five offers (Seton Hall, South Florida, UNLV, Florida, N.C. State) and is attracting a great deal of interest from Maryland and Texas. Morgan plays AAU ball with Under Armour-affiliated Bmore’s Finest.
2. Phil Booth, G, Mount St. Joseph: Booth is never flashy, but plays with great charisma and knows how to get the job done. A combo guard, he has solid ball handling skills to go along with natural scoring ability and excellent defensive skills–on and off the ball. Booth is a smart player and great teammate who makes good decisions and does not force the issue. At 6’4″ and possibly growing, his size and skill set translate well to the high-major level. His offers are currently from Georgetown, Maryland, Rutgers, Saint Joseph’s, and South Florida, while Indiana, SMU, Syracuse, Ohio State, Villanova, and others have expressed interest. Booth is a Team Takeover (Caron Butler) player.
3. Melo Trimble, G, Bishop O’Connell: Trimble might be the most fluid guard in the DMV, regardless of class. His natural basketball instincts are fantastic, and he seems to be three steps ahead of every other player on the floor. While not a freakish athlete, Trimble is hard to contain, as he identifies and takes advantage of missteps by defenders. Additionally, Trimble has a college-ready frame, carrying more muscle than most sophomores. At 6’3″, he currently plays more of a combo guard role, but could develop into more of a point guard in the next two years. Trimble currently claims seven offers (George Mason, UMass, Miami-FL, Rutgers, UNLV, Villanova, and West Virginia) to go along with interest from various high-major programs. He plays with D.C. Assault on the AAU circuit.
4. Obi Enechionyia, F, St. James: Enechionyia has great upside as a skilled 6’8″ wing with a smooth 3-point stroke and good leaping ability. He burst onto the scene in the DMV this year after transferring to St. James and helping the Frederick County school become one of the MAC’s top programs. In terms of recruiting, Enechionyia holds a UMass offer, and Maryland, Temple, Villanova, and Virginia (along with several other ACC and Big East programs) are showing significant interest. He is a standout on Team Takeover’s loaded 16U Caron Butler squad. [/format]
5. Dion Wiley, G, Potomac (MD): Wiley is a gifted scorer who can fill it up from deep, or take opportunities to slash and finish at the rim. One of the top 2014 shooters in the area, Wiley’s release is crisp and quick. He has solid size at 6’3″ and good length for a scoring guard. Georgetown, Indiana, Maryland, and Villanova have all shown interest. Wiley is yet another Team Takeover 16U star.
6. Kevin Zabo, PG, Montrose Christian: Zabo is a Canadian import, but has made his mark after one year in the DMV at Montrose Christian. Playing with the Mustangs, he showed a knack for making the right pass, taking defenders off the dribble, and taking advantage of scoring opportunities. Zabo has a George Washington offer, and claims interest from UConn, N.C. State, UCLA, West Virginia, and others. He plays his AAU ball with CIA Bounce.
7. Allante Holston, F, St. John’s: Holston has had to overcome injury issues, but has the tools to be considered one of the premier wing prospects in the region. At 6’6″, he has solid size and great athleticism, and flashes a quick first step. Holston has most recently been attracting interest from Georgetown, George Washington, and Xavier. Holston is the fourth Team Takeover Caron Butler AAU team member in our 2014 top 10.
8. Byron Hawkins, PG, Good Counsel: Hawkins has been flying slightly under the radar, but is beginning to make heads turn on the AAU circuit. A smooth and instinctual point guard, he knows how to break down defenses and determine the most appropriate course of action. Very unselfish, Hawkins always looks to set up teammates who are in dangerous position, but also knows when to take matters into his own hands. He catches defenders off guard and attacks the basket, also flashing a solid pull-up jumper around the perimeter. He currently holds offers from Delaware and Fairfield, with interest coming from Miami (FL), Indiana, and other high-major suitors. Hawkins is playing AAU with D.C. Assault.
9. John Crosby, PG, Poly: Crosby is another very smooth point guard. While some suggest that he may be a natural combo guard because of his scoring ability, it is that ability which makes Crosby such an offensive threat. He controls the ball well, and adjusts to the pace of the game. His pull-up game is very good and quickly improving, and although only around 6’2″, he has excellent length. Crosby–who holds a 3.8 GPA–already has an offer from Rutgers, with interest from UAB, Washington, Stanford, Virginia, and more. He has stated that Stanford is a personal favorite because of its strong basketball program and academic prestige. Crosby plays on the AAU circuit with Team Melo.
10. Andre Walker, F/C, Bullis: Walker is a high-upside prospect who could find his name even higher on this list as he continues to develop into his body and skill set. Standing 6’10”, the importance of his height and length cannot be understated. On top of that, Walker flashes some good skills, including nice touch on his short to mid-range jumper, and a variety of good post moves. With more consistent finishing and more aggression on the boards, the big man could become an absolute beast. DePaul is a big fan, and has already offered. Maryland and Cincinatti have also shown a good amount of interest. Walker plays AAU ball with Trimble and Hawkins for D.C. Assault’s 16U.
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Follow Edgar on Twitter at @Edgar_Walker.