Class of 2014 Analysis

Scout.com recently released their updated rankings for the class 2014, which represents the first up date of the 2012-13 high school season. The previous rankings included 75 players, while the updated release now includes 100 players. While several players made the jump into the rankings for the first time (highlighted by St. Rita’s Vic Law jumping to #48) here is a look at the players that had the biggest fluctuations in the rankings:

The Good:

(+38) Goodluck Okonoboh, 6’9” Wilbraham & Monson

Okonoboh jumped up 38 spots, from #75 in the fall to #37. After re-classifying to the 2014 class and transferring from the Tilton School to Wilbraham & Monson, Okonoboh started the year off on a strong note at the Prep School Showcase in Connecticut blocking shots left and right. While most consider him one of the top shot blockers in the country, he has also been working on expanding his offensive repertoire. While Okonoboh sports the same hair style as Nerlens Noel, stepping out of his shadow has done wonders for his game and ranking.

(+26) T.J. Haws, 6’3” Lone Peak

Teammates Nick Emery and Eric Mika received a bump up in the class of 2013 rankings and T.J. Haws jumped up to #40 after previously being ranked #66. Haws’game has been on display for the whole country to see this year while leading his team to a #3 national ranking. Haws averaged 20 points per game in the City of Palms Classic while he has also performed strongly in various other national tournaments. Haws has unlimited range on his jump shot and can also throw down a high flying dunk when necessary. 

(+22) Namon Wright, 6’4” Pacific Hills School

Namon Wright out of LA has drawn increased attention from Pac-12 schools this winter as he recently landed scholarship offers from Arizona and Washington. Wright increased his stock by 22 spots with his strong play going from the 52^nd ranked prospect to the 30^th. Having improved his outside shooting ability, Wright will look to represent the West Coast throughout the spring and summer. 

(+15) Paul White, 6’8” Whitney Young

Paul White started his high school career in the top 25 before slowly sliding down the ranks as other players emerged on the scene. Going into his junior year, White was ranked as the number 44 prospect in the country. After solid performances at the City of Palms, Hoop Hall classic, and Chicago Public league, White has risen back up to #29 in his class. While White has not put an extremely dominant game together, he has managed to fill the stat sheet almost every game. Whitney Young is currently the 2^nd best team in the city of Chicago and state of Illinois and if they are to topple top ranked Simeon, they will need a great performance from White.

The Bad:

(-33) Jarred Terrell, 6’3” Brewster Academy

The powerful guard dropped out of the top 25 and down 33 spots to number 58. Terrell plays on one of the most talented prep schools in the country and has performed strongly throughout the season. Terrell started the season off well at the Prep School Showcase and has showed off his strength and athleticism throughout the season. Despite the drop, interest from colleges has not declined. 

(-20) JaQuan Newton, 6’1” St. John Neumann Goretti

Newton dropped 20 spots from #42 to #62 in the country as his team most recently lost a nationally televised game to Chester. Newton has spent the season showing off his strength in driving to the basket but is still a suspect outside shooter. Newton will need to show off an increased jumper during the AAU season to regain his top 50 ranking.

Other Notes:

Justin Jackson, a small-forward from Houston jumped from the #16 prospect to the #10, while small-forward Theo Pinson dropped from the #11 prospect to the #18. Jackson continues to grow and now stands around 6’8.” While he used to be just an outside jump shooter, Jackson has somewhat gone away from knocking down 3’s and has perfected an unstoppable floater while also scoring more in the paint with his new found height. On the other hand, Pinson exhibited an improved outside jumper during the Brandon Jennings Invitational but has not performed at the same level he was during the July time frame.