Class of 2012 Basketball 100 to Watch

College programs looking for quality big men should find what they need in high school basketball's 2012 class.

Of the nation's top 100 sophomores heading into the summer, 30 have already topped 6-foot-8 and 10 are listed at 6-10 or better.

Leading the way are potential top-of-the-class talents like 6-8 Brandon Ashley (Bishop O'Dowd, Calif.), 7-0 Isaiah Austin (Grace Prep, Texas), 6-8 DaJuan Coleman (Jamesville-DeWitt, N.Y.) and 6-10 Andre Drummond (St. Thomas More, Conn.).

Another theme developing with this class is the number of foreign-born players. Eight newcomers to the United States hailing from Canada (Khem Birch, Junior Lomomba), Colombia (Hanner Perea), Nigeria (Emmanuel Ochenje, Joseph Uchebo), Sudan (Obij Aget, Peter Jurkin) and The Bahamas (Wanna Bail) made the cut.

The 2012 Top 100 rankings will be released in August.

Class of 2012 100 to Watch

RNK	NAME	POS	HT/WT	SCHOOLS
100.	Jordan Adams Central Gwinnett (Lawrenceville, GA)	G, W	6-4/210
Also a top quarterback prospect, earned Class AAAAA All-State honorable mention honors after big sophomore season.
100.	Obij Aget Mountain State Academy (Beckley, WV)	F	7-0/225
Born in Sudan, Aget didn't make much noise at Mountain State this year but earned rave reviews as a freshman at Central Park Christian in Alabama.
100.	Rosco Allen Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV)	W, F	6-7/185
Should see role increase next season for Nevada's defending 4A state champions.
100.	Kyle Anderson Paterson Catholic (Paterson, NJ)	G	6-7/180
Outstanding in supporting role for 28-1 and nationally-ranked Cougars, contributing 10.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.
100.	Justin Anderson Montrose Christian (Rockville, MD)	G, W	6-5/210
Disappeared at Montrose Christian this season after a promising freshman campaign and summer with USA U-16 team.
100.	Ryan Arcidiacono Neshaminy (Langhorne, PA)	G	6-3/185
Led Neshaminy in scoring (17.0 points per game), rebounding (5.4), assists (4.9) and steals (2.3) en route to All-Southeastern Pennsylvania honors.
100.	Brandon Ashley Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, CA)	F	6-8/220
Possibly California's most promising prospect regardless of class, Ashley led Bishop O'Dowd to a 30-4 record and the Division III state title game by averaging 13.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.
100.	Isaiah Austin Grace Prep (Arlington, TX)	F	7-0/200
Texas 7-footer has top-of-the-class potential.
100.	Wanna Bail Trent Internationale (Sugar Land, TX)	F	6-8/200
Native of The Bahamas plays at a bit of a mystery school in Houston area, but showed athleticism and a deadly 3-point shot last summer.
100.	Jaylen Beckham Lexington Catholic (Lexington, KY)	G	6-1/165
Wildcat fans won't have to go far to stalk one of 2012's top guards.
100.	Khem Birch Winchendon (MA)	W, F	6-9/195
Summers with Canada Grassroots Elite, which has produced stars like Tristan Thompson, Cory Joseph and Myck Kabongo in recent years.
100.	Chass Bryan Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, CA)	G	6-0/160
Helping a school known for its football success on the basketball map, tallying 14.0 points, 3.9 assists and 3.0 steals per game as a sophomore.
100.	Austin Burgett Avon (IN)	F	6-9/210
Posted 13.9 points and 7.1 rebounds while piling up scholarship offers from all over the Midwest.
100.	Omar Calhoun Christ the King (Middle Village, NY)	G	6-4/185
All-State selection helped Christ the King capture New York's Class AA title.
100.	Siyani Chambers Hopkins (Minnetonka, MN)	G	5-11/165
Helped Hopkins capture back-to-back state titles despite graduating all five starters from 2009 team.
100.	Matthew Christiansen Bishop McGuinness (Oklahoma City, OK)	F	6-8/215
Hails from same school as Kentucky short-timer Daniel Orton and posted 20 points and 13 boards in Oklahoma's 4A championship game.
100.	Willie Clayton Thomasville (GA)	F	6-7/200
First team Class AA All-State pick led Thomasville to title game with team-leading 17.4 points per game.
100.	Da Juan Coleman Jamesville-DeWitt (DeWitt, NY)	F	6-8/250
MaxPreps.com's National Sophomore of the Year led Jamesville-DeWitt to 25-1 record and Class A state title by posting 24.1 points and 15.4 rebounds per game.
100.	Raphael Davis South Side (Fort Wayne, IN)	G, F	6-5/190	Purdue
Honorable mention All-State selection after a strong sophomore season.
100.	Ishmael Douda Grandview Prep (Boca Raton, FL)	F	6-9/225
Put up 18.8 points, 14.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots per game as a sophomore at Grandview Prep after transferring from Choice Learning Academy.
100.	Andre Drummond More (Oakdale, CT)	F	6-10/250
Another strong candidate for 2012's top overall prospect, Drummond was a key piece of the USA's U-16 gold medal team in Argentina last summer.
100.	Perry Ellis Heights (Wichita, KS)	F	6-7/210
Sunflower State phenom made Falcons first back-to-back Kansas state champs at 6A level in 16 years with averages of 22.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.
100.	Jamal Ferguson Maury (Norfolk, VA)	G	6-4/175
All-Tidewater pick posted 16.6 points, 6.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game.
100.	Kevin Ferrell Park Tudor (Indianapolis, IN)	G	5-11/160
Associated Press third team All-State selection led Park Tudor to Class 2A title game with averages of 23.7 points and 4.6 assists per game.
100.	Michael Frazier Plant (Tampa, FL)	W	6-3/175
Burst on the scene with four games of 39 points or more and some flashy season averages – 26.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.
100.	Ricardo Gathers Riverside (Reserve, LA)	F	6-6/235
After the doors closed at Reserve Christian, Gathers transferred to Riverside Academy and promptly earned Class 2A Player of the Year honors after posting 19.9 points per game and leading the Rebels to a state title.
100.	Savon Goodman Academy of the New Church (Bryn Athyn, PA)	F	6-5/205
Shined the brightest on a team that also features top 2011 prospect Rakeem Christmas, posting 16.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per contest.
100.	William Goodwin Southwest DeKalb (Decatur, GA)	F	6-8/220
Rugged post player pulled down 11.1 rebounds per game and swatted 5.8 shots.
100.	Wesley Gordon Sierra (Colorado Springs, CO)	F	6-7/195
Earned second team Class 4A All-State after posting 8.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.6 blocked shots per game.
100.	Jerami Grant DeMatha (Hyattsville, MD)	F	6-7/180
Older brothers Jerai (Clemson) and Jerian (Notre Dame) will both be playing at the Division I level next season.
100.	Dorial Green Hillcrest (Springfield, MO)	W, F	6-5/200
Likely headed for a football career, but led Hillcrest to a state title and earned some state player of the year praise as a sophomore.
100.	A. J. Hammons Carmel (IN)	F	6-10/250
Averaged less than 10 points per game – despite shooting 69.4 percent from the field – but grabbed 7.9 rebounds and blocked 5.2 shots per game en route to All-State honorable mention.
100.	Jordan Hare Hill (Saginaw, MI)	F	6-9/200
Earned All-State consideration playing alongside Michigan POY Maurice Jones.
100.	Gary Harris Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, IN)	G	6-4/160
Averaged 14.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game for 17.4 Hamilton Southeastern.
100.	Chris Harrison - Docks Okemos (MI)	G	5-11/155
Earned Class A All-State consideration after putting up 18.0 points, 3.2 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game.
100.	Tyrone Haughton Dr. Krop (Miami, FL)	F	6-9/195
Helped Dr. Krop reach Class 6A semifinals.
100.	Jeremy Hollowell Lawrence Central (Indianapolis, IN)	F	6-7/190
Lawrence Central's leading scorer this winter part of a bumper crop of 2012 Indianapolis-area prospects.
100.	Twymond Howard Pearl (MS)	W, F	6-6/195
Also a standout on the football field, Howard's basketball talents appear to be taking over after posting 18.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game during Jackson Clarion-Ledger All-Metro season.
100.	Patrick Ingram North Central (Indianapolis, IN)	G	6-3/175
Should pick up the slack left by Terone Johnson's departure for reigning 4A champ North Central.
100.	Amile Jefferson Friends' Central (Wynnewoode, PA)	F	6-7/180
Averaged 14 points and 10 rebounds per game, helping attract offers from the likes of West Virginia, Penn State and Temple.
100.	Grant Jerrett Lutheran (La Verne, CA)	F	6-8/200
Blew up at La Verne Lutheran this season, averaging 18.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in leading Trojans to California's Division V state title.
100.	Xavier Johnson Chaparral (Temecula, CA)	F	6-6/190
Inside-outside player with legitimate guard skills scored 18.1 points per game while recording 17 double-doubles – including four games with 15 rebounds or more.
100.	Peter Jurkin United Faith Christian Academy (Charlotte, NC)	P	7-0/210
Native of Sudan has generated plenty of buzz with 7-foot frame.
100.	Kenny Kaminski Medina (OH)	W, F	6-6/185
Averaged over 15 points per game en route to Division I All-State honorable mention.
100.	Ricardo Ledo St. Andrew's (Barrington, RI)	G, W	6-5/175
Impressive sophomore season in the prep school ranks, scoring 15.6 points and grabbing 6.2 rebounds per game.
100.	Tyler Lewis Forsyth Country Day (Lewisville, NC)	G	5-11/160
NCISAA and Associated Press All-State pick, Lewis put up 20 points, 8.6 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game.
100.	Larry Lewis Arcadia (Phoenix, AZ)	G	6-2/175	Southern California
Already committed to Southern California, Lewis earned Arizona Republic first team All-State 4A honors after posting 22.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.
100.	Junior Lomomba Madison Memorial (Madison, WI)	W	6-5/190
Teamed with elite 2010 guard Vander Blue (Marquette) to help Memorial go 23-5 and reach Division 1 state championship game.
100.	Landen Lucas Sunset (Portland, OR)	F	6-9/220
Half of the Pac-10 has already extended an offer to Rose City post man.
100.	Elijah Macon Marion-Franklin (Columbus, OH)	F	6-8/210
Led Marion-Franklin to Columbus title game as a sophomore and has already committed and de-committed from West Virginia.
100.	De Juan Marrero Bowman Academy (Gary, IN)	W, P	6-5/205
Provided 15.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per game for Indiana's Class 2A state champions.
100.	Charles Mitchell Wheeler (Marietta, GA)	F	6-8/230
Averaged 7.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game in supporting role for Division I-bound Wheeler guards Jelan Kendrick (Memphis) and Phil Taylor (Florida International).
100.	Jermaine Morgan Young (Chicago, IL)	F	6-8/220
Has the look of an elite player, now must take his game to another level after posting 4.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game for loaded Whitney Young program.
100.	Shabazz Muhammad Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV)	W	6-5/195
Emerged as a star on a team loaded with at least five other future Division I players (not to mention a couple of Division I football players), tacking up 19.5 points and 10 rebounds per game en route to first team All-State honors.
100.	Alex Murphy St. Mark's (Southborough, MA)	F	6-8/180
Younger brother of current Florida Gator Erik Murphy.
100.	Darien Nelson - Henry Lake Washington (Kirkland, WA)	F	6-10/230
Showed some promise in averaging 9.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.7 blocked shots per game.
100.	Nerlens Noel Everett (MA)	F	6-9/210
Older brother Jim is a 6-foot-4 defensive back at Boston College.
100.	Phillip Nolan Vincent (Milwaukee, WI)	F	6-10/200
Not a dominant high school player yet but plenty of intrigue in long forward's game.
100.	Evan Nolte Milton (Alpharetta, GA)	F	6-7/195
One of four Milton non-seniors to earn Class AAAAA All-State honors and big reason why the Eagles could contend for the 2010-11 preseason No. 1 national ranking.
100.	Emmanuel Ochenje Brehm Prep (Carbondale, IL)	F	6-9/215
Nigerian import has a long way to go but physical tools are there.
100.	Braxton Ogbueze Vance (Charlotte, NC)	G	6-0/185
Teams with elite 2011 guard Marquis Rankin at Vance.
100.	Nkereuwem Okoro St. Raymond Boys (Bronx, NY)	G, W	6-4/195
Averaged 15.7 points per game this season for storied Bronx powerhouse.
100.	Maika Ostling Dayton (OR)	F	6-10/225
Helped Dayton reach Oregon's Class 3A title game.
100.	Marcus Paige Linn-Mar (Marion, IA)	G	6-0/160
Will help fill the Harrison Barnes void in Iowa next year after putting up 13.9 points per game for 22-1 Linn-Mar and earning first team Class 4A All-State honors.
100.	Tony Parker Miller Grove (Lithonia, GA)	F	6-9/260
Averaged 10.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game for Georgia's Class AAAA state champions.
100.	Timajh Parker St. Joseph (Trumbull, CT)	F	6-7/200
Earned All-State consideration after solid sophomore campaign.
100.	Ron Patterson Broad Ripple (Indianapolis, IN)	G, W	6-3/190
Led Broad Ripple to most wins (16) in 24 years.
100.	Hanner Perea United Faith Christian Academy (Charlotte, NC)	F	6-8/210
Originally from Colombia, Perea is one of several intriguing talents at United Faith.
100.	Zach Peters Prestonwood Christian (Plano, TX)	F	6-9/235
Part of a promising cast at Prestonwood Christian, Peters nearly averaged a double-double with 15.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per outing.
100.	Jordan Price McCallie (Chattanooga, TN)	G, W	6-5/200
Tennessee's Division II-AA Mr. Basketball award winner, Price tallied 16.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game.
100.	J - Mychal Reese Bryan (TX)	G	6-1/170
One of two sophomores to earn Class 5A All-State (top 20 players in classification) honors in Texas, Reese tallied 18.0 points, 5.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game for 25-8 Vikings.
100.	Jarmal Reid Columbia (Decatur, GA)	G, F	6-5/230
Has a football build but can definitely ball, playing a major role for Georgia's Class AAA state champions.
100.	Victor Robbins Carson (CA)	W, F	6-5/185
One of the Los Angeles area's top sophomores this winter, Robbins knocked down 23.5 points per game and grabbed 7.9 rebounds.
100.	James Robinson DeMatha (Hyattsville, MD)	G	6-3/180
One of several promising talents waiting in the wings at DeMatha.
100.	Glenn Robinson Lake Central (St. John, IN)	G, W	6-4/175
Big Dog's son averaged 15.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game at northwest Indiana school.
100.	Jalen Robinson Northland (Columbus, OH)	F	6-8/220	West Virginia
With Viking stars Jared Sullinger and J.D. Weatherspoon off to Ohio State, Robinson will greatly improve on modest sophomore numbers (5.7 points, 3.2 rebounds per game) as a junior.
100.	L. J. Rose Second Baptist (Houston, TX)	G	6-3/175
One of Texas' top private school performers, Rose scored 15.9 points per game while handing out 6.6 assists.
100.	Josh Scott Lewis-Palmer (Monument, CO)	F	6-8/200
Class 4A second team All-State selection pumped in 23.7 points and over 10 rebounds per game in leading Lewis-Palmer to 21-6 record.
100.	Winston Shepard Findlay Prep (Henderson, NV)	F	6-7/200
Extremely impressive-looking athlete was valuable off the bench for head coach Michael Peck's powerhouse.
100.	Matt Shrigley La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, CA)	F	6-6/180
Solid contributor for one of San Diego Section's top teams, averaging 12.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
100.	Aaron Simpson North Chicago (IL)	G	6-1/175
Led North Chicago in scoring (23.0 points per game) and rebounding (7.0 per game) while also distributing 3.3 assists per game.
100.	Jay Simpson Central (Champaign, IL)	F	6-8/225	Purdue
Hometown kid's commitment to Boilermakers has to sting a bit for Illinois.
100.	Marcus Smart Marcus (Flower Mound, TX)	G, W	6-3/195
All-State selection after racking up 16.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists while leading Marcus to 37-3 record and 5A semifinals.
100.	D' Vauntes Smith - Rivera North Central (Indianapolis, IN)	G, W	6-3/210
Second team All-State selection joined Purdue-bound senior teammate Terone Johnson in leading North Central to Class 4A title, averaging 19.5 points point game.
100.	Akeem Springs Waukegan (IL)	G, F	6-2/170
All-around athlete scored 9.7 points per game and almost four rebounds at 4A power Waukegan.
100.	Wesley Staten Sioux City West (Sioux City, IA)	G	6-1/175	Iowa State
Still a talent to keep tabs on after taking a step back as a sophomore following an All-State freshman campaign.
100.	Jarnell Stokes Memphis Central (Memphis, TN)	F	6-7/250
Bruising big man earned Class AAA All-State honors after averaging over 14 points and 12 rebounds per game for a Warrior team that handed nationally-ranked Melrose a loss in January.
100.	Rasheed Sulaimon Strake Jesuit (Houston, TX)	G	6-2/170
Began sophomore season with a 38-point outburst against Cypress Springs and had a season-high 45 against Alief Hastings en route to averaging 21.5 points per game.
100.	Brendyn Taylor View Park (Los Angeles, CA)	G	6-3/180
Father (Brian) and brother (Bryce) have both played at the professional level.
100.	Jordan Tebbutt Horizon Christian (Tualatin, OR)	W, F	6-5/200
A special talent slightly tucked away at a small school outside of Portland, Tebutt earned Class 3A Player of the Year honors after averaging 21 points and 10 rebounds per game while leading Horizon Christian to a state title.
100.	Jean - Pierre Tokoto Menomonee Falls (WI)	W, F	6-6/190
Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Division 1 first team All-State selection averaged 18.6 points per game while leading Indians to a 21-4 record.
100.	Earl Twyman Elsinore (Wildomar, CA)	G	6-1/170
Clutch guard teamed with University of Virginia-bound big man James Johnson at Elsinore.
100.	Joseph Uchebo Oak Ridge Military Academy (Oak Ridge, NC)	F	7-0/240	North Carolina State
The foreign theme continues for the 2012 class with this Nigerian 7-footer.
100.	Robert Upshaw Edison (Fresno, CA)	F	6-11/230
Averaged over 20 points and eight rebounds per game while garnering Fresno All-Area honors.
100.	Grant Verhoeven Central Valley Christian (Visalia, CA)	F	6-7/195
Small-school product putting up big time numbers: 20.7 points, 11.7 rebounds and 5.2 blocked shots per game.
100.	Tyrone Wallace Bakersfield (CA)	G	6-2/165
Left several 30-point games in his wake en route to leading Bakersfield in scoring (20.6 points per game) and rebounding (8.3).
100.	Kentrell Washington Western (Las Vegas, NV)	G, W	6-2/180
Plays with star freshman brother Sir and cousin Kenyon at Western, where he averaged 20.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.
100.	Adolphus Washington Taft (Cincinnati, OH)	F	6-6/240
Also a standout on the gridiron, Washington earned Division III first team All-State honors after posting 16.4 points and 11.2 rebounds per game.
100.	Gabe York Lutheran (Orange, CA)	G	6-2/165
Averaged 15.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game for strong Orange County program.