While it’s way too early to try and provide any definitive analysis on the top freshmen in the country, we can highlight the rookies that stepped in made an instant impact at the high school level.
Many high schools across the country only include grades 10-12, and some coaches are reluctant to play freshmen on varsity squads, preferring to season them for a year on junior varsity or “C” teams. There are hundreds of exciting players waiting in the wings to emerge as sophomores.
Perry Ellis of Wichita Heights High School (Wichita, Kan.) and J-Mychal Reese of Bryan High School (Bryan, Texas) didn’t need much of an adjustment period at the prep level and top our look at the class of 2012.
Ellis, a 6-foot-8 forward, was astonishingly named Gatorade Player of the Year in Kansas after averaging 19.1 points and 11.7 rebounds per game in leading Wichita Heights to a Class 6A state title. He is also reportedly a 4.0 student.
Dajuan Coleman, Jamesville-DeWitt (N.Y.)
Photo By Lonnie Webb
Reese, perhaps the most ballyhooed freshman nationally entering the season, averaged 18.9 points, 7.8 assists, 3.6 steals and 3.6 rebounds per game for a 30-3 Bryan squad. Reese was the only freshman to earn Texas Association of Basketball Coaches All-State honors at any level, and the only non-upperclassmen on the list of honorees in the 4A and 5A classifications.
Wesley Staten committed to Iowa State before ever playing a game at Iowa’s Sioux City West High School. With that decision finally out of the way, Staten earned second team 4A All-State honors from the Iowa Newspaper Association.
Twymond Howard of Pearl, Miss., is another rookie who began piling up hardware this winter. Howard, a 6-6 wing, earned All-Metro honors by the Clarion-Ledger after posting 19 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
Other freshmen were solid role players for top teams in their respective states. Dajuan Coleman of Jamesville-DeWitt (N.Y.), Tony Parker of Miller Grove (Ga.) and Junior Lomomba of Madison Memorial (Wis.) were all consistent double-figures scorers for highly-successful squads.
PRE-SUMMER CLASS OF 2012 50 TO WATCH
Listed Alphabetically
Class of 2010 100 to Watch / Notebook / Class of 2011 75 to Watch
|
Player |
Hgt. / Pos. |
School (City, State) |
College |
|
Obij Abet |
7-1 / F |
Central Park Christian (Birmingham, Ala.) |
|
|
Anrio Adams |
6-3 / G |
Franklin (Seattle, Wash.) |
|
|
Justin Anderson |
6-5 / W |
Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.) |
|
|
Kyle Anderson |
6-5 / W |
Paterson Catholic (Paterson, N.J.) |
|
|
David Andoh |
6-6 / F |
Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) |
|
|
Brandon Ashley |
6-6 / F |
Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland, Calif.) |
|
|
Isaiah Austin |
6-10 / F |
Mansfield Legacy (Mansfield, Texas) |
|
|
Michael Avery |
6-4 / G |
Crespi (Encino, Calif.) |
|
|
Aaron Bacote |
6-5 / G |
Bethel (Hampton, Va.) |
|
|
Jaylen Beckham |
6-0 / G |
Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Ky.) |
|
|
Dajuan Coleman |
6-8 / F |
Jamesville-DeWitt (DeWitt, N.Y.) |
|
|
Louis Dabney |
6-2 / W |
Reserve Christian (Reserve, La.) |
|
|
Jermaine Davis |
6-9 / F |
Garfield Heights (Garfield Heights, Ohio) |
|
|
Landon Drew |
5-9 / G |
Taft (Woodland Hills, Calif.) |
|
|
Wally Ellenson |
6-4 / W |
Eau Claire Memorial (Eau Claire, Wis.) |
|
|
Perry Ellis |
6-8 / F |
Wichita Heights (Wichita, Kan.) |
|
|
Ricardo Gather |
6-6 / F |
Reserve Christian (Reserve, La.) |
|
|
A.J. Hammons |
6-10 / F |
Carmel (Carmel, Ind.) |
|
|
Trey Henry |
6-1 / G |
Pine Crest (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) |
|
|
Twymond Howard |
6-6 / W |
Pearl (Pearl, Miss.) |
|
|
Xavier Johnson |
6-5 / W |
Chaparral (Temecula, Calif.) |
|
|
Junior Lomomba |
6-4 / W |
Madison Memorial (Madison, Wis.) |
|
|
Landen Lucas |
6-7 / F |
Sunset (Portland, Ore.) |
|
|
Elijah Macon |
6-7 / F |
Marion-Franklin (Columbus, Ohio) |
|
|
DeJuan Marrero |
6-5 / F |
Bowman Academy (Gary, Ind.) |
|
|
Jordan Mason |
6-1 / G |
Ennis (Ennis, Texas) |
|
|
Charles Mitchell |
6-7 / F |
Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) |
|
|
Jermaine Morgan |
6-8 / F |
Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.) |
|
|
Shabazz Muhammed |
6-1 / G |
Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) |
|
|
Nkeruwen Okoro |
6-3 / W |
St. Raymond (Bronx, N.Y.) |
|
|
Tony Parker |
6-8 / F |
Miller Grove (Lithonia, Ga.) |
|
|
Ron Patterson |
6-3 / W |
Broad Ripple (Indianapolis, Ind.) |
|
|
Zach Peters |
6-8 / F |
Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas) |
|
|
Jordan Price |
6-4 / W |
Columbia (Decatur, Ga.) |
|
|
Reggie Ragland |
6-3 / W |
Bob Jones (Madison, Ala.) |
|
|
Joe Rahon |
6-1 / G |
Torrey Pines (San Diego, Calif.) |
|
|
J-Mychal Reese |
6-1 / G |
Bryan (Bryan, Texas) |
|
|
James Robinson |
6-1 / G |
DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) |
|
|
Jalen Robinson |
6-6 / F |
Westerville South (Westerville, Ohio) |
|
|
Devon Scott |
6-7 / F |
Northland (Columbus, Ohio) |
|
|
Josh Scott |
6-7 / F |
Discovery Canyon (Colorado Springs, Colo.) |
|
|
Winston Sheppard |
6-6 / W |
Hightower (Missouri City, Texas) |
|
|
Matt Shrigley |
6-5 / F |
La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, Calif.) |
|
|
D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera |
6-3 / W |
North Central (Indianapolis, Ind.) |
|
|
Wesley Staten |
6-1 / G |
Sioux City West (Sioux City, Iowa) |
Iowa State |
|
Jamaree Strickland |
6-9 / F |
McClymonds (Oakland, Calif.) |
|
|
Freddie Tagaloa |
6-8 / F |
Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) |
|
|
J.P. Tokoto |
6-5 / W |
Menomonee Falls (Menomonee Falls, Wis.) |
|
|
Robert Upshaw |
6-11 / F |
Edison (Fresno, Calif.) |
|
|
LaBrent Walker |
6-0 / G |
Bayside (Bayside, N.Y.) |
|
|
Gabe York |
6-2 / G |
Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.) |
|
