Top 25 High School Basketball Players in Washington 2/16

As a precursor to conference, district, and state championships, I thought it was a good idea to update our high school basketball player power rankings.

This time around we've taken a look at your comments on our previous rankings, also we've consulted with several current high school players and coaches, and we've seen more games ourselves. Without further adieu here is round 2 of our player power rankings:

These are who we believe to be the top 25 players in the state regardless of class or position

1. Josh Smith (Jr.) Kentwood-PF/C--Has been dominating all competition. 15 points and 10 rebounds for him is an "off-game". He is currently averaging 26.7ppg. He has scored over 30 points on seven separate occasions this year. Kentwood is ranked second in 4A classification. Will he be able to lead them to a state championship?



2. Tony Wroten (So.) Garfield-PG--Still the best player in the Class of 2011, but his game still needs a lot of improvement. He will need to be able to trust his teammates a lot more if Garfield has a shot at the state championship. Great players are able to make their teammates a lot better, Wroten has not shown that yet. He is currently averaging 17.6ppg.

3. Peyton Siva (Sr.) Franklin-PG--Contains one of the sweetest shots in the State. Good mechanics and follow-through make him a 3-point and a pull-up threat. He is a nightmare to defend because he is the quickest player in the state and has an array of dribble moves to lose his defender. Right now, Franklin is the favorite to win the 3A state championship.

4. Abdul Gaddy (Sr.) Bellarmine Prep-PG--He is the best passer in the state of Washington, and perhaps in the country. If he had the supporting cast he'd probably be close to averaging 10 assists a game.

His team, Bellarmine Prep has dropped out of the 4A rankings, but is a dark horse in the State tournament if they make it in. UW fans already have a vision of a scary back court that combines the passing skills of Gaddy and the scoring prowess of Isaiah Thomas.

5. Aaron Dotson (Sr.) Rainier Beach-SG/SF--Out for the season. He will have knee surgery in Louisiana, and then start his rehab to begin his college career at LSU. His injury has hurt the Rainier Beach Vikings tremendously as they have taken a hit in the rankings dropping out of the top 5. Has one of the best mid-range jumpers in the state. Incredibly clutch and is very bouncy, he can rebound well.

 

6. Steven Bjornstad (Sr.) Columbia River-F--Has signed his LOI to attend and play at the University of Nevada next year. He has a lot of upside attached to him, he can rebound and score in the post efficiently.

He can seal off defenders with relative ease to get points in the post. Unlike the stereo-typical big man he can run the floor really well, sort of like Spencer Hawes. His best skill though is his shot-blocking ability, opposing teams have had to adjust their game plans accordingly. 

7. Marcus Tibbs (Sr.) Decatur-PG--College plans are currently unknown, he currently has Eastern Washington, Portland, and Portland State on his radar. He can penetrate well and finish around the basketball consistently. He also passes well. He is a great cross-court and full-court passer for Decatur.

Without him, Decatur would not be a contender for the 4A state championship. His exceptional point guard skills will serve him well at the college level.

8. Cole Dickerson (Jr.) Federal Way-PG--A solid athlete. The most valuable player on Federal Way, he has been key for their success this season. He is great down-low and is efficient at grabbing rebounds and scoring in the paint. He also has a nice consistent jump shot that is always a concern for opposing teams.

9. Aaron Bright (Jr.) Bellevue-PG--A solid player for only being a junior. He needs to keep on finding ways to distribute the basketball. Currently is leading Bellevue in scoring at 15.7ppg. He is by far the most confident and aggressive player out of the three stars at Bellevue. His play at the point guard position will be critical for Bellevue to make a deep state run.

10. Sterling Carter (Sr.) Franklin-SG--Out for the season. Committed to the University of Pacific.

11. Jaamon Echols (Jr.) Rainier Beach-PG--This kid is for real. He is very bouncy and is one of the most athletic players on Rainier Beach. That's saying a lot. He is great at penetrating and dishing. And although he can't finish consistently yet, he can draw fouls and score points that way.

12. Alex Schrempf (Sr.) Bellevue-F--An impact player when he is aggressive. His only weakness is not being aggressive enough. He doesn't have a huge body, but he can rebound well. He is an above-average finisher. It'll be interesting to see how he plays in the upcoming playoffs. Bellevue really thrives off Schrempf's sucess.

13. D'Vonne Pickett (Sr.) Rainier Beach-PG--He may not have the pure skills of his Rainier Bech counterpart, Jaamon Echols. However he is now Rainier Beach's go-to player. When the game is close, the ball belongs in Pickett's hands. He can break down opposing defenses and find his open teammates with skill. His play will be critical for the Vikings as they try to recover from late season losses and avenge themselves in the playoffs.

14. Michael Hale III (Sr.) Federal Way-PG--Lightning Quick. Second quickest guard I've seen next to Peyton Siva. He has meshed really well wth Cole Dickerson and Jeff Forbes, Federal Way enters the postseason as favorites to win the 4A state tournament.

15. Anthony Brown (Sr.) Shadle Park-SG--Committed to WSU.

16. Christian Behrens (So.) Tahoma-F--Averaging 20.5ppg, his team is struggling to win.

17. Corey Stern (Sr.) Rainier Beach-F--Averaging 10.8ppg. He is great at rebounding and blocking shots, I wish his coaches would utilize him more this way than trying to set post plays for him.

18. Jeff Budinich (Sr.) Kentlake-F--Leading his team with 15.8ppg. Committed to Montana St.

19. Colton Christian (Sr.) Bellevue-F--Averaging 13.5ppg for Bellevue. Still inconsistent, has trouble against taller and more athletic defenders.

20. David Wink (Sr.) Sammamish -C--Committed to Northern Illinois. Averaging 10.5ppg.

21. Brett Kingma (So.) Jackson-SG--Only played 7 games after injuring his arm. Averaged 20.1ppg in those seven games. He has one of the best shots in the state. If he's open and has his feet set he'll make the shot.

22. Jeffery Forbes (Sr.) Federal Way -G--Averaging 11.2ppg. Committed to Eastern Washington.

23. Brandon Durham (Sr.) Central Kitsap-F--Good fundamentals in the post. He doesn't force the issue a lot, and can be patient on the offensive end.

24. Patrick Simon (Sr.) Ephrata-F--Committed to WSU. Out for the season with an injury.

25. Ben Eisenhardt (Sr.) Bainbridge-F--Long, lanky, and skilled. Committed to Seattle U. Will not force the issue if the opportunity to score is not there. Needs to be a little more aggressive though on the offensive end.

Next 10 in: Ryan Gilkey-Woodinville, Eric Hutchinson-Mark Morris, Taylor Hoffer- North Kitsap, Chris Holmes- Franklin,  Tanner Riley- Mount Si, Jarell Banks-Mount Rainier, Jordan Kidd-Chief Sealth, Jerron Smith-Decatur, Steven Reinhart- Bishop Blanchet, Gary Bell-Kentrdige

Who's missing? Someone too low? Someone too high? Let us know...

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