By: Wake Hoops
As we get into the top 10, we look at five perimeter players who have all been under-recruited to this point. It should be expected that these guys all receive serious bumps in recruitment in their senior seasons.
You can see the updated rankings at the links below.
Tier 3 (6-8)
Tier 4 (9-12)
Tier 5 (13-16)
Tier 6 (17-22)
Tier 7 (23-28)
Tier 8 (29-34)
Tier 9 (35-39)
Tier 10 (40-44)
Tier 11 (45-50)
HM Part 1
HM Part 2
(6) 5’10” Chris Uwayo (Panther Creek)
Uwayo continues to be one of the most under-discussed and under-recruited players in the region. He’s a lethal shooter with unorthodox mechanics that allow him to have as quick a release as you’ll find. He’s incredibly twitchy for his size as he has a funky handle and elite body control. He gets off the ground for finishes and pull-ups quickly, not allowing defenses to properly contest. He isn’t an elite athlete but it’s more than made up by his ability to manipulate spacing and timing with his handle. He’s a quality playmaker that, similar to his scoring, has some uniqueness to his passing ability. He sees the floor well and is more than willing to make the right play. Defensively, he uses his great instincts and hands to apply pressure on the ball and disrupt passing lanes. Uwayo will be the favorite for SWAC POY while attempting to lead Panther Creek to their second conference title of the past four years.
(7) 6’2” Corey Hairston Jr. (Riverside)
Hairston is a strong-framed guard who plays at his own pace and scores it at all three levels. He doesn’t have elite burst, but he makes up for it by mixing up his speeds consistently. His strength makes him a punishing finisher in the paint as well as a good rebounder for his position. He can guard 1-3 effectively and doesn’t have much trouble switching onto post players when needed. He’s a high-level shooter off the catch with smooth mechanics and a high release. He’s slowly improved as a creator and is able to make simple passing reads with consistency. He averaged 17p/5r/2a last year and should see another jump in raw production with Riverside losing a handful of rotation pieces.
(8) 6’3” Chris Crudup (Southern Wake)
Crudup has been as consistent as anyone in the area over the past 12 months. He constantly produces, regardless of platform or circumstances. He’s a natural scorer who can score at all three levels and does a good job of mixing it up between them. He’s improved his explosiveness over the past 6-8 months, making him even more of a threat when attacking downhill and in transition. His shooting mechanics are smooth, fluid, and repeatable. He shoots the ball with confidence and doesn’t get too high or too low, allowing him elite consistency with his shot. He showed flashes over the summer as a playmaker and overall passer and it’s a layer of his game that can only add to his value as a prospect. He guards on and off the ball well and consistently capitalizes on offensive mistakes with steals, deflections, and forced turnovers.
(9) 6’4” Alex Rechetnikov (Southern Wake)
Rechetnikov is a smooth scorer who takes a low-maintenance approach to off-ball shot-making. His pace, poise, and confidence as a scorer are incredible as he never looks sped up or uncomfortable on the court, especially when trying to get to his spots. He gets his shots within the flow of offense via spot-ups, attacking closeouts, or transition plays. He’s also more than viable to create offense by himself when he needs to, he just isn’t the kind of player who eats up possessions, which is a testament to his team-first nature. His off-ball movement is natural as he always knows where the open space is and can fluidly transition from catch to shot while maintaining proper balance. Rechetnikov has been individually dominant on the private school scene for a while, and with his move to SWA, it’s only a matter of time before his name resonates throughout eastern NC.
(10) 6’1” Jayde Braswell (Hillside)
Braswell has quietly been making an impression for a while now, excelling as a do-it-all point guard. He shoots the ball well off the dribble and the catch. He made 47 threes last year and shot it relatively efficiently given the degree of difficulty of some of his attempts. He’s a plus rebounder for the guard position, using his length and toughness to attack the glass on both ends. He’s an underrated playmaker who plays at his own pace, controls the offense, and makes good passing reads. He’s comfortable creating out of actions, in chaos, or in transition, able to use his creativity and instincts to find openings for teammates. He’s a strong defender who slides his feet well and understands where and when to rotate.