Central Section HS Hoops: Class of 2027 Player Rankings (Version 2.0)

In the first iteration of player rankings for the Class of 2027, I stated that this class lacked the depth of talent and next-level prospects as the 2026 Class. Now that I have had a year to observe the players from this class in various settings (high school team, club team, and individual camps/showcases), it is clear that this class has much more depth than I initially thought and could even have a few players that end up with national recognition, compared to the two classes above it. This will depend on how a few of these prospects develop over the next year, but the size and athleticism of a couple of these sophomores could garner national attention from D1 coaches. 

I have updated the initial list for this class, which includes play during the Spring and Summer club sessions, the Scholastic Live Periods of June, and the Fall individual and team showcases, as well as the first month and a half of the 2024-2025 high school season. I have expanded this list from 21 to 41 players from around the Central Section. The 4th Annual Central Cali Prospects Next Up Showcase, an event that provides a great opportunity for me to see the next wave of up and coming prospects in the Central Section, featured nearly all of the top players from this class, as well as some I had not seen up to that point. Team events in the Fall like the Clovis West Nike Shootout, the Heart of California Basketball Classic, the Clovis West Nike Invitational, the Lloyd Williams Holiday Hoops Tournament, the Modesto Christian Holiday Hoops Classic, and various single game match-ups have allowed me ample opportunities to evaluate and observe the play of a majority of the top sophomores in the Section. 

This list takes into consideration two key factors in determining where players are ranked, and will be the same criteria used each time this list is updated. The criteria for these rankings are as follows: current skill level and production on the court, as well as future projection at the collegiate level. Below the written portion of this article is the complete list of players, which includes the following information: current rank, their previous rank in parentheses, the player’s name, height, player position, and current school attending. We begin this updated list with a new name at the top and one of the top long-term prospects in the Section, Godson Eyita.

Taking over the #1 spot, and moving up ten spots from the initial round of player rankings for this class, is the big man for St. Joseph, Godson Eyita. Eyita had a highly productive Spring and Summer playing with Team Why Not 15u EYBL, where he anchored the interior for the 15U EYBL Peach Jam Champs. Eyita played well during the Scholastic Live Periods in Arizona and NorCal, as he was the force in the middle for the Knights in Roseville, CA. Eyita attended our 4th Annual Next Up Showcase and made it clear in his first few minutes on the court that he was the most dominant and best player at the event. Eyita had games of 17 points and 15 rebounds, and 28 points and 11 rebounds to earn the event’s Most Outstanding Player honors. He would follow this up with a top 5 showing at the illustrious Pangos All-West Frosh/Soph Camp that was loaded with talent from the 2027 and 2028 classes in the Western region. Eyita is part of the core rotation for the Knights and gives it the interior presence that will be tough for anyone to stop, as St. Joseph is the front-runner to win a Section Title and make a run at a state championship. Playing alongside Tounde Yessoufou and Julius Price means his scoring numbers will not be eye-popping this year, but he will be key for the team’s goals for the year. Eyita is an elite rebounder and rim protector, has nice hands and touch on shots around the basket, can put the ball on the deck and attack from the high-post, can space the floor with the 3-ball effectively, runs the floor well in the open court, and has good back-to-the-basket scoring moves in the paint. There is a lot to like with Eyita’s game and if he continues to develop his all-around game, he could be a player that moves up the national rankings by the end of the Summer. 

Moving down one spot and coming in at #2 is the lengthy and athletic wing/slasher Cobi Posas of Roosevelt. Posas had an impressive freshman season with the Rough Riders, as he would average 12.4 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game. Posas would play club ball during the Spring and Summer with Exposure Sports 15u on the NXTPRO Circuit, and would be one of the standouts at the PUMA PRO16 Player Showcase in Las Vegas, Nevada. At the 4th Annual Next Up Showcase in Bakersfield, CA, Posas had a great showing and was a top 5 performer with games of 15 points and 7 rebounds, followed by a 23 point showing and displaying his range with 5 threes. Posas has led the Rough Riders in points per game so far this season at 17.6, as well as 7.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. Posas has the length and size to defend in the interior, as well as the wingspan and agility to defend perimeter players. Posas is an high-level rim protector with good timing on his block attempts, has nice touch around the basket with moves to spin off bigs and create space for shots writhing 15 feet, has the handles and moves to create space on the perimeter, moves well off the ball to get open looks, is accurate with the pull-up jumper, and is effective with the 3-ball off the bounce or the catch. Posas is one of the more versatile players on both ends of the court in the Section and continues to add layers to his overall game. 

Malcolm Price of St. Joseph moves up two spots to #3 and is emerging as the top guard prospect in the 2027 Class. Price, the younger brother of Julius and the top player in my 2026 player rankings, is starting to carve out his own path as one of the top guards in the West for his class. Price had a great Spring and Summer of club ball, as he would play an integral part for Team Why Not’s 15u EYBL squad that would win the E15 Peach Jam Title. Price also had impressive showings in Arizona and in NorCal at the two Scholastic Live events in June, as well as a top 60 showing at the illustrious Pangos All-West Frosh/Soph Camp. Price has kept up his high-level of play during the first month and a half of the season, as he is currently team’s 3rd leading scorer at 13.7 points a game and a big time showing at the City of Palms Classic with 20 points against Edgewater of Florida. Price has elite handles, shifty moves to create space from his defender, gets great lift on his jumper, is capable of making tough mid-range shots off the bounce, and is accurate from beyond the arc. Price is a tough on-ball defender, creates turnovers to get out in the open court, has the court vision to make plays to open teammates in transition or the half court setting, and is a solid positional rebounder. Price will be key for the Knights this season, as he has stepped up his scoring and the depth he adds to the backcourt. 

Holding steady at #4 in this round of player rankings is the skilled and fundamentally sound wing/forward Asher Thompson of Clovis East. Thompson has been one of the more productive and integral parts to his high school team since the start of his high school career, as his size and capabilities in the post were a welcomed addition to the Timberwolves and averaged almost 11 points per game and led the team in blocks. Thompson played with Exposure Elite for most of the club season in the Spring and Summer and was one of the more productive players for the team. Thompson also had some strong showings with Clovis East in June, with games of 21 points against San Joaquin Memorial at the Clovis West Nike Summer Shootout and a 24-point game at the California Scholastic Live event in NorCal in late June. Thompson was not able to attend our 4th Annual Next Up Showcase, but has been a key piece for the T-Wolves this season to this point, with strong showings at the Clovis West Nike Invitational and the Modesto Christian Holiday Hoops Classic to close out the calendar season. Thompson has great footwork and moves in the paint to score around the basket with nice touch around the cup, the moves and handles to create off the perimeter, can score it from 3-levels with a smooth jumper. Defensively, Thompson can defend the post with good size and strength, as well as the length and agility to step out and guard perimeter players. Thompson is a timely shot blocker, controls the glass, can push the ball up the court, and has good court vision from the high-post. He is tough to guard around the basket, as Thompson does a great job of finding the dunker spot and getting easy buckets. 

Rounding out the Top 5, and moving down a few spots is the wing/slasher from Bakersfield Christian, Jeremias Killebrew. Killebrew was key for the Eagles his freshman year, as he would be called upon to anchor the post frequently and impact the boards given he was playing with two of the best scoring guards in the state in Bentley Waller and Gabe Gutierrez. Killebrew played club ball with Team Bakersfield during the Spring and Summer, and showed big strides in June with Bakersfield Christian at the North High Summer League and the California Scholastic Live event. Killebrew had an impressive Top 10 showing at the 4th Annual Next Up Showcase with a monster double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds. Killebrew has been one of the more consistent scorers for the Eagles, behind senior Gabe Gutierrez, which was evident by a recent 21-point scoring outburst in a win at the St. Francis Holiday Hoopfest. Killebrew is a true jack of all trades on both ends of the court. Killebrew has the length and size to operate in the paint, controls the boards with the handle to push the ball off the glass, gets good lift on the mid-range jumper, is accurate with the 3-ball off the dribble or the catch, and is emerging as a high-flyer around the basket with great timing on putback dunks. Defensively, Killebrew can guard the 1 through 4 positions at a high level, and is able to switch onto bigs when needed. He has good court vision to make plays from the top of the key, plays with a great motor, and is scratching the surface on how far he can take his game. 

Combo guard Zander Jensen of Redwood remains in the #6 spot in this updated list of player rankings. Jensen was a key contributor for the Rangers his freshman season, as he led the team in scoring at 14.8 points per game to go along with 6+ rebounds per game and was named to the 1st Team All-East Yosemite League. Jensen played with a few different club teams in the Spring before spending the month of July working out and practicing with College of Sequoias, where his dad is the head coach. Jensen had a superb showing at the 4th Annual Central Cali Prospects Next Up Showcase, as he would have two big scoring games of 22 points and 25 points, showing his ability to score from all 3-levels. Jensen has had some up and down moments thus far in his sophomore season, but is coming off a solid showing at the Polly Tournament with a 23-point and 9-rebound game to close out the event against Hanford. Jensen plays with great pace, keeps the ball on a string, makes nice use of the hesitation to get his defender on his hip, moves to create space from his defender, has range and accuracy on the 3-ball, and is a creative finisher around the basket. Jensen has good court vision to find teammates at the top of the key or when attacking the basket, gets good lift on the pull-up jumper, is capable of defending the 1 through 3 positions effectively, and does a nice job on the boards, which lets him get out in the open court and push the pace of play. Jensen is a big guard that uses his blend of skill and size to get to his spots on the court. 

Moving up one spot and coming in at #7 is lead guard Ethan Saenz of North Bakersfield, who continues to establish himself as one of the top lead guards in the Section. Saenz had an outstanding first year of high school hoops, as he was named MVP of the Polly a year ago, helped North win its first Section Title in school history, and was the catalyst to the team’s run to the D5 State Semifinals. Saenz had a productive Spring and Summer in club ball with the West Coast Elite Central Program, as well as a solid June playing in the California Scholastic Live Showcase in NorCal. Saenz had a great showing at the 4th Annual Next Up Showcase, as he was a Top 5 performer with games of 18 points and 7 rebounds and 12 points and 5 rebounds, along with numerous assists that we did not officially record. Saenz has had a great start to his sophomore year as well, with a huge game in the Lloyd Williams Holiday Hoops Tournament against Porterville where he scored 33 points and was raining shots from all over. Saenz keeps the ball on a string, his head up to survey the floor, the court vision to find open teammates on the drive and kick out pass or in the open court. Saenz moves well off the ball to get open looks, then moves to create his own scoring opportunities, the poise to control the pace of play, and a creative finisher around the basket. Saenz just earned All-Tournament Team honors at the Polly, as North ran it back for a 2nd year in a row. 

Taiwo Daramola of Bakersfield Christian moves to the #8 spot in this updated list of player rankings, and is one of the top long term prospects in the Section regardless of class. Daramola was more of a role player his freshman year but has made some major strides over the past year. Daramola had a strong showing at the California Scholastic Live Showcase in late June, as he displayed his athleticism, dominance on the glass, his ability to run the floor block to block, and improved confidence on his mid-post jumper. Taiwo had a good showing at the CSUB Prospect Camp and followed that up with a Top 10 showing at the 4th Annual Next Up Showcase in mid-August. After a decent 1st game outing, Daramola went off in his 2nd game, going for 20 points and 7 rebounds with numerous rim rockers as he match-up against Godson Eyita. Taiwo has been key for the Eagles this season, as he has been pivotal as a rim protector and dominant on the boards. Daramola has nice touch on shots around the basket, can space the floor with the perimeter shot, is an elite athlete that gets better with each game, and could be a player that moves up this list over the next year and a player D1 coaches are intrigued by with his size, frame, and upside. 

Making his debut on this list and in the Top 10 is combo guard Damon Jackson of Clovis High at the #9 spot. One of my favorite things about doing the first round of sophomore year player rankings is finding out about players that I had no clue about as freshmen. Jackson is at the top of that list for this class since the first round of these player rankings. Jackson, who was at Clovis East his freshman year, made the move to Clovis and had his game on display at the Clovis West Nike Fall Shootout, where he showed his ability to score it from the wing, get to the basket, and control the glass. He was unable to attend our 4th Annual Junior/Senior Showcase as an underclassmen due to a scheduling conflict. I have seen Jackson play 3 times this season and he has been impressive in each one of those games. In particular, Jackson had games of 27 points connecting on 5 threes against Edison of Stockton and 28 points and 10 rebounds against South Bakersfield in the Clovis West Nike Invitational. Jackson has the moves and handles to create off the perimeter, gets separation from his defender, has good lift on his jumper off the dribble, and makes nice use of the pump fake to get his defender off the ground and attack the baseline. Jackson moves well off the ball, gets to his shot spots, has a smooth release on his shot, and is a creative finisher around the basket. Jackson is a good positional rebounder, solid on-ball defender that jumps the passing lanes to create turnovers, and looks to get out in the open court and get transition buckets. Jackson is a key piece to the young but intriguing roster for the Cougars. 

Rounding out the Top 10 and moving down one spot at #10 is the sharp shooter from San Joaquin Memorial, Ty Schalk. Schalk had a solid freshman campaign for the Panthers and was one of the main spot up shooters for San Joaquin off the bench. Schalk played club ball with Exposure Elite for most of the Spring and Summer before playing with Moore Management to close out the Summer in Las Vegas. Schalk had a strong showing at the 4th Annual Next Up Showcase as a Top 15 performer, with an impressive opening game of 12 points and 7 rebounds. Schalk is a key piece of the core rotation for the Panthers and his ability to space the floor has already been on display in multiple games this season for the loaded San Joaquin squad that has big expectations for this season. Schalk moves well off the ball, gets to his shot spots, is accurate with the 3-ball with range from deep. Schalk has solid handles, the moves to create space from his defender, and is a good positional rebounder. Next year his role will drastically increase for the Panthers and more of his game will be on display for scouts and coaches to see. 

Although I have these players in my top 10, there is plenty of next level talent in the expanded list below. Lead guards like Sier Harbin, Bryce Hanson, AJ Johnson (who is not playing this season, which is why I moved him out of the top 10 for now), and Eddie Ramie III are players to keep an eye on. The wing/slashers that could move up this list are Jahlil Montgomery, Kaden Lewis-Burnley, Lawrence Moore, and Broden Burger. The sharp shooters to track are Spencer Kubit (on the cusp of the Top 10), Luke Ramirez, Cameron Hernandez, and AJ Pedro. Below is the complete list of player rankings for 41 players in the Class of 2027. I will update this list by the end of the school year and if necessary, I will expand this list to include all relevant players for this list.