2020 Class Rankings Breakdown

With the 2019-2020 season coming to an end with the state tournament in Charleston this week, the West Virginia Class of 2020 is the strongest and deepest of any with players fully developed and many, ready to help college teams next year. Several players in the rankings will be present with their teams as the Class AAA, Class AA and Class A tournaments are battled out over the course of four days at the Charleston Coliseum starting on Wednesday. Along with state tournament appearances come one final opportunity to make a push up the rankings on the state’s biggest stage. But whether a player’s team made the state tournament field or not, solid seasons were found across the Mountain State this winter. Below is a breakdown of the current crop of seniors. <h3>Size matters</h3> Six of the top 10 players in the Class of 2020 play center or forward as their primary position. That includes five players that are listed at 5-foot-11 or taller. Martinsburg’s <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153273" first="Morganne" last="Andrews"]</strong>, Wheeling Central’s <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153274" first="Kaylee" last="Reinbeau"]</strong> and Parkersburg South’s <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153275" first="Makenna" last="Winans"]</strong> are the fourth, fifth and sixth-ranked player in the 2020 Class and all are 6-foot-1 or above. All will also play Division I basketball next year with Andrews heading to Navy, Reinbeau to Bucknell and Winans to Charleston Southern. Though the class as a whole is primarly guard oriented, as is basketball in general , the bigs still have their place and their presence is felt high up in the 2020 Class. <h3>Sweet goodbyes</h3> The Class’s top player, guard<strong> [player_tooltip player_id="153270" first="Bailee" last="Adkins"]</strong> of St. Joseph, will look to close her career with a third Class A championship in four years. Adkins, a four-year starter for coach Shannon Lewis, has little left to prove at this point as her diversity and flexibility as a player has been on full display throughout her time with the Irish. She will continue her career at Dayton next season. But Adkins won’t be the only player making her fourth and final trip to the state tournament. Parkersburg’s <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153276" first="Bre" last="Wilson"]</strong>, a 5-10 combo guard ranked seventh in the class, as well as 5-10 forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153283" first="Aleea" last="Crites"]</strong>, are also capping illustrious careers with another trip to Charleston and the Big Reds will look for their third straight Class AAA championship. <h3>Sleepers</h3> Beyond the top of the rankings, where most have already committed to their college destinations, are plenty of players with ability and potential. Players like Huntington forward/center <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153295" first="Madison" last="Slash"]</strong> (No. 26), Mingo Central guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153303" first="Ziah" last="Rhodes"]</strong> (No. 34), Chapmanville guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153305" first="Ali" last="Williamson"]</strong> (No. 36) and Pocahontas County forward<strong> [player_tooltip player_id="153311" first="Laila" last="Calhoun"]</strong> (No. 42) all have next-level skill but at the time of this posting, had yet to sign with a college yet. Slash, at 6-0 is a force on the inside, started all four seasons for the Highlanders and has state-championship experience in capturing a Class AAA as a freshman three seasons ago. Rhodes is perhaps the most athletic player in this, or any class and is a regional sprinting champion for the Miners’ track team. That speed makes her nearly unstoppable in transition on the basketball court. Williamson would likely be higher in these rankings if not for having to miss her freshman and sophomore seasons with knee injuries. She is still one of the most potent outside shooters in this class and in the right system, could be a bona fide weapon used to stretch defenses and keep teams honest. Finally Calhoun, playing for tiny Pocahontas County for four years, is ultra athletic but bigger than Rhodes at 5-9 and can lineup at guard or forward.