Rankings Update: 2021’s New Faces Part 2
With the release of the latest PGH Colorado rankings update for the Class of 2021 prior to the start of the postseason in Colorado, a total of 10 new players joined the rankings. Some have emerged through excellent junior campaigns,…
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Continue ReadingWith the release of the latest PGH Colorado rankings update for the Class of 2021 prior to the start of the postseason in Colorado, a total of 10 new players joined the rankings. Some have emerged through excellent junior campaigns, others are popping up at smaller schools that receive less exposure or have been injured this season, and many of them probably should have already been in the rankings to begin with.
If you missed Part 1, check it out here.
Here are five juniors who recently entered the PGH Colorado rankings, and where they’re at having junior completed their penultimate prep seasons.
[player_tooltip player_id="145399" first="Shayla" last="Padilla"] Shayla Padilla Shayla Padilla 5'10" | PF Pueblo West | 2021 State CO , 5-10, PF, Pueblo West
Among the top defenders in southern Colorado, Padilla routinely drew opponents’ toughest defensive assignment through the Cyclones’ 2019-20 season and limited some of the state’s top scorers to well below their season averages. She posted 4.6 rebounds, 2.5 steals and just under a block a game throughout the winter. While Padilla scored just 4.4 points a night, she’ll likely be called upon for more offensive production next winter with several talented scoring seniors graduating.
Padilla entered the 2021 player rankings at No. 73.
[player_tooltip player_id="145400" first="Alicia" last="Lest"] Alicia Lest Alicia Lest 6'0" | C Pueblo Central | 2021 State CO , 6-0, C, Pueblo Central
Also a leader on the Wildcats’ volleyball team, Lest took some major steps forward and has come into her own as a rising senior at Pueblo Central. She can be a dominant defender in the painted area and led the Wildcats with 3.6 blocks per game this winter, which was tops in the South-Central League by a wide margin. She was also close to a nightly double-double (she had three) and was good for 8.1 points and 8.7 rebounds a night. At six feet tall with multi-sport athleticism, Lest is already a force on defense and continues to raise her ceiling as she develops at the offensive end.
Lest entered the rankings at No. 75.
Aryannah McClain Aryannah McClain 5'3" | SG Aurora Central | 2021 State CO , 5-3, SG, Aurora Central
It was a bit of a rough season for the Trojans, who finished with a 3-20 record. But McClain showed significant improvement from her sophomore season to 2019-20. The junior guard may be small and a bit raw, but she is a powerful left-handed driver with a motor that never stops. McClain led her team with 14.3 points a night, and also averaged 5.7 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game while shooting 31 percent from the field. Aurora Central returns its leading scorers in McClain and junior Zana’e Hodges Zana’e Hodges 5'10" | CG Aurora Central | 2021 State CO , and the Trojans hope pair can help lead them to a few more wins next season.
McClain enters the rankings at No. 78.
Emily Lavier Emily Lavier 5'5" | CG Alamosa | 2021 State CO , 5-5, CG, Alamosa
Alamosa had quite a run this season with Lavier leading the way, reaching the Sweet 16 in Class 3A. Lavier, who is a career 36-percent shooter from long range, led the Mean Moose in scoring with 14.2 points per game. She also finished with 3.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals, and is the proud owner of a 38-point game against Monte Vista on Jan. 18.
Lavier hits the 2021 rankings at No. 79.
Taylor Vandenberg Taylor Vandenberg 6'1" | SF Longmont Christian | 2021 State CO , 5-10, SF, Longmont Christian
Vandenburg may play at a small school, but she has big game. The leading scorer for the Warriors, the lone 1A school in the 2A/1A Mile High League, Vandenburg averaged 14.9 points and 7.5 rebounds as a junior this season. She had seven double-doubles and figures to be among the top players in 1A as a senior next winter.
Vandenburg joins the 2021 rankings at No. 83.