2022 Rankings: The Debuts (Part 1)

As I mentioned previously, I hate even admitting that there are even debuts on this final iteration of the 2022 rankings, but here we are. Some of the players came on out of nowhere over the course of the last year, moving from just another player to genuine college prospects. Some weren’t rated previously because of a philosophical change related to not rating players who were already committed in other sports. Some were simply overlooked and for that, I am truly sorry. You do not realize how big Oklahoma really is until you’re out there trying to get a look at every single high school basketball team over the course of the season. <strong>No. 17 - [player_tooltip player_id="375564" first="Makenzie" last="Malham"] | 5-10 PG | Union | <a href="https://x.com/MakenzieMalham">@MakenzieMalham</a></strong> The first time I saw Malham play for Union, I knew she was a big-time basketball prospect. Unfortunately, I was informed almost immediately by a writer sitting next to me that she had been committed to Arkansas since the eighth grade to play soccer. It turns out she isn’t just a Division-I level basketball prospect, she is also the best soccer player in the state of Oklahoma. So, alas, basketball is going to miss out in the end. I think she’ll be fine, though. I don’t know much about how good she is, but the Gatorade Player of the Year awards and the fact that I’ve been told she is as good - if not better - than her sister who was just drafted into the pros, makes me think she’ll do ok for herself. If she were to decide to help Mike Neighbors out over at Bud Walton Arena, fans would see tremendous vision, speed, handles, defensive prowess, and the ability to get really hot shooting the ball. As I said, she could be a D-I basketball player had she chosen. <strong>No. 29 - [player_tooltip player_id="375729" first="Stevie" last="Stinchcomb"] | 5-5 PG | McAlester | <a href="https://x.com/stevienicks02">@stevienicks02</a></strong> Instead of the previous situation where I consciously decided not to include a player because they had chosen a different sport, then changed my mind; this situation is just a complete screw-up on my part. Stevie not being ranked previously basically comes down to there being something like 5500 basketball players in Oklahoma and my inability to be everywhere at once. Now that she’s finally on my radar, I can tell you about how great Stinchcomb really is. The Emporia State commit is a lightning-quick defender who really stands out on tape because she flashes into every single play. In all honesty, that’s how I noticed her in the first place... on another player’s tape. Sometimes a player just jumps out at you. She can shoot it from deep, but it is her point guard skills that really set her apart and probably have the staff at Emporia State most excited. She is a great passer who shows really good vision and a tremendous ability to read what the defense is doing. <strong>No. 38 - [player_tooltip player_id="331876" first="A’Munique" last="Holmes"] | 5-6 CG | Putnam City Original | <a href="https://x.com/amuniquetm">@amuniquetm</a></strong> I mentioned in an article following the release of the last 2022 rankings that I wished I had waited because A’Munique would have been on the list. Well, here we are. Not only did I see her at the I-35 Showcase shortly after those rankings came out, I saw her again in a tournament recently and it just helped to confirm everything that I already knew. With Holmes, it begins with her senior leadership and the attitude that she brings to the court. She has fun, is talkative, and is an outstanding competitor. She goes hard all game long, winning or losing, it doesn’t matter. She is there to compete. She has an unlimited range from deep and can get extremely hot from outside. She plays tough defense and is a great facilitator when running the point. Holmes is still uncommitted and someone is going to get a big-time steal based on the offers that she has (and doesn’t have) already. If I were you, I would get to Putnam City ASAP and get a look firsthand! <strong>No. 40 - [player_tooltip player_id="375753" first="Jamie" last="Peffer"] | 5-11 PF | Merritt | <a href="https://x.com/JamiePeffer">@JamiePeffer</a></strong> Another player who was simply overlooked previously, Peffer should have been ranked long ago. She has great size and very good strength to go along with her 5’11" frame. She scores inside with very good footwork, but when I saw her in person, she showed the ability to not only step out and hit from mid-range, but she even hit a three-pointer. She defends well against other post players and does a good job of rebounding. She is tough inside and has a very high motor. In my opinion, Peffer is being underrecruited and it could very well be the size of the school that she is at. Merritt is a lot closer to Texas than it is to Oklahoma, but you Oklahoma coaches would be making a big mistake to not get out there and take a look. Perhaps the high school playoffs are your chance to get a look. Believe me, you don’t want to miss out on the chance to add Jamie to your 2022 class of recruits! <strong>No. 43 - [player_tooltip player_id="375834" first="Malloree" last="Schlessman"] | 5-10 PF | Beaver | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11983799/Malloree-Schlessman">Hudl</a></strong> Another small school big who is being severely underrecruited, Schlessman should have been committed to an Oklahoma school long ago. We have too many great NAIA and JuCo teams to let this awesome player get out of our state! She is an outstanding shooter who is long and tall and with her nice, high release is all but unblockable. Malloree moves well without the ball and does a good job rebounding. She definitely needs to work on handling as she is very right-hand reliant, but with her size and skill, I believe she is worth the investment. It is clear that she works hard on shooting and scoring and is a dedicated player who works hard on her game. If you are a coach looking for a hidden gem, she may just be it!