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Rivals Roundtable: Notable performers, new No. 1, surprising teams

Monday afternoon means roundtable time at Rivals.com. This week brings wide-ranging topics, as our Rob Cassidy, Jamie Shaw and Dan McDonald discuss surprising teams, prospects on the rise and candidates to fill the soon-to-be-vacant top spot in the 2022 rankings.

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More: Five notable classes outside top 10

2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position

2023 Rankings: Rivals150

2024 Rankings: Top 40

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1. THE HIGH SCHOOL SEASON IS IN FULL SWING. WHAT’S THE MOST NOTABLE INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE YOU’VE SEEN SO FAR?

Ronald Holland
Ronald Holland (Rivals.com)

Cassidy: I had the opportunity to see four-star wing Ronald Holland play a pair of games in Dallas a few weeks back, and the four-star prospect made it clear that his game has evolved in a major way. Holland has long been a major prospect, but the main knock on his game has centered on the lack of a consistent jumper from range. That, it seems, has been addressed. Holland, who says he spent the offseason working to improve that aspect of his skills set, looked incredibly comfortable from beyond the arc in both games I saw, knocking down a handful of 3-pointers in each game. He’s certainly a candidate to climb up in ranking now that he’s added to his repertoire.

McDonald: I watched recent UConn commit Stephon Castle on Saturday at the On The Radar Hoops event and left very impressed. He’s always been a really talented prospect, but it seems like he’s taken the next step into becoming a player that was comfortable letting others around him flourish to now being more comfortable as the main attraction. He looks every bit like a top-25 prospect in the 2023 class with his combination of size, athleticism, skill and versatility.

Shaw: I have already been to quite a few games over the past four weeks, but no performance has been as dominating as Caleb Foster’s 37 points against Hargrave. Sure, the Duke commitment finished the game 9-of-11 from three, but it was the way he was getting his shots. He got anywhere he wanted off the bounce, nothing was forced, and he pulled up from all over the floor. The 6-foot-4 point guard added nine rebounds and five assists in the game, showcasing why he is a truly elite prospect in the 2023 class.

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2. NO. 1 OVERALL PROSPECT SHAEDON SHARPE IS ON HIS WAY TO KENTUCKY NEXT SEMESTER, WHICH MEANS THE TOP SPOT IN 2022 IS GOING TO BE VACANT … AGAIN. WHO DO YOU THINK HAS THE BEST CHANCE TO TAKE SHARPE’S PLACE? 

Yohan Traore
Yohan Traore (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

Cassidy: I can't believe we have to keep doing this. Shaedon Sharpe is the third No. 1 overall prospect that has departed the 2022 class. Things will become official when he arrives in Lexington at the start of the second semester, and we’ll be on the hunt for a new No. 1 once again. I’ll have my eye on Jaden Bradley and Yohan Traore, but let’s not rule out a hard-charging Mark Mitchell or even Dariq Whitehead, both of whom will play major national schedules this season.

McDonald: Since the first time I saw Yohan Traore last April, I’ve been really intrigued by him as a long-term prospect. He’s such a big, strong, athletic post player and he keeps getting better with his skill level. I see him eventually becoming a really good player in the NBA and could definitely see him being the best of the bunch in the 2022 class when all is said and done.

Shaw: Kyle Filipowski. This class has been a revolving door up top, but Filipowski has done enough for me to warrant the talk. The 6-foot-11 size is legit and the tenacious mentality is engrained. It is his skill set that differentiates him. He is a high to elite level passer, he can initiate offense, and he can play with his back to the basket. In my opinion, Filipowski has the highest floor of anyone in the class, and he is still getting better each time out.

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3. WHICH COLLEGE TEAM HAS SURPRISED YOU MOST IN THE EARLY SEASON?

Shaka Smart
Shaka Smart (USA Today Sports Images)

Cassidy: Hello, Seton Hall. I’m not sure what I expected from the Pirates before the season got underway, but it wasn’t this. Not only is Kevin Willard’s team 3-0 with a win over Michigan, but has looked like a defensive juggernaut for most of the season thus far. Hall has length all over the floor and boasts a well-balanced scoring attack led by guards Bryce Aiken and Jared Rhoden. Monday night’s meeting with Ohio State is must-see TV.

McDonald: I definitely didn’t see Marquette starting off 5-0 – before dropping their first game of the season on Sunday to Saint Bonaventure – with a few really good wins in Shaka Smart’s first year. The Golden Eagles lost a ton of talent off last year’s team, which meant Smart had to bring in a ton of new pieces on his first team. To come out playing at such a high level has easily been the biggest surprise of the first couple weeks for me.

Shaw: Marquette has been the surprise of the season. Upon Shaka Smart’s hiring, the roster lost all five starters, and seven of the top nine in the rotation. Four transfers and six new freshmen have led this team to wins over Illinois, West Virginia and Ole Miss. Darryl Morsell, last season’s Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, has gone for 20-plus in four of the five games.

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