THE FRESHMAN 10

As a basketball evaluator who isn't a fan of rankings, I've always shied away from putting together a top 10, 25 or 100 list. I constantly have people reach out to me asking my thoughts/opinions on the current rankings and I always say the same thing; "Rankings are nothing more than opinions or educated guesses, you can always look back at them and spot the misses or oversights." There's so much that goes into the growth, development and success of a Student-Athlete and 99.9% of that has nothing to do with where evaluators rank them. With that being said; I feel there is definitely value in identifying "Up & Coming" Prospects who have an opportunity to do special things with the right nurturing along their journey. My approach to spotlighting those prospects is to identify 10 Rising Freshman who should be on every college coach & scouts "Short List." These are not the only talented players in this Class. The 2025 Class is absolutely LOADED, but these are the players who I've had the opportunity to see personally that stood out the most to me. These are guys who have caught my eye over the course of the summer with their consistent play, athletic ability and potential for continued growth and development. Each year, I will spotlight 10 young men entering their Freshman Year.

Here's the Inaugural; "The Brantley Method Freshman 10!"

KOA PEAT: Perry High School (Chandler, AZ)

6'8 Forward with offers from: Washington, Texas Tech, Kansas, UCLA, Texas, USC, Arizona, Oklahoma & Arizona State

Koa Peat is a "Three-Level Scorer" who has demonstrated his ability against some of the top players in the country regardless of class. At the Pangos All-American camp, Koa registered 20 points (9-10 FG) & 4 Rebounds in a game that featured several members of the ESPN 2022 Top 100 Rankings and shot 50% from the floor over the course of 4 games. Koa's impact on the game is well beyond his years. A great mix of Size, Vision, Facilitating & he is a strong shooter who has solid form, a textbook release and get's great lift on his jumper. With continued time in the gym, his range will continue to improve making him a major scoring threat whenever the ball is in his hands. He is a more than capable defender and rebounds on both ends of the floor. With all that being said, there's two things that stand out when evaluating Koa. He has ELITE pace/feel and leadership abilities. He knows when to go into attack mode and score but also has the ability to facilitate and get others involved. He doesn't appear to be your normal underclassman "Playing Up" and has the maturity, body language and command to receive respect from his teammates whether they are Elite 2022's or his own age level. It's going to be a joy to watch him over the next 4 years.

DARRYN PETERSON: Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (Canton, OH)

6'4 Guard with offers from: LSU, St. John's, Pitt, Xavier, Cleveland State, Maryland, Arizona State, Akron & Ohio State

Darryn Peterson is fun to watch! The 6'4+ Combo Guard plays with a level of poise and confidence that you would expect of a senior. He is athletic and plays above the rim, scores at all 3 levels and has backed up the hype around his name by playing up and competing with the best, regardless of age/class. I had the opportunity to broadcast his game vs. Strive For Greatness (CA) 15u team and he went head to head with Vyctorius Miller (ESPN #8 in 2024). He scored 16 points in that game, but thats not what stood out to me the most. I was impressed with his lateral agility and ability to be a tenacious perimeter defender. Typically when I see a player competing above their age level the scoring takes care of itself, but they typically end up showing their age on the defensive end of the floor. That wasn't the case for Peterson. He is a willing and aggressive defender who has the ability to rebound and push the floor like a savvy vet. I'm going to keep a close eye on Peterson and track his growth and development during his high school career because he has a chance to be special.

TREY MCKENNEY: Orchard Lake St. Mary's (Flint,MI)

6'3 PG with offers from: Eastern Michigan, TCU, Texas, Temple & DePaul

Trey McKenney is a big, fast and strong guard who scores at all levels, finishes around the rim and through traffic. He's shown a knack for leadership and an ability to be a floor general and make everyone around him better. He shoots it well from deep and should make an immediate impact as he steps into High School. I've had the opportunity to see him play a few times, including the Rising Stars All-Star game at CP3 Rising Stars Camp in North Carolina. The 2024 team was able to pick up the win but McKenney led the 2025 squad, and also all scorers, with 16 points. He is headed to an absolutely loaded OLSM roster who should compete for a State Championship in his Freshman year. College Coaches love winners and McKenney should be able to develop as a leader in a program that's rich in championship/winning tradition and culture.

CAMERON BOOZER: Christopher Columbus HS (Miami, FL)

6'8 F with an offer from: FIU

Cameron Boozer has so much upside. What's not to like about a 6'8 Forward with a High Basketball I.Q. that can score with his back to the basket and knock down jump shots? He has a soft touch and when you add all of those characteristics to his lengthy frame he is definitely an intriguing prospect to keep an eye on. Watching him at the CP3 Rising Stars Camp it was clear to see that he understands how to utilize his size on both ends of the floor, he can rebound the ball outside of his zone and at it's highest point, and has the touch to score/finish in traffic. Boozer's biggest gift is not his size, it's time. Most bigs develop later in their career, so it's going to be interesting to see how much better he can get; especially with the tutelage and guidance of his father who experienced success at the highest level.

PARKER JEFFERSON: Waxahachie High School (Waxahachie, TX)

6'9 F with an offer from: Alabama State

Parker Jefferson is a big, strong forward that finishes around/above the rim with both hands. He has good touch, footwork and a solid jump-shot to match. It has been impressive to watch him play. When I first saw him, I thought he was a solid back to the basket interior player. Since then, I've seen him stretch the floor and knock down mid-range shots as well as become adept at the pick & roll/pick & pop. You can tell that he's studied the game and he's working with people who understand player development. With the tools he currently possesses and the likelihood of growth & development; keep your eyes on Parker Jefferson to be one of the top players in the country for years to come.

FRANCIS CHUKWUDEBELU: Greenhill High School (Addison, TX)

6'10 PF

Francis Chukwudebelu is a monstrous 6'10 big with a 7'5 wingspan who is developing daily! You can't teach size and Chukwudebelu uses his to an extreme advantage. He has an enormous catch radius and has shown much improved footwork to go along with his stature. Along with size and improved footwork, Chukwudebelu has also began to develop an outside shot and ball handling abilities. The upside for Francis is THROUGH THE ROOF! At the start of his high school career, he has joined the volleyball team. I think this is amazing for his continued development. Volleyball will be great for his coordination (Hand, Eye & Foot), instincts, and timing.

BADARA DIAKITE: St. Thomas More (CT)

6'10 C

Badara Diakite follows the trend of skilled bigs in the class of 2025. He has made significant strides in his game. Seeing him early on and then at the end of the summer, you can see the propensity for growth and development that he will have. He's a tenacious shot blocker who runs the floor like a gazelle and finishes well above the rim. He protects the rim, is an aggressive rebounder and has shown the ability to knock down shots. He should be a prized recruit before it is all said and done.

SHELTON HENDERSON: Bellaire High School (Houston,TX)

6'5 G

Shelton Henderson is explosive, athletic and highly skilled. He plays with a different level of passion and intensity. He plays above the rim, finishes in traffic and can get to the basket at will. He's extremely tough to guard because if you're too close up on him he will blow by you and get to the basket. If you give him a foot of space he will knock down the jump-shot. He plays with pace and has the ability to change his pace with ease. Once he's headed downhill it's hard to stop him from getting to his spot.

TRENT SISLEY: Heritage Hill High School (Santa Claus, IN)

6'8 F

Trent Sisley is forever active! Every time you look up, he's around the basket. He's shown an ability to score in bunches and when you mix that level of scoring with his size, intensity and tenacity there's a tremendous upside. He is an elite shooter with a quick release who you can't help off of. He scores at three levels and with positional size it will be interesting to see just how good Trent can be. Trent might be the best shooter in the Class of 2025 and with his older brother Blake is at Evansville, he will have great guidance and he matriculates through High School.

SOLO BAILEY: Crossroads (Playa Del Ray, CA)

6'2 G

Solo Bailey is a potential STAR! He is a walking highlight reel full of charisma, poise and energy. A quick google search will show you his rim rocking and crowd rising dunks, but what you won't see is his personality. During my interview with him at CP3 Rising Stars Camp, I immediately circled his name. I knew he had the mindset, confidence and belief in himself to be SPECIAL. Not too long after that, I got the opportunity to watch him for the first time in person and I saw that he's shifty, can make plays, score at three levels and plays with the exact same confidence he displayed during his interview. On the final day of the camp, he shut down the dunk contest. His peers made it impossible to see onto the court because they already knew he was going to do something special. He does things that you wouldn't think a rising freshman would even have the confidence to think of. He believes that he belongs on any court that he steps on and can compete with anyone in the gym and that's a skill that can't be taught. On the court, he has a lot to work with. When you pair his athleticism and confidence with the fact that he will be in the Compton Magic program that has produced countless Pro's under the guidance of Etop Udo-Ema, you might want to keep him on your short list of prospects in the 2025 class.