Arizona's 2016 class of prospects got much better this past season with the addition of 6-foot-5 rising senior forward Jay Green to the state of Arizona. Green moved to Arizona from Australia and played last season for Hillcrest Academy Prep. He will now play for Mountain Ridge High School next season, and will look to lead the Mountain Lions' basketball program to a much stronger performance during the 2015-2016 basketball season.
Mountain Ridge was once one of the top basketball programs in the state, and competed for state playoff berths and state titles each season. After having several subpar seasons as of late, and also coming off a 7-14 overall record during the 2014-2015 season, Mountain Ridge will look to turn things around in a major way next high school season. The major addition of Jay Green, joining forces with talented 6-foot-6 junior wing Jared Rodriguez and 6-foot-5 junior wing Saikou Gueye, will give Mountain Ridge one of the most talented lineups in the state next season. All three prospects are division-I prospects for the future and each very gifted - a major boost for head coach Eli Lopez. Lopez will have his best group of high school talent ever next season, and it also could be the most talent the school has ever seen.
Green is currently playing this club season for the Arizona Power Black 17U team, and is coming off a subpar performance this spring. While he is a very gifted athlete with a nice overall skill level, Green struggled to really get it going this spring in a major way, and will look to raise his level of production on the club circuit this summer.
Green is already receiving serious division-I recruiting interest, as many division-I programs are already in hot pursuit of him. He already scholarship offers on the table from such programs as the University of New Mexico and Cleveland State, with many schools looking to evaluate him this summer.
Green is a versatile wing prospect with excellent strength and athleticism for his size. He is a 3-man for the collegiate level, but will be able to see his time at each frontcourt position for Mountain Ridge next fall, as a result of his size and sheer talent level. A left-handed shooter of the basketball, Green is a mis-match for most opposing 3's and 4's, as he is bigger than most small forwards and quicker than most power forwards.
He has not shown a scorer's instinct on the club circuit thus far, which has a lot to do with while he has not stood out much in his play this club season. He does it all and does not focus on just scoring. Green is an active rebounder and finisher around the basket. I would like to see him show much more with the basketball in his hands, while creating off the dribble for himself and others. To play at the mid-major plus division-I level in college, he will need to show an improved ability to create in the open floor. Either way he is a serious division-I prospect. What level of college he plays at though will depend on this fact.
Green is gaining valuable experience though this summer while playing alongside a very talented group with the Power program - competing with such talents as 6-foot-9 senior post Mitch Lightfoot and gifted senior combo-guard Cameron Satterwhite (Univrsity of Colorado commit).
I will look forward to following Green's play and college recruitment closely this summer, and will bring you any updates as they continue to develop.