by Alex Schwartz

With the start of the year 2010 comes the newest hoops rankings for this year's graduating class of high school seniors. Northstar Basketball's first rankings came out in mid-July as a top 35, and then in late-August the first Terrific 125 was released. Now I will be posting the updated edition of Northstar Basketball's Class of 2010 Terrific 125.

The top three—Brandon Knight, Jared Sullinger, and Harrison Barnes—remains the same, with the order intact. Although there was some thought in shuffling it around, at the end of the day I still felt that this was the correct spot for each of the three. After the top three, who are the elite players in this year's class, came a few switches, starting with Fab Melo dropping from #4 to #10. The only addition to the top 10 is Perry Jones, who moves from #12 to #7, as Joe Jackson falls out of the top 10, dropping one position to #11. Noah Cottrill (now #21), Casey Prather (now #27), and Dion Waiters (now #29) leave the top 25, while Tristan Thompson, Terrence Jones, and Cory Joseph make the jump into that elite group.

Players moving up more than a dozen spots are Ryan Harrow (13), Ian Miller (16), Terrence Ross (13), Jayvaughn Pinkston (15), Carson Desrosiers (15), James Bell (17), Meyers Leonard (24), Eric Atkins (21), and Trae Golden (25). In addition, there are eight new players on the list, three of whom debut in the top 100: Bruce Ellington (73), KT Harrell (84), Terone Johnson (93), Bryce Jones (101), Cody Larson (111), Jelani Hewitt (119), Allen Crabbe (120), and Melsahn Basabe (125).

Those falling more than a dozen positions are Jamail Jones (14), Russell Byrd (16), Khyle Marshall (17), Jordin Mayes (34), Justin Martin (23), Lenzelle Smith (14), Jonathan Graham (16), and Tyrone Garland (18). With eight players coming into the rankings, that means there are eight who have fallen out, but none were in the top 100 before: Julian Washburn (101), Royce Woolridge (106), Shaq Thomas (109), Ralston Turner (113), Daryus Quarles (120), Rod Odom (121), Cedrick Lindsay (122), and Rayvonte Rice (123).

Without further ado, check out the New Year's edition of Northstar Basketball's Class of 2010 Terrific 125:

CLASS OF 2010 TERRIFIC 125
Rank. Name, Position, Height, High School (State), College
1. Brandon Knight, PG, 6'3, Pine Crest (FL), uncommitted- a scoring point with a great frame who also has great quickness to blow by a defender
2. Jared Sullinger, PF, 6'8, Northland (OH), Ohio State- big-bodied low post man is very skilled, works hard, knows how to use his size to his advantage, and wins games
3. Harrison Barnes, SF, 6'7, Ames (IA), North Carolina- an extremely smart player, he is a silent assassin, and has a knack for getting to the cup and finishing
4. Reggie Bullock, SG, 6'6, Kinston (NC), North Carolina- a big-time scorer who can not only get to the hole, but can stroke it from deep
5. Kyrie Irving, PG, 6'2, St. Patrick's (NJ), Duke- maybe the most complete player in the class, he is a point guard who scores the ball, plays D, and can also distribute
6. Josh Selby, PG, 6'2, Lake Clifton (MD), uncommitted- combo guard who flat-out puts the ball the ball in the hoop and is a phenomenal athlete
7. Perry Jones, PF, 6'10, Duncanville (TX), Baylor-a long player in the post, he scores, rebounds, and has a lot of roomfor even more improvement, especially once he goes 100% at all times
8. Will Barton, SG, 6'6, Brewster Academy (NH), Memphis- an outstanding athlete despite his wiry frame, he can drive to the hole and score and also can make shots from the outside
9. Josh Smith, C, 6'10, Kentwood (WA), UCLA- a big-bodied low block player rebounds the basketball, scores, and is ferocious in the paint
10. Fab Melo, C, 7'0, Sagemont School (FL), Syracuse- a very large presence in the paint, he is not only huge, but skilled and can shoot the rock, which makes him special
11. Joe Jackson, PG, 5'11, White Station (TN), Memphis- if he wasn't so small, he would be even higher, but despite his size and frame, the point guard is athletic and scores the ball
12. DeShaun Thomas, SF, 6'6, Bishop Luers (IN), Ohio State- a large body, he puts the ball in the hoop quite frequently, and once he works on perimeter D, he could be special
13. Doron Lamb, SG, 6'4, Oak Hill Academy (VA), uncommitted- big-time scorer and an intelligent player out of New York City who also works on the defensive end
14. Patric Young, PF, 6'8, Providence School (FL), Florida- maybe the most physically gifted player in the class, he works hard, scores, and rebounds
15. Jelan Kendrick, SF, 6'6, Wheeler (GA), Memphis- an intriguing specimen, the long wing has a complete game and looks like he will only get better
16. Tobias Harris, PF, 6'8, Half Hollow Hills West (NY), Tennessee- the face-up four has developed a great deal, has an outstanding frame, and continues to get better
17. Tristan Thompson, PF, 6'9, Findlay Prep (NV), Texas- a long combo forward who is oozing with potential, he still has a long way to go
18. Stacey Poole, SF, 6'5, Providence School (FL), Kentucky- a wing who gets to the cup, is a big-time scorer, plays tough D, and forces steals
19. Keith Appling, PG, 6'2, Pershing (MI), Michigan State- combo guard with an uncanny ability for scoring, he is a smart player and also can be a floor leader
20. Terrence Jones, PF, 6'8, Jefferson (OR), uncommitted- a long combo forward who can stroke it, he defends the perimeter and also rebounds and handles
21. Noah Cottrill, PG, 6'2, Logan (WV), West Virginia-although overly flashy at times, he is a playmaking score-first point guard who can stroke it and also can get teammates involved
22. CJ Leslie, PF, 6'8, Word of God Academy (NC), uncommitted- a tremendous athlete with a great frame, his game is still coming along, but he can score the ball
23. Adreian Payne, C, 6'10, Jefferson (OH), Michigan State-he is a post player who is not there yet, but has a chance to be special if he puts it all together due to his athleticism and length
24. Justin Coleman, SG, 6'4, Huntington Prep (WV), uncommitted-an absolutely fantastic athlete and a quality scorer, he still needs topolish his game up a bit more, but has a shot to be very good
25. Cory Joseph, PG, 6'1, Findlay Prep (NV), uncommitted- a playmaking guard who can both score the ball and distribute it, he is in the mold of the modern day PG
26. Ryan Harrow, PG, 6'0, Walton (GA), North Carolina State- he is undersized, but is a solid point guard, and he puts the rock in the hoop
27. Casey Prather, SF, 6'5, North Side (TN), Florida- an athletic wing who can score the basketball, he has a good frame and looks like a possible future star
28. Tony Mitchell, PF, 6'7, Pinkston (TX), Missouri- a hard-working combo forward with a high motor, he has a versatile offensive game
29. Dion Waiters, SG, 6'3, Life Center Academy (NJ), Syracuse- if he was just a couple inches bigger, he would be much higher, as the combo guard is a fantastic scorer and has a good frame
30. Mychal Parker, SF, 6'6, The Miller School (VA), Maryland- when he turns it on, he is an amazing scorer who gets to the hole, draws fouls, and hits outside shots
31. Tarik Black, PF, 6'8, Ridgeway (TN), Memphis- the big man has a great frame, is a very good rebounder, and puts the ball in the hoop
32. Travis McKie, SF, 6'6, John Marshall (VA), Wake Forest- a smart, athletic, hard-working wing who can score, he is a winner and a competitor
33. Gary Franklin, PG, 6'2, Mater Dei (CA), Cal- a lead guard who can score, either via the drive or off a shot—his range extends beyond the arc—and also can distribute
34. Vander Blue, SG, 6'3, Memorial (WI), Marquette- a combo guard who can put the ball in the hoop, he would be even higher if he had a couple more inches
35. Roscoe Smith, SF, 6'8, Oak Hill Academy (VA), UConn- an ultra-long wing, he can put the ball in the hoop, but needs to go hard all the time
36. David Nyarsuk, C, 7'1, Mountain State Academy (WV), West Virginia- a long and lanky center with superb athletic ability, he blocks shots, rebounds, and scores down low
37. Ray McCallum, PG, 6'1, Detroit Country Day School (MI), uncommitted- smart, heady point guard is the true definition of a floor general
38. Keala King, SG, 6'5, Mater Dei (CA), Arizona State- talented and smooth wing who passes well and also scores, whether it's from beyond the arc or on a drive
39. Josh Hairston, PF, 6'7, Montrose Christian (MD), Duke- a bit undersized, he makes up for it with hard work, tenacity, and skill set
40. Jereme Richmond, SF, 6'6, Waukegan (IL), Illinois- once he adds some bulk, he could be a special player, as he is very skilled and long
41. JT Terrell, SG, 6'3, West Charlotte (NC), Wake Forest- a pure scorer, he can really fill it up, especially off of his outstanding jumpshot
42. Kendall Marshall, PG, 6'3, Bishop O'Connell (VA), North Carolina- another player who is what you look for in a floor general, he runs a team well and distributes
43. Tyler Lamb, SG, 6'4, Mater Dei (CA), UCLA- a knockdown shooter, he is at his best when he gets the ball beyond the arc for a jumper
44. Crandall Head, SG, 6'4, Richton Park (IL), Illinois- an athletic two-guard who can score around the cup and also make shots from the outside
45. Trey Zeigler, SG, 6'4, Mount Pleasant (MI), uncommitted- pretty complete player at the wing spot, he can hit shots and also score off the dribble
46. Cameron Clark, SF, 6'6, Sherman (TX), Oklahoma- an athlete on the wing, he has a nice mid-range game and can also shoot it from three-point land
47. Dwight Powell, C, 6'9, IMG Academy (FL), Stanford- very long and lanky, he rebounds the ball, works hard on the blocks, and can score too
48. Nate Lubick, PF, 6'8, St. Mark's (MA), Georgetown- he works hard almost all the time, rebounds the ball, and is also a very good scorer
49. Jeremy Lamb, SG, 6'4, Norcross (GA), UConn- still raw, the smooth wing is a great athlete who has a shot to be special one day
50. Jordan Sibert, SF, 6'5, Princeton (OH), Ohio State- he is a wing with great frame and good size who can put the ball in the hoop and looks like he can become a great defender
51. Jordan McRae, SG, 6'6, Liberty County (GA), Tennessee- not the most consistent player, he is a very good scorer and can fill it up, especially off the J
52. Aaron Craft, PG, 6'1, Liberty-Benton (OH), Ohio State- not the most skilled player, he goes 110% at all times, plays D, can shoot it, and is a true team leader
53. Juwan Staten, PG, 5'11, Oak Hill Academy (VA), Dayton- slightly undersized, the PG is adept at both scoring the ball—either off the shot or the drive—and passing it
54. Ian Miller, PG, 6'0, United Faith Christian Academy (NC), Florida State- score-first point guard can stroke it from deep and also get teammates involved
55. Baye Moussa Kieta, C, 6'10, Oak Hill Academy (VA), Syracuse- long and lanky, he is still raw, but continues to develop and can score in the paint, rebounds well, and blocks shots
56. Okaro White, PF, 6'7, Clearwater (FL), Florida State- long post player is still raw, but he works hard down low, rebounds well, and can score it too
57. Matt Derenbecker, SF, 6'6, Metairie Country Day (LA), LSU- a knockdown shooter, the long wing can also put the ball on the floor a bit
58. Evan Smotrycz, SF, 6'8, New Hampton Prep (NH), Michigan- a long combo forward with good frame, he plays hard and can really shoot it from deep
59. Dominique Ferguson, PF, 6'8, Hargrave Military Academy (VA), Florida International- a raw low post player with a long way to go, he has a chance to be a very good player
60. Terrence Ross, SF, 6'6, Montrose Christian (MD), uncommitted- he can really score the ball and has a good frame for a wing player
61. Markus Kennedy, PF, 6'8, Winchendon School (MA), Villanova- big-bodied 4 man can stretch out the D and shoot from up to 18 feet, but needs to improve on D
62. Luke Cothron, PF, 6'8, Flora MacDonald Academy (NC), North Carolina State- a long, but raw and still developing combo forward, he needs to go hard at all times
63. Jayvaughn Pinkston, SF, 6'5, Bishop Loughlin (NY), Villanova- athletic combo forward has a great frame, rebounds well and can really score
64. Melvin Tabb, PF, 6'8, Enloe (NC), Wake Forest- a great frame, the combo forward is a hard worker who runs the floor well, rebounds, and scores
65. Desmond Simmons, SF, 6'7, Salesian (CA), Washington- athletic wing can score the ball off of his jumper or via the dribble drive
66. Jarell Eddie, SF, 6'6, Cannon School (NC), Virginia Tech- big-bodied wing with above average athletic ability, he can score the ball and also put it on the deck
67. Trevor Releford, PG, 5'11, Bishop Miege (KS), Alabama- an undersized 1 who can handle the rock, pass it, and also put it in the hoop
68. Damontre Harris, PF, 6'9, Trinity Christian (NC), South Carolina- intriguing big man who looks like he has a chance to develop into a very good player
69. Phil Pressey, PG, 5'9, Episcopal School of Dallas (TX), Missouri- counters the fact that he is undersized with good quickness and athleticism in addition to playing good D
70. Anthony Brown, SG, 6'6, Ocean View (CA), Stanford- he is a 2 guard who possesses great size, and that helps him to create mismatches
71. Markel Starks, PG, 6'0, Georgetown Prep (MD), Georgetown- a tough scoring point guard who can put points on the board in the hurry and also passes it
72. Daniel Bejarano, SG, 6'4, Phoenix North (AZ), Arizona- hard-working thick wing can handle the rock, shoot the J, and also get to the hoop
73. Bruce Ellington, PG, 5'10, Berkeley (SC), South Carolina- a speedy, yet undersized, point guard who is a very good athlete and also a football star
74. Will Regan, PF, 6'8, Nichols School (NY), Virginia- always going 100%, he rebounds the ball at both ends, has a good handle, shoots well, and runs the floor with ease
75. Gerard Coleman, SG, 6'4, Tilton School (NH), Providence- a lethal offensive player, the guard just finds ways to put the rock in the hoop
76. Carson Desrosiers, PF, 6'10, Central Catholic (MA), Wake Forest- although he is not yet comfortable in the post, the big man can handle and shoot the ball behind the arc
77. James Johnson, PF, 6'9, Elsinore (CA), Virginia- he has a good frame, works hard, and a good skill level, which makes him a player coaches covet
78. Chris Crawford, SG, 6'4, Sheffield (TN), Memphis- a scoring wing who is a knockdown shooter in addition to also being a good athlete
79. James Bell, SF, 6'5, Montverde Academy (FL), Villanova-  needs to develop his overall game more, but he is an amazing athlete and can also shoot and rebound
80. Markel Brown, SG, 6'3, Peabody (LA), Oklahoma State- a bit undersized, the 2 can either put the rock on the floor and score off the bounce or shoot from beyond the arc
81. Mardracus Wade, SG, 6'2, Hargrave Military Academy (VA), Arkansas- although undersized, he plays defense, works hard, and can shoot the ball
82. Rion Brown, SG, 6'5, Liberty County (GA), Miami- a shooter with good athletic ability, he has come on strong and may not be done improving
83. Michael Cobbins, PF, 6'8, Palo Duro (TX), Oklahoma State- big man with a very good frame, he can rebound the ball, and also scores
84. KT Harrell, SG, 6'3, Brewbaker Tech Magnet (AL), Virginia- despite being undersized to play the 2, he is a good scorer and a skilled players
85. Evan Anderson, C, 6'11, Eau Claire North (WI), Wisconsin- a pure low post player, the big man is very large, rebounds, plays hard, gets to the line, and can score
86. Isaiah Epps, PG, 6'1, Hargrave Military Academy (VA), Pitt- combo guard is quick and can really score the ball in addition to feeding teammates
87. JJ Moore, SF, 6'6, South Kent (CT), Pitt- a wing who can fill it up, he has good size along with a good frame, and is a nice talent overall
88. Jamail Jones, SF, 6'6, Montverde Academy (FL), Marquette- a knockdown shooter, especially beyond the arc, the rest of his game is coming along
89. Charles "Junior" Hankerson, SG, 6'4, Coral Reef (FL), Alabama- a thick, versatile player who can play the 1 through the 3, he can shoot it and also handle
90. Taran Buie, PG, 6'1, State College (PA), Penn State- a true point guard who is quick and finds teammates, he is a real floor general and can also score
91. Meyers Leonard, C, 7'0, Robinson (IL), Illinois- a big man who is very long and quite lanky, he can step out and hit a three, which makes him unique for a 7-footer
92. Daniel Alexander, PF, 6'8, Dripping Springs (TX), Texas A&M- a long big man with good skills, he is a nice player, but is not there just yet
93. Terone Johnson, PG, 6'2, North Central (IN), Purdue- the Chicago guard is very talented and can score the ball in addition to dishing it out
94. Richard Solomon, C, 6'9, Price (CA), Cal- long big man works hard, scores the ball, rebounds, can block shots, and also put it on the deck a bit
95. Dwayne Polee, SF, 6'7, Westchester (CA), uncommitted- a big-time athlete with great shot blocking ability, he is still raw, but is getting better
96. RJ Slawson, PF, 6'7, Fort Dorchester (SC), South Carolina- he came on late, but is a talented player who is likely not done developing
97. Jerian Grant, SF, 6'5, DeMatha (MD), Notre Dame- a wing who can flat-out play, he is a team player and a true winner with scoring ability
98. Eric Atkins, PG, 6'1, Mount St. Joseph (MD), Notre Dame- combo guard can effectively run the point, but also does a good job of scoring, and can shoot it
99. Trae Golden, PG, 6'1, McEachern (GA), Tennessee- floor leader has a nice all-around game, as he can gets teammates involved and also score
100. Russell Byrd, SF, 6'7, Blackhawk Christian (IN), Michigan State- long wing is an elite shooter with a great stroke, but needs to be more consistent
101. Bryce Jones, SG, 6'4, Taft (CA), USC- skilled wing with a solid overall game who can lead a team in addition to putting the ball in the hoop
102. Khyle Marshall, SG, 6'5, Flanagan (FL), Butler- a wing who is a quality athlete, a good shooter, he can also handle to get to the cup
103. Jordin Mayes, SG, 6'1, Westchester (CA), uncommitted- although he is undersized for his position, he can play the 1 if needed, but is a great scorer
104. Jason Morris, SF, 6'5, Hotchkiss School (CT), Georgia Tech- another phenomenal athlete, he can jump out of the gym, but must round out his skill set
105. Justin Martin, SF, 6'7, Mountain State Academy (WV), Xavier- a long wing, he is a knockdown jumpshooter, especially beyond the arc, but needs to develop the rest of his game more
106. Tobi Oyedeji, PF, 6'8, Bellaire (TX), Texas A&M- a physical presence in the paint, the big man can rebound, but needs to work on his overall game
107. Ahmad Starks, PG, 5'8, Whitney Young (IL), Oregon State- the smallest player on the list is quick, can distribute, and also scores
108. Lenzelle Smith, SG, 6'4, Zion-Benton Township (IL), Ohio State- thick combo guard won't wow you, but he gets the job done, both scoring and distributing
109. TJ Taylor, SG, 6'3, Denison (TX), Oklahoma- a scorer at the 2 spot, he could use another inch or two, but he is talented and can score
110. Jay Canty, SF, 6'5, Oak Ridge Military Academy (NC), Xavier- a very good athlete at the 3, he is a playmaker who can score the ball and also rebound it
111. Cody Larson, PF, 6'9, Roosevelt (SD), Iowa- despite coming from a state that isn't known for high-major talent, the big man is a nice overall talent
112. JD Weatherspoon, SF, 6'6, Northland (OH), Ohio State- he has a good frame, good size, and a solid skill set which makes him a good glue guy
113. Kyle Collinsworth, SF, 6'6, Provo (UT), BYU- a solid wing who has a good handle, can shoot it, and also has a good frame to go along with a nice feel for the game
114. Tyler Thornton, PG, 6'2, Gonzaga (DC), Duke- well-built floor leader has good strength to get to the cup, gets the job done, and is a true winner,
115. Alex Kirk, C, 6'11, Los Alamos (NM), New Mexico- a big man with a huge frame, he needs to improve his mobility and stamina, but he can rebound and score
116. Jonathan Graham, PF, 6'8, Calvert Hall College HS (MD), uncommitted- hard-working big man has good size, rebounds, blocks shots, and scores in the post
117. Alex Rossi, SF, 6'5, New Trier (IL), Cal- he doesn't have the best handle in the world and isn't a great rebounder, but he is an elite shooter from three-point range
118. Langston Galloway, SG, 6'3, Life Center Academy (LA), St. Joseph's- combo guard can handle the rock and also drain shots from beyond the arc
119. Jelani Hewitt, PG, 6'3, Northeast (FL), uncommitted- scoring combo guard with a quality offensive skill set that includes a nice jumper
120. Allen Crabbe, SG, 6'4, Price (CA), Cal- a talented wing who is a smart player on the court, he continues to improve his game and get better
121. Tyrone Garland, PG, 6'2, John Bartram (PA), Virginia Tech- scoring combo guard is a streaky shooter, but can really score, especially off the trey
122. Demarco Cox, C, 6'8, Yazoo City (MS), Ole Miss- football star is a good rebounder and has a huge frame, but is slightly undersized height-wise
123. Devon Collier, PF, 6'7, St. Anthony's (NJ), Oregon State- an intriguing player due to his length, he can really block shots and also rebounds well
124. Fuquan Edwin, SF, 6'5, Paterson Catholic (NJ), Seton Hall- combo forward's handle needs some work, but he plays hard, is a tremendous athlete, and a good rebounder with an improving J
125. Melsahn Basabe, PF, 6'7, St. Mark's (MA), Siena- a touch undersized, the big man, who both scores and rebounds, is strong and athletic

RANKING NOTES
- Post grads were not considered for this list, though fifth-year seniors were
- Small forwards (30) lead theway on the list, with shooting guards (29) second, followed by power forwards (28), then point guards (27), and finally centers (11)
- There are six players on the list under 6'0 and three players on the list who are 7'0 or taller
- There 13 high schools that have multiple players on the list, including three with more than two: Oak Hill Academy (four), Hargrave Military Academy (three), Mater Dei (three), Findlay Prep (two), Liberty County (two), Montrose Christian (two), Montverde Academy (two), Mountain State Academy (two), Northland (two), Price (two), Providence School (two), St. Mark's (two), Westchester (two)
- There are 34 states (including DC) with players on the list, based off where the players attend high school, 23 of which have more than one: California (eleven), Florida (eleven), Virginia (ten), North Carolina (nine), Texas (eight), Maryland (seven), Georgia (six), Illinois (six), Ohio (five), Massachusetts (four), New Jersey (four), Tennessee (four), West Virginia (four), Indiana (three), Louisiana (three), Michigan (three), New Hampshire (three), New York (three), Connecticut (two), Nevada (two), Pennsylvania (two), South Carolina (two), and Wisconsin (two)
- There are 14 uncommitted players on the list
- There are 59 colleges with commitments from ranked players, and of them, 32 have multiple players committed, including 13 with three or more: Ohio State (six), Memphis (five), Cal (four), Wake Forest (four), Duke (three), Illinois (three), Michigan State (three), North Carolina (three), South Carolina (three), Syracuse (three), Tennessee (three), Villanova (three), Virginia (three), Alabama (two), Florida (two), Florida State (two), Georgetown (two), Marquette (two), Missouri (two), North Carolina State (two), Notre Dame (two), Oklahoma (two), Oklahoma State (two), Oregon State (two), Pitt (two), Stanford (two), Texas A&M (two), UCLA (two), UConn (two), Virginia Tech (two), West Virginia (two), and Xavier (two)
-There are 12 conferences represented on the list, eight of which have multiple schools with commitments from players ranked. Seven of the eight have at least one school with multiple pledges from players mentioned, along with one school that is the lone conference representative. The list is as follows, with the numbers being Number of Players, Number of Schools, Number of Schools with Multiple Commits: ACC (22, 10, 7), Big East (20, 10, 8), Big Ten (17, 8, 3), Pac-10 (14, 8, 4), SEC (14, 8, 4),Big XII (10, 6, 4), C-USA (5,1, 1), Atlantic-10 (4, 3, 1), Mountain West (2, 2, 0), MAAC (1, 1, 0), Horizon League (1, 1, 0), and Sun Belt(1, 1, 0)

Note- photo is of Perry Jones and is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/
Note- Bob Gibbons, ESPNU, Hoop Scoop, PrepStars.com, Rivals, and Scout used as sources for information