Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021 | 2 a.m.
Editor's note: The Super Seven is usually the top seven boys and girls high school basketball players in Southern Nevada. But in some years, there are more than seven worthy players, and we add to the list. That was the case this season.
The best high school basketball player in Nevada could be Coronado High School point guard Richard “Pop Pop” Isaacs, who recruiting service 24/7 Sports rates as the state’s top prospect for the class of 2022 and the nation’s No. 52 overall recruit.
Some, though, will say the label as the state’s top player should go to Liberty High School’s 6-foot-7 forward Joshua Jefferson, a skilled big man who will play in college at St. Mary’s. He’s the No. 2 prospect in Nevada for the class of 2022.
Nowhere on the list of prospects will you find Tavi Jackson, a 6-foot-1 point guard from Las Vegas High, who enters his senior season this week with one scholarship offer — from Siena. He’s part of the Sun’s Super Seven, the annual preseason listing of the area’s top players.
Don’t expect Jackson to be light on recruiting interest for long.
After watching Jackson play last month, one analyst posted on Twitter: “Jackson is an under-the-radar playmaking talent. Terrific student and good feel for his position. Mid-major and Ivy school. Coaches must watch. Has high major intangibles plus upside.”
He’s got the best stats of any returning player in the state, averaging 17.1 points, seven rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.4 steals per game in 2019-20 — the last contested season. Not many athletes make the varsity team during their freshman year, but the Wildcats promoted Jackson after two games in 2018, and he finished the season second on the team in scoring at 11.8 points per game.
“He used to get pushed around a lot, but he’s more physical now,” Las Vegas coach Jason Wilson said. “He’s pretty hard to guard now. A lot of that is hard work, and a lot of that is God-given talent.”
That talent is one of the reasons why Las Vegas is considered a favorite to win the class 4A state championship, as Jackson will be counted on to produce most of the Wildcats' offense. If he’s not scoring, the point guard is considered an exceptional passer and intends to get teammates involved in the offense.
“I know I can score when I want to. I like to get my teammates buckets too,” he said.
Wilson said many players nationally from the 2022 graduating class face similar hurdles as Jackson when dealing with recruiters. There’s no game film from last season because of the pandemic, and many colleges are populating their rosters with players from the NCAA transfer portal. Those athletes are more proven commodities, and bigger and stronger from already being in a college setting.
“We don’t have film, because he hasn’t played in any games for us since 2020,” Wilson said. “I’m guessing he is going to get some offers in the spring.”
Jackson says being part of the Super Seven or when he eventually gets more recruiting interest won’t change his approach to the game.
“I have always been underrated. I like that title under my name,” he said. “I go into every game with a chip on my shoulder and with something to prove.”
Here’s the rest of the Super Seven:
Ryan Abelman, senior guard, Bishop Gorman
The 6-foot-4 guard provided a spark of offense off the bench two seasons ago during Gorman’s run to the state championship. Now, as Gorman plays for its 10th consecutive title, it will be Abelman who will be counted on to be the Gaels’ primary scorer.
Considering the list of team leaders during the streak — McDonald’s All-Americans like Shabazz Muhammad, Stephen Zimmerman, Chase Jeter and Charles O’Bannon — that puts Abelman in good company.
“I am definitely a shooter,” he said. “I can be a threat anywhere on the court. I play hard and aggressive, crash the board and play hard on defense.”
Abelman started to flourish at the end of the 2019-20 season when he worked his way into the rotation. He knocked down a few 3-pointers during Gorman’s playoff run, and gained much confidence in the process.
Abelman last month signed to play at Northern Arizona University.
Osiris Grady, junior forward, Coronado
Coronado’s club team spent the COVID season last winter traveling the region to various events, giving Osiris Grady a perfect platform to make a name for himself. By holding his own against a who’s who of competition, the 6-foot-7 Grady established himself as the nation’s 85th overall prospect for the class of 2023.
He has scholarship offers from the likes Cal Poly, Howard, UNR and New Mexico.
“I can pretty much do anything — guard (positions) one through five, shoot the ball, put it on the floor, get to the rim well and run the floor,” he said.
Grady averaged 5.9 points and 5.5 assists per game in 2019-20 as a freshman, and has developed into a capable scorer at forward. He’s always been able to get to the basket and is working to enhance his shooting range on the wing.
“I want to go all out and compete like I have a target on my back,” he said.
Richard “Pop Pop” Isaacs, senior guard, Coronado
The 6-foot-2 Isaacs is considered the nation’s eighth best point guard for the class of 2022, according to 24/7 Sports. He moved back to Coronado, where he played as a freshman, after spending two years at Wasatch Academy in Utah, instantly making the Cougars a threat to win the state championship.
“I am a point guard who can score at a high level and pass the ball at a high level,” he said. “I will do whatever it takes to win the ball game.”
Isaacs averaged about 14 points and five assists in both seasons at Wasatch Academy, a prep school that played a national schedule. He signed last month at Texas Tech.
Joshua Jefferson, senior forward, Liberty
Of all the returning players in Southern Nevada, it’s Jefferson that has the brightest credentials.
He averaged 14 points and nine rebounds per game during his sophomore campaign in the last contested season of 2019-20 to lead Liberty to a league championship over Coronado. The Patriots gave perennial power Bishop Gorman a challenge in the regional semifinals before losing at the buzzer.
“I can do a little bit of everything — dribble, pass, shoot, post up,” Jefferson said.
Jefferson’s dad and oldest brother played in the NFL. Another brother played football in college. But his path is basketball, including a spot next season in college with St. Mary’s.
“Josh is a strong all-around player. He has great basketball knowledge, can score inside and out and has developed into an aggressive rebounder,” St. Mary’s coach Randy Bennett said in a statement announcing Jefferson’s signing. “His size and athleticism will help him be an impact player at this level.”
Sebastian Mack, junior guard, Durango
The last we saw of Mack, he was a freshman coming off the bench to bury four 3-pointers in the first half of Durango’s regional semifinal win over Coronado.
Two years later, his game has evolved to include more than an accurate outside shot.
“I have learned to be a better drive and attacker (to the basketball),” he said. “I have learned to kick (pass) the ball to my fellow shooters.”
Mack is considered the state’s top recruiting prospect for the class of 2023 by 24/7 Sports and the nation’s No. 71 overall recruit. He has scholarship offers from UNLV, Loyola Marymount and New Mexico.
The Trailblazers advanced to the state tournament in 2019-20 in the last contested season. Now, they have eyes on winning the championship, which Mack says will require the team to “be locked in and compete in all aspects of the game.”
Shane Thomas, senior guard, Durango
Thomas is the fourth from his family to be selected for the Super Seven, joining sisters Sam, Bailey and Jade, each of whom won high school state championships at Centennial before playing in college.
“My older sisters, they definitely set the expectations,” Thomas said. “I just work hard and try to reach those expectations.”
Thomas is known as a “three and D guy,” he said, meaning he’s a capable outside shooter and plays strong defense.
Thomas during his sophomore season two years ago averaged 7.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and one assist per game. This year, he’ll partner with Mack in the backcourt at Durango, where they expect to compete for a title.
We “definitely want to have fun out there trying to compete and win a state championship,” he said.
Darrion Williams, senior forward, Bishop Gorman
The 6-foot-6 Williams is the type of player every team needs in that he takes pride in doing the little things, especially getting teammates involved offensively.
“I feel like I can do everything. I can pass, shoot, rebound, facilitate the ball and defend,” he said.
Williams averaged 11.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game as a sophomore at Capital Christian in Sacramento, Calif. He played last season on the club circuit with Gorman, getting acclimated to the program’s winning expectations.
“It’s pretty cool to follow some legends at Gorman. Hopefully we can continue the legacy,” he said.
Players of the Las Vegas Sun's Super Seven boys preseason all-city basketball team, from left Darrion Williams, Ryan Abelman, Tavi Jackson, Joshua Jefferson, Sebastian Mack, Shane Thomas, Osiris Grady and Richard "Pop Pop" Isaacs, take a portrait during the Las Vegas Sun's High School Basketball Media Day at the Red Rock Resort and Casino, Nov. 1, 2021.
