A first-year program last season,
Prime Prep (Dallas) legitimized itself on the court instantly with wins over powers like Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.), Huntington St. Joseph Prep (Huntington, W.Va.), Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.), Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) and Yates (Houston).
Head coach Ray Forsett's squad was minutes away from playing in the de facto national championship game, but fell to eventual No. 1 Montverde Academy (Fla.) 57-55 at the National High School Invitational.
"Last year was a special group," Forsett said. "I'm not sure if we are quite as strong as last year, but we are right there with everybody else."
Forsett isn't overstating his description of the 2012-13 team. Four seniors from a year ago are on Division I rosters this season and two others are playing at lower levels of college basketball.
Guard Terrance Ferguson
Photo by Keith Owens
That puts a lot on the shoulders of
Emmanuel Mudiay —
247Sports.com's No. 1 senior prospect and the leading scorer on Prime Prep's 37-win team a year ago. The multi-dimensional guard was pursued by powerhouse programs nationwide but stunned many by electing to stay close to home and play for head coach Larry Brown at SMU.
"He's grown tremendously," Forsett said of Mudiay. "He's matured into being a leader and worked his butt off so he can get stronger and carry the load a little bit more for us."
Early returns indicate Mudiay is more than comfortable in his role as the go-to guy for Prime Prep. He scored 33 points Monday night against perennial power Yates (Houston) in the RCS Season Opener to help his team start the season 1-0.
Sophomore
Terrance Ferguson should be a dangerous sidekick on most nights. He was overshadowed a bit as a freshman by the deep assortment of talent on the Prime Prep roster. But the 6-foot-7 scorer made a statement over the summer by earning a spot on USA Basketball's U16 team that won a gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship.
Seniors
DaVontae Bailey and
Micah Seaborn and sophomore
Sean Williams — an Arkansas native — add additional firepower in the backcourt.
The frontcourt is not as settled. Prime Prep took a major hit there recently as star 2015 forward Elijah Thomas left the school for nearby Lancaster High School.
Promising 6-6 freshman
P.J. Washington figures into the replacement plan there. At 6-7, Wakeland (Frisco) transfer
Sam Schwietz also provides some size in the post.
View gallery of Prime Prep preseason photo shoot
Guard Micah Seaborn
Photo by Keith Owens
