I was at the Graduates Over Guns open runs organized by Xposure Runs that took place at Julian High School. It was a great overall event to bring the community together and the runs must have had over 50-plus kids throughout the day. There were a handful of kids who stood out in the high school group.
Charles Barnes (6’4 SG/SF, De La Salle)
The De La Salle shooter has a smooth lefty stroke that led to many of his scoring opportunities. As a spot-up threat, he knocked down shots from the corners and was consistent with his mechanics. Barnes also slashed to the rim on a couple of occasions to score. Only a freshman, Barnes has a bright future ahead.
Jayden Preston (5’8 PG, TF South)
Preston was a standout all day with how well he created off the dribble and made tough shots from the paint and off pull-ups. He has that quick-twitch shiftiness that makes it tough to stay in front of him, often using multiple moves to create separation. Preston made jumpers from around the court off of stepback and pull back moves, maintaining his balance. He lacks height, but Preston is only a sophomore and plays with a joy and confidence that should give him a chance.
DJ Porter (6’4 SG, Fenwick)
Porter is a sophomore that already has a college-ready build. He was dominating at times with his physicality, but also was a factor with his skill level from the perimeter. He hit multiple tough jumpers on the move and was composed after bumping defenders to get space. One of multiple promising Fenwick sophomores, Porter should have a breakout season and should be on the radars of college coaches soon.
Jahlil Love (6’4 SF, Manley)
There was evident upside with the lanky wing from Manley. Love made an impact defensively by getting tips and strips to get out in transition where he had numerous finishes above the rim. He has very long strides and uses them well to step around defenders and shoot over contested hands. Love hit a three from the corner and showed some touch from the mid-range as well. I expect for him to continue to grow into his body, which could still add a few inches, and see him develop as an impact two-way player.
Josh Andrew (5’10 PG, Englewood Excel)
Andrew was one of the more impressive guards that I saw. His pace and body control stood out, consistently getting into the lane and scoring around help defenders with some flash. He used his tight handle to weave through traffic and rarely turned the ball over during the run. Andrew stepped outside to hit a couple of threes as well. With his poise off the dribble, Andrew should give coaches confidence to put the ball in his hands.
Larry Carthan (6’7 PF, Julian)
Carthan showed good agility and activity as a 6-foot-7 four man. He has good bounce off the floor and changes ends effectively. In the open court, Carthan scored running the wings and with the ball in his hands. He’s still a little raw on the offensive end, but he did take a three and got to the rim on right-hand drives a few times. I like his upside defensively as both a rim protector and ball screen defender with how well he moves and the length he possesses. If he can continue to add strength, Carthan could have a nice trajectory going forward.