Prospect Spotlight: Justin Rene (2019)
Long Beach Poly’s Justin Rene didn’t take the fast track to varsity starter at a big name school.
The 6-foot-2 combo guard didn’t arrive at 1600 Atlantic Avenue with any hype or promises of getting minutes at the highest level in prep hoops, instead he had to work for it.
As a freshman, Rene played on the sophomore team and did well enough there to catch the eye of varsity coach Shelton Diggs and earned some minutes on the top squad as a sophomore.
Now, as a rising junior, Rene is a starter and a player who Diggs and the rest of the Jackrabbits will rely upon as a three-level scoring threat.
Long Beach Poly junior Justin Rene had to earn his varsity minutes and he’s not done yet.“It feels good to be a starter at Poly, but my job isn’t done,” he said of his ascent. “I want to be that guy who’s ready to play all the time.”
Rene isn’t just talking the talk, he’s working his tail off to be prepared for the summer viewing period and the 2017-18 high school season.
“I’ve been working a lot lately,” Rene said. “I’ve been getting to the basket more, shooting my shot higher and have been going to the beach and sand dunes to work on my conditioning.”
One of the most important aspects of Rene’s game moving forward will be his ability to finish over and through contact.
During the summer, Poly has started four guards and its tallest player stands around 6-feet-3, making it essential to have guys who can attack the basket and finish or create for others.
“My coaches give me some contact or make me finish funny,” Rene said of the drills he’s doing to improve his finishing around the rim. “I’m going to be in situations during the game where I have to finish that way and I have to be able to do that.”
Rene has mostly flown under the radar, but opened some eyes last fall at the Pangos Frosh-Soph Camp and reports interest from a handful of Division I programs, but no offers yet.
“I’ve heard from schools like Cal State Fullerton, Pepperdine and Denver,” Rene said. “I’ve heard from a lot of west coast schools, but I’ll play anywhere I’m blessed to.”