WA Top 250 Expo: Stock Risers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Prep Hoops Circuit continued with the Top 250 Expo this Saturday. Over 250 players hoping to become prospects were in attendance. After watching 18 games, it was clear that Washington battle has many talented kids. The gym was filled with players of all talent levels and each game had a different star. The following players took advantage of the event and raised their stock. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lucas Mclendon – 6'2 SG – Graham Kapowsin ('25)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lucas has probably improved more than anyone I saw at the expo. Lucas usually lives behind the three-point line, but all day he made a point to get in the lane. With an improved motor and footwork in the lane, he has added some good pieces to his game. Though he showed he was comfortable in traffic, Lucas still loves the step-back three.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1450569' first='Dylan' last='Skaife'] – 6'4 SG – Ferris ('24)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This was my first time seeing Dylan and I would not be surprised if he is ranked by the end of the high school season. He's lanky and has smooth athleticism. He uses a great sense of the game to facilitate in the open floor. He didn't get a ton of chances to show his offensive skillset but when he did have scoring opportunities, he made the most of them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Zachary Luz – 6'1 PG – Mount Rainier ('24)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I coach in the same league as Zach so I am familiar with his game but not many know how good this kid is. He can score with either hand in traffic, from beyond three-point range with his hesitation pull up, and he gets everyone involved. The most impressive piece of his game is his defense. He's by far the toughest kid in most gyms and will terrorize defenders for 94 feet.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1450933' first='Xavier' last='Santana'] – 6'3 PG – Clarkston ('24)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first thing I saw from Xavier was a behind-the-back pass in traffic to a teammate running his lane. The next thing I saw was him use his strength to get by a defender after breaking down his initial matchup. His mix of strength and flash made him fun to watch but his hoop IQ made him a great leader and point guard.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1450943' first='Julian' last='Ibarra'] – 6'3 SG – Quincy ('24)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Julian impressed me the most of anyone I saw on Saturday. I hadn't seen any film of him but in the game I saw, he was head and shoulders above his competition. The kid can post up and push the break. In one play he grabbed the rebound, made a move past a defender in transition, and then euro stepped to finish. On top of his well-rounded skillset, he has the size and smarts to defend 1-4 on the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1318256' first='Shaun' last='Burton'] – 6'2 SG – Bonney Lake ('23)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last time I saw Shaun was summer league in June. He has improved a ton as a player and it is evident that he works hard at his craft. He improved his handle and his outside shot. He made good decisions with the ball and didn't force shots but instead made things happen within the flow of the game. Shaun also looked like he added on some size. As a senior, he should be a solid small college prospect for coaches looking for a hard-working combo guard.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->