Fall Prep Classic: Underclass Standouts (Pt. 3)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>ORANGE — Gerry Freitas hosted his second annual SoCal Fall Prep Classic over the weekend at Santiago Canyon College. The event featured a strong contingent of teams from both the south and north regions of the state and some of the top teams from Arizona and Utah. Below are some of the top underclass prospects (freshmen and sophomores) we saw.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Gene Roebuck, 2027, La Mirada</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Roebuck has a throwback feel to his offensive game with his combination of guard skills and a physical inside presence to go along with it. The 6-foot-4 freshman uses his size, strength, footwork and crafty ball skills to break defenders down and get into the lane where he can score in a variety of ways. Roebuck is adept at knocking down pull-up jumpers, can absorb and finish through contact and get a bucket with his back to the basket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Jace Kellogg, 2026, Clovis West</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kellogg showed impressive feel for the game and playmaking ability in the open court. The 6-foot point guard is shifty in space, has a great burst of speed and changes direction on a dime without losing his downhill momentum. The sophomore got into the lane at-will, finished with some crafty floaters, and made some high IQ reads when finding open teammates. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1956461' first='Jason' last='Crowe Jr']., 2026, Lynwood</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>You can take every basketball superlative out there and most of them would apply to Crowe - one of the top sophomore prospects in the country. The high-scoring lefty is one of the best tough shot makers I have seen on this level but it is his ability to command and take over a game at such a young age that really stands out. Crowe is an offensive savant both in creating for himself and teammates and has such great feel when manipulating a defense with the dribble.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1150901' first='John' last='Mattingly'], 2026, Sunnyslope (AZ)</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mattingly won't blow you away with freakish athleticism or great size for his position but simply put he's a good basketball player. The 6-foot combo guard is a consistent three-point shooter off the catch and from the mid-range level off the dribble. Mattingly is also a savvy playmaker with great vision in the open court and half-court settings. His ability to change speeds out of hesitations allowed him to get into the lane and create for teammates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2094255' first='Kai' last='Bradford'], 2026, Jesuit</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bradford stood out with his defensive presence and IQ. His closeouts were precise with a high hand and he knew the strengths of player he was closing out to. Offensively, Bradford showed catch and shoot prowess from three-point range, moved well without the ball and affected the game without being ball dominant and with his understanding of how to move the ball without over-handling.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->