Rose City Showcase – HS Varsity Elite Fresh Faces

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 22nd annual Rose City Showcase took place the first weekend in June, and a number of top high school teams in the area - and beyond - gathered at the home gym of Portland Community College for some high octane action. We had the opportunity to catch some games in the Gentlemen High School Varsity Elite bracket and there were a number of guys we saw for the first time in extended action, or for the first time period - helping us get a head start on the Class of 2029 rankings list. Here are some of the top ones:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2747480' first='Andrew' last='Kim'] (2026 Roosevelt) </strong>- Kim got a little time last season for Roosevelt but it's clear he'll have a much bigger role for the Roughriders in 2025-26. The 6-foot-3ish swingman was extremely bouncy and was able to wow the crowd with an impressive one-handed throw-down in traffic on one play. He also used his athleticism to compete on the boards and on defense, tallying 6 rebounds and 3 blocked shots to go along with his 13 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Grady Baugette (2026 Gresham)</strong> - The Gophers will be a little size challenged this upcoming season, so that's where a guy like Baugette will be able to step up. He was solid in Gresham's win over Grant, coming off the bench to provide 8 points and 7 rebounds in the second half. The 6-foot-3 rising junior may be more naturally suited to be a wing, but he finished well around the hoop and wasn't afraid to bang around for boards on both ends.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2534757' first='Cameron' last='Harris'] (2028 Roosevelt) </strong>- Another Roughrider due for increased playing time will be Harris. The 6-foot-3ish swingman is a smooth scorer, really capable of creating for himself off the dribble and finishing around the hoop, but also has a decent jumper from distance. He tallied 13 points on a variety of threes and drives to the hoop, while also dishing out a couple of assists and registering a couple of blocks on the defensive end.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Corinthian Littleton (2026 Parkrose)</strong> - Due to a team dropping out, Parkrose field two squads in the Rose City Showcase with the team playing in the High School Varsity Elite bracket consisting mainly of the players returning from last year's team. Littleton led the way for these Wildcards, showing tremendous motor and hustle on both ends of the floor, making some key plays down the stretch in their win over Cleveland. He finished with 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2888697' first='Jordan' last='Smith'] (2029 Reynolds)</strong> - A younger brother to current Reynolds rising sophomore Jae'Lyn Smith, [player_tooltip player_id='2888697' first='Jordan' last='Smith'] impressed. Standing about 6-foot-2 with athletic explosiveness, he was a pure scorer in the two games we watched as he capably scored at all three levels, hitting perimeter jumpers and using a quick first step to create off the dribble. While he could easily score every time he touched the ball, he played unselfishly and also looked to get teammates involved.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2744610' first='Abraham' last='Cogan'] (2029 Grant)</strong> - We had heard Cogan's name before and seen some highlights on social media, but didn't immediately recognize him when he stepped on the floor for Grant. In fact, we admittedly mistook him for someone much older based on his size, length, and fluidity with the way he moved at 6-foot-5. The incoming freshman didn't really get his offense going too much with only 5 points, but was incredibly impressive with his motor on the boards and on defense with 12 rebounds and a couple of blocked shots.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2910099' first='Kendall' last='Hopkins-McGlothen'] (2029 Benson)</strong> - One of the top new finds of the day was definitely Hopkins-McGlothen. At 6-foot-3, the incoming freshman has a long, lanky, and athletic frame that could easily hold more weight and even against older and stronger players, he more than held his own. The lefty has a smooth stroke on his jumper, a soft touch around the hoop, smooth ball skills, and plays with a good feel for the game. He posted 14 points in Benson's win over Reynolds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->