Central Cali Prospects Next Up Showcase: Standout W/F

Last Saturday, on Saturday, August 23rd, Central Cali Prospects hosted its 5th Annual Next Up Showcase, which has been the event where the next wave of high school hoop talent from the Central Section shows growth in their game or jumps on the radar. The showcase was held at Central Valley Christian High School in Visalia, CA, and featured 60 players from various areas throughout the Section, such as Santa Maria, Bakersfield, Fresno, Hanford, Visalia, Reedley, Kingsburg, and Madera. Players were placed on preset rosters and made up five teams, using college team names as follows: CSU Bakersfield, Cal Poly, Fresno State, CSU Northridge, and UC Santa Barbara. Each team, or player, played in two showcase games, which was set up in a 5 game format. The event also featured a recruitment discussion with JUCO players, to provide participants with information and knowledge of what the current recruiting environment is like. This article looks at 7 standout wing/forwards from the Next Up Showcase, and provides their scoring and rebound statistics, as well as a brief summary of their skill sets. This article will be followed by pieces on lead guards, combo guards, and shooters from the event. The players are listed in alphabetical order, not rank order. I begin with the promising sophomore, Damarion Cartwright.    Cartwright is a rangy and wiry wing/forward that impacts both ends of the court, is active on the glass, and will be a key piece for the Drillers for the next 3 years. Cartwright had an impressive first game at the Next Up Showcase, as he would go for 14 points and 6 rebounds, followed by 8 rebounds in his second showcase game. Cartwright uses his length and high motor to be a high-level rebounder, has the handle to push the ball off the glass, and alters shots in the paint, as well as the agility to close out and block shots on perimeter players. Cartwright runs the floor well in the open court, has nice touch on shots around the basket, is comfortable with the mid-range jumper off the dribble, and can spread the floor with the 3-ball to open up lanes to attack off the wing. Cartwright is a nice prospect with great upside, and if continues to develop his perimeter skill set, he could be one of the better prospects in the 2028 class when all said and done.     Fletcher is a small forward that was able to assert himself on the interior, as well as display his ability to score the ball in a variety of ways at the Next Up Showcase. The 6-foot-4 freshman had a solid opening game at the event, finishing with 10 points and connecting on a pair of threes, which was followed by a great showing in his second game, going for 18 points and 7 rebounds, and a player to keep an eye on over the next four years. Fletcher has good court awareness, finds the dunker spot often to be the recipient of passes from perimeter players on the attack, with nice touch and feel on shots around the basket. Fletcher runs the floor well in the open court, gets good positioning to be an effective rebounder, with enough handle to push the ball up the court, moves well off the ball to get open looks off the catch, and is accurate on the 3-ball to open up the court. Fletcher has creative finishes at the basket, with the use of the up and under lay-up, and has a solid build with good size to possibly be in the rotation on varsity for the young but talented Cavaliers. He does the things that impact winning basketball.     Jenkins is a wing/forward with a solid frame and good touch on shots within fifteen feet of the basket, and he showed to be a reliable scorer at the Next Up Showcase. Jenkins had solid outings in both of his showcase games, as he would go for 10 points and 9 rebounds in his first game, followed by 10 points and 5 rebounds in his second game. Jenkins is active on the boards, has enough handle to push the ball up the court or provide second chance opportunities for the offense, and uses his strong build to score through contact around the basket. Jenkins has good hands and nice touch around the basket, has good body control on the mid-range jumper when contacted by his defender, draws fouls at a high rate, and runs the floor well in the open court to get easy buckets in transition. The Corcoran transfer will be a key piece for the young but talented and athletic Bullpups of Hanford.     McLean is a wing/forward with good size and strength to impose his game in the paint, as well as score from the perimeter, and showed to be an impact rebounder at the Next Up Showcase. McLean had a strong showing in his team's first game, as he put up a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds. He would follow that with another impressive game on the glass, with 5 points and 8 boards, and was one of the better overall rebounders at the event. McLean has good hands and touch around the basket, uses his length to alter shots on the weakside or on the perimeter, is capable of spreading the floor with the 3-ball, and has the handle to put the ball on the deck and attack from the wing. McLean has the physical build to finish through contact around the basket, has good touch on the jumper, and is a solid on-ball defender, with the ability to guard the 1 through 3 spots effectively. Given the depth and talent of the Knights, I am not sure what level he will play this coming season, but definitely has good size and skill to be an asset the next few years.     Mena is a lengthy wing/forward that showed some versatility scoring the ball, and will be a welcome addition for the new look and young Eagles of Fresno Christian. Mena had games of 5 points and 4 rebounds, and 6 points and 6 rebounds for a solid showing at the Next Up Showcase. Mena is active on the boards, runs the floor well in the open court, moves well off the ball to get open for the 3-ball off the catch, and has nice touch on shots around the basket. He has a good size wingspan to alter shots in the paint from the weakside, and good enough movement to close out and alter shots on the perimeter. Mena showed good court awareness and played within his skill set.     Niles is a forward that used his physical and athletic build to control the glass and score routinely in the post at the Next Up Showcase. Niles opened the event with a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds, followed by another dominant game on the glass with 12 rebounds to go with 8 points. Niles relentlessly crashes the boards for second chance points or to limit the opponent to a single possession, has nice touch on shots around the basket, showed he is accurate with the mid-range jumper, connecting on a fade middy that had touch, and is able to finish through contact down the lane. Niles has solid court vision to make reads from the top of the key, and has gotten in good shape, which makes him more of a threat running up the court in transition. Niles will be a major factor for the Drillers this season.     Sain is a lengthy and wiry wing/forward that showed he can score the ball in a variety of ways, as well as defensive versatility at the Next Up Showcase. Sain had a solid showing over his two games, going for 10 points and 5 rebounds in his first game, and 6 points and 3 rebounds in his second game. Sain has the agility and wingspan to defend the 1 through 3 spots effectively, alters shots on the perimeter, has active hands to tip the ball or jump passing lanes, which lead to easy buckets in the open court. Sain has solid handles, makes good use of the crossover to get by his defender, is effective with the mid-range jumper off the dribble, and has great touch on finishes around the basket. He has nice touch on the floater, and excels in the open court, where his length and strides help him get ahead of the defense and open for transition baskets. He will be a key piece for Hanford, and is a prospect to track over the next four years.

Last Saturday, on Saturday, August 23rd, Central Cali Prospects hosted its 5th Annual Next Up Showcase, which has been the event where the next wave of high school hoop talent from the Central Section shows growth in their game or jumps on the radar. The showcase was held at Central Valley Christian High School in Visalia, CA, and featured 60 players from various areas throughout the Section, such as Santa Maria, Bakersfield, Fresno, Hanford, Visalia, Reedley, Kingsburg, and Madera. Players were placed on preset rosters and made up five teams, using college team names as follows: CSU Bakersfield, Cal Poly, Fresno State, CSU Northridge, and UC Santa Barbara. Each team, or player, played in two showcase games, which was set up in a 5 game format. The event also featured a recruitment discussion with JUCO players, to provide participants with information and knowledge of what the current recruiting environment is like. This article looks at 7 standout wing/forwards from the Next Up Showcase, and provides their scoring and rebound statistics, as well as a brief summary of their skill sets. This article will be followed by pieces on lead guards, combo guards, and shooters from the event. The players are listed in alphabetical order, not rank order. I begin with the promising sophomore, Damarion Cartwright.