Tarkanian Classic: Southern California Standouts

In this article I feature a talented group of Southern California prospects that caught my eye at the Tarkanian Classic.    Drew Anderson is one of the more agile wings out there. He covers a ton of ground with his long strides and his motor never stops. His rim running ability also helps him both score and defend the basket. And I like how he can also stretch the floor with his 3-point shooting. In Santa Mararita's double OT win over Bishop Gorman, the senior dropped 29 Points, 19 Rebounds, and had 2 assists. It was a monster performance.     Kaiden Bailey utilized his burst to be a difference maker for Santa Margarita at the Tarkanian Classic. He plays at a very high pace with the rock in his hands, and I like how he also keeps his eyes up. While he didn't have his best shooting performance against Bishop Gorman, he still connected on three triples and dished out 4 assists.     Brayden Kyman is the type of shooter that is constantly hunting a good clean look. He is also efficient with his dribbles and can use his footwork if needed to shake defenders. His catch and shoot ability is also fun to watch and he drained four 3-pointers against Bishop Gorman. The Washington State commit finished with 19 points total, and he collected 7 rebounds.     Jaden Bailes is almost like a running back with the way he can hit a hole. His speed, shiftiness, and strength allow him to get to the rack very frequently. His elusiveness also forces defenders to foul him, and he made 10 of his 11 attempts in JSerra's matchup with Democracy Prep. Beyond his scoring, Bailes is also a guard who will snag rebounds (had 10).     [player_tooltip player_id='2435392' first='Earl' last='Bryson'] is an efficient shot maker who knows how to get to his spots. He also knows how to draw contact, and like Bailes, was living at the line against Democracy Prep. The junior was fouled 9 times, and made 7 of his 10 free throw attempts. Bryson set up his teammates as well, and finished the game with 5 assists. All in all, it was a solid game from the JSerra floor general.     [player_tooltip player_id='2948287' first='Zion' last='Lanier'] is a gritty shooting guard that can score in a variety of ways. He is a threat to splash in shots from the outside, and he connected on both of his attempts against Coronado. He also hit all 5 of his 2-point FG, going 7-7 from the field overall. And he finished with 16 points. Considering his height, poise, and touch, he'll definitely be a 2028 who continues to turn heads this season.     [player_tooltip player_id='2646501' first='NaVorro' last='Bowman'] is an absolute problem for defenders. He can get downhill in the blink of an eye and has no issue making tough finishes. He also does a good job of looking for quality shots on the perimeter, and he made 2 of his 5 attempts against Coronado. On the other end of the court, he was causing chaos regularly. Racking up 7 steals.   Additional Stats - 27 Points, 3 Assists, 3 Rebounds     [player_tooltip player_id='1945830' first='EJ' last='Popoola'] put on a show against Desert Pines at the Tarkanian Classic. The nimble shooting guard was attacking the hoop with some purpose and made one shot after another for Palisades. Including a couple of dunks and 3-pointers. Although the Dolphins didn't grab the win, I liked what I saw from him and was a fan of how he competed.   Stats - 26 Points, 6 Rebounds

In this article I feature a talented group of Southern California prospects that caught my eye at the Tarkanian Classic.