Early Look: 4A Lake League

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this article, I take an early look at 3 contenders in the 4A Lake League. Although the conference had several talented seniors graduate, another wave of skilled prospects should emerge and make names for themselves this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Las Vegas Wildcats</em></strong><em><strong> </strong>(2025-2026 Overall Record 22-6, 7-0 In Conference Play)</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Las Vegas Wildcats were one of the most entertaining teams to follow in 4A last season. They played with a ton of energy and frequently pushed the pace, and I expect them to remain a run-and-gun team this year. They also return a couple of their go-to guys in [player_tooltip player_id='2471021' first='Jacory' last='Boyce'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2468405' first='Amari' last='Hinds']. Boyce will likely be one of the fastest players in the Lake League, if not the fastest, which should allow him to get downhill just about whenever he wants. Hinds is an accurate long-range shooter who appears to have developed more slashing ability over the summer. The duo figures to lead the Wildcats in scoring, and I believe they'll wreak havoc on defense as well. In addition to that tandem, Las Vegas will look to guys like [player_tooltip player_id='3666853' first='Johnny' last='Negasi'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2921265' first='Tavious' last='Boone Jr.'] Negasi gives them another scoring option, and he'll utilize his motor and length to make a difference defensively. Boone Jr. is a transfer who should help stretch the floor with his shooting. Overall, this team will once again be highly athletic, and the Wildcats should contend for one of the top playoff seeds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Rancho Rams</em></strong><em><strong> </strong>(2025-2026 Overall Record 10-18, 6-2 In Conference Play)</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Rancho Rams have skill, size, and speed throughout their roster. I'll start with point guard [player_tooltip player_id='3243647' first='Nya'Vari' last='Floyd-Johnson'], who uses his next-level burst to regularly leave defenders in the dust. He's also a tenacious on-ball defender who can jump-start the offense with steals and deflections. From there, let's talk about [player_tooltip player_id='3198471' first='Zehlik' last='Wyatt-Gowans'], a confident 3-point shooter who cashes in on open looks at a high rate. Rancho also has several other guards to watch, including DJ Byrd, [player_tooltip player_id='2820420' first='Dorian' last='Virgil'], and new transfer [player_tooltip player_id='2812145' first='Phoenix' last='Dalton']. Byrd caught my attention during summer league with his scoring punch, and there's a good chance he starts or earns solid minutes. Virgil is a force on both ends of the court. He drives to the rack with purpose, battles for rebounds, and contests shots with ease. Dalton should make a noticeable impact as well, and his perimeter shooting will likely make life easier for his new teammates. Beyond their deep group of guards, the Rams also have 6-foot-8 power forward/center [player_tooltip player_id='3553639' first='Navarius' last='Page']. He is the definition of a rangey forward and gives Rancho a significant advantage in the paint. Expect this team to win a ton of games and frequently produce highlight-reel plays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Mater East Academy Knights</em></strong> <em>(2025-2026 Overall Record 10-9 Overall, 3-4 In Conference Play)</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Mater East Academy Knights are another guard heavy team in the 4A Lake League. They have one of the best 2029s in the state in [player_tooltip player_id='2624906' first='Damari' last='Sawall'], who I believe will give opponents all they can handle game in and game out. He is a smooth operator with the rock and gets to his spots very efficiently. The attention he draws should also open the door for teammates like LeZarius Winbush, [player_tooltip player_id='3140680' first='Zermiond' last='Rojas'], Makai Reed, [player_tooltip player_id='2637192' first='Markus' last='Burton'], [player_tooltip player_id='3028423' first='Diego' last='Ramirez'], [player_tooltip player_id='3675495' first='Jordan' last='Meeks'], [player_tooltip player_id='3681114' first='EJ' last='Douglas'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2819169' first='Keyone' last='Wilkerson']. 2030 guard Winbush may take on a decent role from the get-go due to his ability to make plays on both offense and defense. Rojas, Reed, Burton, Meeks, Wilkerson, and Ramirez should all pitch in offensively as well, and I think Burton has a chance to truly break out this season. Building cohesion throughout the fall should help them in the long run, and they could become a very dangerous team by February. If everything comes together, a deep playoff run could be in the cards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->