Names to Watch in Southern Oregon

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we continue to move through the offseason, a number of players are working on stepping into new roles for their respective high school teams. Naturally, some of these players will see an uptick in both production and attention this upcoming winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Today, we take a look at several players we see taking a major step forward next season from the Southern Oregon area, which includes schools in/near Roseburg and further south. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Take a look:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126215' first='Liam' last='Rea'] (2027 North Medford)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rea possesses a lengthy frame at 6-foot-4 and has shown the ability to lose defenders off the dribble. A smooth-operating left-hander, he has the tools to emerge as a stud offensively, with the ability to finish with either hand inside and torch the nets from beyond the arc. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2048285' first='Traeger' last='Healy'] (2026 North Medford)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Healy is a high-IQ guard that looks to pass and plays with a controlled pace. On the defensive end, he's shown the ability to play the passing lanes with good hands and instincts. He's a great rebounder for his size and -- alongside Rea -- should be a great player for the Tornado moving forward. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jordan Rosetta (2027 Grants Pass) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At 6-foot-5, 220-pounds, Rosetta is a star on the gridiron and it shows on the hardwood. He's a tremendous athlete, with great leaping ability and the strength to finish through contact inside. The top-ranked quarterback in his class, Rosetta is also an obviously willing passer and possesses a pretty jumper from the perimeter. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quinton Ritchie (2026 South Medford)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ritchie is a do-it-all, play-right point guard that particularly excels as a facilitator. With good body control and a tight handle, he's also shown the ability to score inside and out and should be an engine for South Medford this winter. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2390032' first='Jaron' last='Leeworthy'] (2026 Roseburg) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With Owen Bentea graduated, we see Leeworthy as the best-equipped to step-up as a go-to guy. He's slightly undersized at 5-foot-10, but springy with all the tools to blossom as a scorer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2287516' first='Malachi' last='Barlow'] (2027 Crater)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Barlow possesses a strong 6-foot-1 frame and stepped up in a big way for the Comets as a scorer a season ago. He's a terrific spot-up shooter, and has shown plenty of flashes as a No. 1 option. We expect another big-step next season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jackson Ainsworth (2028 Marshfield)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ainsworth is a competitive guard that played a sparkplug scoring role for a really good Pirates team as a freshman last winter. He'll be a name to watch as his role increases after the departure of multiple key seniors. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1947058' first='Deryk' last='Farmer'] (2026 Cascade Christian) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Farmer played a big role for the Challengers' last two strong 3A state tournament teams. He possesses a strong 6-foot-2 frame and does all the little things to impact the game outside of scoring. In 2025, he'll be the most experienced player on a new-look Cascade Christian team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->