West Coast Spring Showcase: Intriguing Big Men

<p>The West Coast Spring Showcase took place at Mountain View High School in Vancouver last weekend, and a number of top teams from around the Pacific Northwest were in tow at the 17U and 16U levels. There was quite a bit of talent on hand and here are some of the intriguing big men that we saw in Saturday's action.</p> <p><strong>Jackson Grant (2021 Olympia/WA Supreme)</strong> - It's hard to say a guy with a scholarship offer from Washington already can be considered "intriguing" but Grant is definitely far from being a finished product. Right now he's a 6-foot-9 big man who's long and lanky, runs the floor, finish at the hoop with authority, and is a real shot-blocking threat. There's still a rawness to his game and at times it seems like he's still growing into his body but there's no doubt a lot of potential exists - which is why he's earned early scholarship offers from programs such as the Huskies.</p> <p><strong>Kaden Perry (2021 Battle Ground/Rose City Rebels 16U)</strong> - Similar to Grant, Perry already has a scholarship offer from Washington but is too still a work in development. Where Perry differs is the fact he's more of a raw run-and-jump athlete. The Battle Ground sophomore posted up strong and went to his go-to move, a drop step spin to the right that led to a thunderous dunk on a couple of occasions. Perry was also tough on defense blocking at least a couple of shots a game in the contests we watched. Like Grant, he's still developing but certainly one to watch going forward.</p> <p><strong>Kamron Robinson (2021 Jefferson/Rose City Rebels 16U)</strong> - We continue to be amazed at just how Robinson has changed his body - now at about 220 pounds, a year ago he was in the 290-300 range. Now the 6-foot-9 sophomore not only moves better on the floor and has much better stamina, but he's also added the ability to finish at the rim with a dunk - something he only started doing a few months ago. Robinson had a soft touch around the hoop and continues to have the knack of following his own shot on the offensive glass.</p> <p><strong>Kaleb Lichau (2020 Peninsula/WA Supreme)</strong> - Lichau immediately attracts attention not only because of his 6-foot-9 height but also with his long, lanky, and rangy frame. In some ways he's all arms and legs - in a good way - as it helps him out on both ends of the floor in being a factor on the boards and defensively, both inside as a shot-blocker and on the perimeter disrupting the passing lanes. Lichau got out in transition, finished well, and flashed a nice jumper and could very well be turned into a wing when it's all said and done.</p> <p><strong>Luke Johnson (2022 Central Catholic/Rose City Rebels 2022)</strong> - Already standing 6-foot-7, Johnson is an all-around athlete who not only comes from good bloodlines - older sister Kailee was a McDonald's All-American who played at Stanford - he also plays quarterback on the Central Catholic football team. He's a good athlete and even playing up at the 16U level, was a shot-blocking threat on defense. Johnson posted up strong on the offensive side and showcased a few post moves, but could also face up and hit some mid-range jumpers with a pretty nice touch. He didn't back down from anybody he matched up with and played with a competitive edge.</p>