Vining went head-to-head against one of the top guards in the gym, turning the matchup into an absolute battle of facilitation. Make no mistake, Vining is a gifted scorer—he is shifty with the ball in his hands and incredibly crafty once he gets both feet in the paint. He has a firm understanding of basketball fundamentals and always plays a smart game. He keeps his head up on the drive, controls the pace perfectly, and consistently gets his teammates involved. He is a surefire college-level player who still has even more potential to unlock.

Vining is one of my favorite Guards to watch in South Carolina’s 2027 Class because of how smooth he is on the offensive end. Justin excelled in an overtime loss to River City Reign , putting up 22 points and 5 assists. He started the game efficiently in the mid-range and drew a couple of fouls with his tight handle, but as the game went on, he hit some threes, made some great reads, and even had a few nice moments off the ball. Vining appears to have full control of the CPB offense whenever he has the ball and has a knack for collapsing defenses with penetration.

Justin is the first of three Carolina Pressure players featured in this article and the lead guard for their 16U team. This squad has already had success this Spring, and Vining’s performances have been a key reason why. I caught up with him in a matchup with 1 of 1 Elite which turned out to be an impressive win for CPB. Justin put up 12 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals, displaying key playmaking building around his ability to navigate traffic, penetrate a defense, find shooters on the perimeter, and finish with either hand at the basket.

Vining has really come out of nowhere in the past year with his play for the Predators. Justin made the jump from #41 to #28 in this latest edition of Stock-Risers.

Justin averaged 13.2 ppg, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 1.6 steals this past season for the Predators (19-11). He really does a nice job of surveying the floor and making his teammates happy with his decision making. Justin always seems to be in control while on the hardwood and never looks to take a play off.

The future is very bright for the Predators over in the CSRA (Central Savannah River Area) to make some noise come next season in Class 3A.

Another 3A Sophomore Guard on this list is Justin Vining Justin Vining 6'0" | PG Fox Creek | 2027 State SC . Vining and the Predators had a good season in 2023-24 and will have high expectations in Class 3A Region 4 this winter. Justin was very good this Summer with Carolina Pressure and has already started performing at a high level with Fox Creek in scrimmages this fall. Justin is a high-level playmaker who can consistently get downhill and create scoring chances for himself and others. Vining is also a good shooter from behind the arc and in the mid-range. He is fast with the ball in his hands and likes to play the game at a fast pace, but he often does a good job of forcing more turnovers than he gives up.