Lance Barnes Lance Barnes 6'3" | CG Legacy Early College | 2026 State SC led the way with 29 points, 8 steals, and 5 assists in Legacy Early College’s win last Friday. He was clearly the best player on the court, as he often is, using his positional size, athleticism, and feel for the game to dominate it. Barnes was quite impactful defensively, as the stat sheet will show, forcing turnovers on the ball and in passing lanes. He was at his best offensively with a head of steam towards the rim, whether it was in transition, driving from the wings, or creating for himself off the dribble.

Barnes will be able to play on or off ball at the next level, depending on system and fit. Lance is a lockdown defender who did it against some of the best in the country on the 3SSB Circuit, but with the freedom of the offense at Legacy Early College, we should see a lot out of him offensively in 2025-26.

Despite not having the most successful week as a team, I still come away from Rock Hill impressed with the play of Barnes. He had some great moments on the defensive end, picking up the opponent’s top perimeter options in both games and often forcing them into tough shots or turnovers. One offense, Lance made good decisions as a passer and a scorer, keeping his offense flowing when he had the ball. When attacking the basket, he looked both strong and creative. Barnes averaged 5.0 PPG, 3.0 APG, and 1.0 SPG in the first two games.

Lance Barnes Lance Barnes 6'3" | CG Legacy Early College | 2026 State SC was by far the most outstanding player from the Sizzlin’ Summer Shootout Silver Bracket. Barnes played more off of the ball for the new-look Legacy Lions and he was super decisive when catching the ball on the wing. Lance worked quickly, preventing defenses from sending help and often earning trips to the free-throw line. Barnes also had sets run for him as a three-point shooter, particularly in Game One. Despite going on to win the Silver Bracket, that first game was Lance’s most impressive in front of me as he put up 23 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.

Lance was a bright spot for the Lions in their loss to IMG Academy on Friday. He was solid on both ends of the floor, picking up the opponent’s top offensive threat while also running the offense for his team. Barnes was tough on his assignment all night forcing several tough shots and turnovers with his quick feet and strong hands. On offense, Lance exploited tight driving lanes, was great running pick and rolls, finished in the paint, and knocked down catch-and-shoot threes. Barnes finished with 17 Points on 7-11 FG and 2 Steals in the game.

Barnes is a prospect for DI programs to get to know in South Carolina’s 2026 class at Legacy Early College. He’s a sizeable name at the point guard spot at 6-fooot-3 with a nice feel for shooting the ball on the perimeter as well as defending with purpose. He did well to utilize his length to dominate matchups and even lead his team to a few comeback efforts during the 5-on-5 games. He’s a prospect with good upside on the recruiting wave, especially nationally.

Like Washington, Lance’s performance improved as the game went on when I watched him this weekend. The Copperheads were in a tighter contest with Westside, so it was crucial for Barnes to turn it on late. Barnes put up 14 Points, 2 Assists, and 2 Steals on 5-8 FG in the last 10 minutes of the game. He is a true all-around Point Guard, capable of running an offense on his own with playmaking for himself and others. In this stretch, he balanced just that, as well as forcing some turnovers to help get his team some momentum in the game. When it comes to scoring, Lance is very strong around the rim, from the mid-range, and is a good perimeter shooter.