By: Cooper Hart
6’3” ’26 Cam Fowler (Northwood)
Fowler shined as a dynamic athlete and constant scoring threat in transition and when attacking closeouts. He’s a dominant physical presence and he understands how to use his strength and athleticism to his advantage. His finishing touch is showing promise and he does most of his scoring work around the rim, usually through contact and at difficult angles. He’s shown potential as a shot-maker as well, as he shoots the ball well from outside on volume that should only get higher as he grows more within the Northwood offense. Fowler is a hardworking and eager defender and rebounder, a side of the ball that he has a lot of room for growth thanks to his high motor and physical tools.
6’4” ’27 Josiah Johnson-Freeman (Northside Christian)
Johnson-Freeman has a unique skill set relative to his age and size, such that you can’t help but be enamored by his potential. He’s a fluid wing/forward hybrid that runs the floor well and has a clear understanding of how to read the game. He scores the ball well within the flow of action, not forcing looks or doing too much with his touches. His passing sense, especially for his age and size, is a notable trait that allows him to stand out from his peers. He makes good reads when in transition and when passing to cutters or weakside shooters. While he’s a talented and productive piece right now, there’s still plenty of room for Johnson-Freeman to grow, both physically and as a player.
5’10” ’27 CP Perry (Carson)
Perry plays a game centered around efficient shooting and crafty on-ball playmaking. He fits very well within the Carson system, a 5-out offense that loves to space the floor, shoot threes, and share the ball. He has a shifty handle that’s reliable in both generating paint touches and avoiding turnovers. His knockdown jumper and high IQ give him an obviously high floor, one that should see him be one of the more productive freshmen in 3A West this winter. The development in his creation ability, specifically in his physicality when trying to get downhill, will see him be an even more dynamic threat, one that’s able to handle more usage and act as the primary initiator more often.
6’3” ’27 Julian Lowe (Jordan)
Lowe stood out as an off-ball shooter, complimenting his shooting with a solid all-around skillset that doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses. His biggest strengths at the moment are his shooting consistency and positional size. His shooting mechanics are fluid and repeatable with low fragility, being more than comfortable shooting with range, over defenses, or in uncomfortable situations. He’s comfortable when running off the line, favoring the 1-2 dribble pull-up. He’s a capable ball handler that can get out of traps and help relieve pressure against a full-court press. Lowe should have an immediate impact this winter as an off-ball shooting threat and reliable defender. He should also be one to watch for the future as his development starts to take off.
6’2” ’26 Ian Bailey (Asheville Christian)
Bailey is a dynamic point guard that plays with great creativity, decision-making, and unselfishness. He’s shown an improved ability to make shots since we’ve seen him this past spring, able to create separation and get his shot off much easier against neutral defenses. His on-ball creation impact is very real, evidenced by his innate ability to draw multiple defenders to him. Bailey is a creative passer with a high feel for the game. There were plenty of times this weekend when he manufactured passing lanes by manipulating defenses using different timings, pacing, and fakes. His improved shot making coupled with his proven identity as a playmaker is even more reason to buy stock on him earlier rather than later.