Former Oregon Preps to Watch as JUCO Sophs
At PrepHoops Oregon, we continue to follow former Oregon high school basketball standouts afer graduation as long as they remain recruitable athletes. Four-year schools at all levels continue to have a number of former prep stars on their radar and…
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Continue ReadingAt PrepHoops Oregon, we continue to follow former Oregon high school basketball standouts afer graduation as long as they remain recruitable athletes. Four-year schools at all levels continue to have a number of former prep stars on their radar and here are some of the top ones they’ll be tracking during the 2019-20 season at the JC level.
Bradley Bickler (2018 Southridge/Clark CC)
Out of everyone on this list, Bickler is the most intriguing as he hasn’t played organized basketball since leaving Southridge in 2018. The 6-foot-7 forward chose the gridiron for college and was a redshirt freshman at Oregon State in 2018-19. But things didn’t work out and Bickler went back to his first love – hoops – and at open gyms he doesn’t appear to have any rust as he’s shown himself to be an offensive threat both in the paint and on the perimeter. A number of D-I and D-II schools are already seeking to keep tabs on Bickler this upcoming year at Clark, especially since he has three years of basketball eligibility remaining.
Myles Fitzgerald-Warren (2017 Madison/Collin County (Tex.))
Fitzgerald-Warren is one of two players on this list who has tasted the four-year college level, having gone to Fresno State directly out of high school at Madison. His playing time there was very limited, appearing in seven games and 17 total minutes as a true freshman in 2017-18 without scoring a point and he redshirted the 2018-19 season. At Collin County the 6-foot-3 guard will get a fresh start playing on a team that competes at a very high level in the NJCAA.
Robert Ford (2018 Jefferson/Clackamas CC)
A late signee at Clackamas, Ford certainly made his presence felt in the NJCAA. The 5-foot-11 point guard immediately became the league’s version of Russell Westbrook as he nearly averaged a triple-double with 18.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, and a league-leading 8.3 assists while shooting a sizzing 47.3 percent from beyond the arc. There’s not a whole lot more he can do for an encore but a number of colleges at all levels should be well aware of the dynamic floor leader this season.
Elijah Gonzales (2017 Clackamas/Clarendon (Tex.))
Like Fitgerald-Warren, Gonzales has Division I experience as he was a late signee with St. Peter’s after a 6A Player of the Year season at Clackamas as a senior. The 5-foot-9 point guard had a solid freshman campaign, averaging 6.2 points and 3.0 assists while becoming the starter late in the year. But a coaching change coupled with homesickness led him to come back home, where he sat out last season at Western Oregon. Gonzales is looking at the D-I level again and is hoping a one-year stint at Clarendon in one of the top JC leagues in the country will do the trick.
Darius Guinn (2018 Grant), Central Wyoming
After helping lead Grant to the 2018 6A state title, Guinn – a full academic qualifier – decided to head the JC route and played the 2018-19 season at Central Wyoming. There he stepped into more of a prominent role than in high school and posted statistics of 12.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and a team-high 3.3 assists per game. His versatility and ability to play inside and out will be watched closely this year by Division I and II schools as Guinn is aiming for a big follow-up season.
Chukka Mekkam (2017 Jesuit), Vincennes (Ind.)
Mekkam is a few years removed from his days at Jesuit, having spent a year at prep school and then this past season at Vincennes. It was a good year for the 6-foot point guard. Coming off of the bench, he averaged 2.4 points and 2.3 assists but was a part of a team that won the NJCAA Division I national championship. Mekkam should get the chance to get more playing time as a sophomore and a number of Division I and II programs will be watching his progress.
Thomas Miles (2017 Jefferson), Midland (Tex.)
Three years ago, Miles was a key cog in Jefferson’s first-ever 6A state title team. The 6-foot-2 combo guard has spent the past two seasons at the College of Southern Idaho, first as a redshirt and then averaging 6.8 points off the bench this past year. Miles has moved on to another NJCAA power in Midland in Texas where he will have the opportunity to catch the attention of all the schools in the Southwest Region.
Lucas Wilson (2017 Churchill), Lane CC
In high school, Wilson was a dynamic and spectacular athlete who threw down highlight-reel dunks almost every night. After initially signing to play football at Portland State, the 6-foot-5 forward took a year off from school and then played last season for Lane and averaged 13.5 points and 7.7 rebounds. He picked up a scholarship offer from Pacific over the summer and more could be on the way if he has a big sophomore campaign.