A Scout’s Take: Lynwood vs Cantwell SH
A Scout’s Take: Lynwood vs Cantwell SH
LYNWOOD, CA—The CIF Playoffs are in full throttle so I decided to venture out to Lynwood High School to see two of the better underclassmen in 6-foot-9 junior Carl Lewis and 6-foot-3 sophomore Ian Martinez. The game got out of hand early on as Cantwell Sacred Heart defeated Lynwood 88-60, but there were a number of fine performances that we’ll go into much greater detail below.
Martinez was the star of the night
Ian Martinez, a 6-foot-3 sophomore, caught our eye during the July evaluation period playing for the So-Cal All Stars. Originally my intention was to watch Avery Martinez (Ian’s older sibling), but it was also not hard to notice the talents of the younger Martinez—that being Ian. Fast forward six months and it is clear that Ian has taken his game to new heights.
Martinez has that prototypical Division 1 frame with long arms, high hips, and overall terrific length. The bouncy point guard prospect gets terrific lift on his jump shot (converted six 3s) and his release is quick. In terms of point guard skills he handled pressure with aplomb as he split double teams and delivered timely passes to open shooters.
At this stage Martinez looks to to be a Top Ten prospect in Southern California for the 2020 class.
Is Lewis the best “big” in the West Coast class of 2019 ?
Carl Lewis has become a household name since the summer circuit and he has put up some video game-like numbers this season. The 6-foot-9 power forward is a beast on the inside and he is sneaky productive on the outside.
On the block he can drop step to the rim for the big throw-down while on the perimeter he shows a quick 1st step and remarkable agility while finishing around the rim. His 3-point shot is erratic, but he usually converts a couple a game. The most impressive aspect of his game against Cantrell SH, was the improvement of his composure while being harassed in the paint area. He showed very little emotion and stayed on task throughout the game.
There has been a lot of buzz on whether Lewis has overtaken 6-foot-8 Onyeka Okongwu (Chino Hills) as far as “bigs” go. However, after watching each prospect a couple of times this season, I still give the nod to Okongwu. Okongwu’s lethal combination of inside-out skills and defensive prowess gives him the edge over Lewis, but that match up would be interesting to say the least.
Madearis and Jones show flashes of their potential
Cantwell Sacred Heart has two Division 1 signees (both headed to UTEP) in Avery Martinez and Teddy Ochieng. However, it’s the underclassmen in the program that offer much intrigue and promise. The aforementioned Martinez is a stud, but there is also fellow sophomores Jahveon Madearis and Jadon Jones.
The 6-foot-1 Medearis is a budding point guard prospect who is extremely quick and fast at both ends of the floor and his pull-up jump shot is tight. Defensively, he slides his feet ver well and shows active hands.