Since the inclement weather has put a sudden halt to the high school season, this is possibly the best time to reassess where everyone stands heading into the final stretch of the year. As most folks probably already know, the public-school landscape is somewhat of an open field. Outside of the yearly contenders (North Meck, West Charlotte, Ben L. Smith, Southern Durham, etc.), there is a ton of parity throughout the state. Among the most intriguing teams is Southwest Guilford. They are currently 14-3 with their three losses coming by six total points. Given that fact, there’s a real scenario where this group could’ve been undefeated at this point, but their quiet dominance is impressive in its own regard. More often than not, the Cowboys have the two best players on the floor. Although we wrote about this duo in August, let’s take an updated look at their star pairing…
Although this has become somewhat of the norm, Brayden Gatling continues to visibly blossom as an all-around leader. Now in his third year as a focal point, his production has taken massive leaps each season. He’s currently averaging 23.0 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 5.6 APG, and 1.3 SPG with phenomenal 53/42/81 splits. Let’s be honest, Gatling’s size is the only thing that can be seen as a negative. However, that doesn’t seem to deter him from legitimately destroying opponents on a nightly basis. Gatling is a highly intelligent, lightning-quick floor general with incredible balance between playmaking and three-level scoring. He sees the floor really well as a passer without compromising his assertiveness as a scorer. Gatling mixes it up effectively from all levels and utilizes his tight, crafty handle to get wherever he wants off the dribble. He’s consistently shown the ability to dismantle defenses and set the tone with his sharp decision-making. Gatling is also a very pesky defender at the point of attack. He’s only continued to progress as one of the top players in North Carolina’s Class of 2027.
Meanwhile, DJ Howze is maintaining his trajectory as a star in the making. This season, he’s averaging 18.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 2.9 SPG, and 0.8 BPG with 49/34/72 splits. Between his size, skill, and athleticism, he stands out as a versatile matchup problem for the majority of opponents. At 6-foot-4, Howze is really capable of doing everything on the court. He has the size and athleticism to physically overwhelm most perimeter opponents and the fluidity and ball skills to cause problems for bigger defenders. Howze is a quality creator with the feel, vision, and handle to reliably create for himself and others. Although his counting stats have improved across the board, it’s also worth noting that his percentages increased from all areas on the floor. Howze can initiate the offense, score from all levels, rebound his position, and guard multiple positions defensively. Add in his toughness and rugged mentality, and it’s really difficult to say anything other than positives about the rising sophomore. Expect this duo to make noise over the next few months.