Jarod Lucas, a senior at Los Altos High School in Southern California, is closing in on some big names on the CIF Southern Section all-time scoring list.
Lucas is currently averaging 36 points per game, which helped him climb into the Top 10 and past Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday. After dropping 75 points in two days at the Damien Classic, Lucas is up to 2,723 career points, putting him at No. 7 on the list.
With 13 remaining games plus the postseason, Lucas is now eyeing the No. 6 spot and beyond. Occupying that No. 6 position is none other than 4-time NBA All-Star DeMar DeRozan.
âItâs really a blessing,â Lucas told Mars Reel. âI really couldnât do it without my teammates. It means a lot passing up guys. And you know a guy like DeMar DeRozan is No. 6, which makes me feel like itâs a big accomplishment.â
Lucas needs 88 more points to notch DeRozanâs mark of 2,810 points, which he set at Compton High School in 2008.
The 6-foot-2 combo guard is ranked No. 226 by the 247Sports Composite Rankings, which feels pretty low for a player posting numbers like this. Lucas was recruited by just one program within a power-five conference, Oregon State, where he later signed his letter of intent.
âI for sure think Iâve been overlooked. But playing in Southern California, that tends to happen with the hotbed of talent out here,â Lucas said. âIâm really looking forward to getting up to Oregon State.â
C O M I N G S O O N ! #BEAVERNATION pic.twitter.com/lHun5Vz2iQ
— Jarod Lucas (@jarodlucash) October 8, 2018
Lucas credits his experience with the Compton Magic as one of the primary reasons for his success this season. The Magic captured the Adidas Gauntlet title and defeated the Nike EYBL Peach Jam Champions, Team Takeover (D.C.), to conclude a 46-2 season.
The Compton Magic featured numerous players ranked nationally by 247Sports. In the Class of 2019: Isaiah Mobley (No. 17) and Onyeka Okongwu (No. 18). And in the Class of 2020: Evan Mobley (No. 1), Johnny Juzang (No. 22) and Jaylen Clark (No. 52).
While playing with such a talented team, Lucas focused on mastering his role.
âIt was a big learning lesson playing on a team like that,â Lucas said. âEven when I was playing in my previous years of AAU on the Compton Magic, I was told âHey Jarod go score the ballâ… With this year, I had to learn how to excel in my role and be efficient with my shot. I learned how to play smart, be efficient and just try to make the right play.â
That learning experience is certainly paying dividends at Los Altos. Now as the focal point of his teamâs offense, Lucas is finding the right balance between being aggressive and playing smart.
With the season at its halfway point, Lucas is hoping to finish strong by advancing in the postseason and moving up the CIF Southern Section scoring list. The record holder is former McDonaldâs All-American and four-year NBA veteran Casey Jacobsen at 3,284 points.
