Introducing the 2021 SoCal Class: Top big men
Some classes are all about the guards. Others, it’s the wings that take top billing.
But in the early stages of the 2021 Southern California Class, the bigs are taking top billing. The incoming freshman crop of post players is versatile and deep – so deep that we couldn’t choose five.
Here are some of the very best we’ve seen so far, with some additional names to follow.
5B. Christian Bento (Great Oak) – At 6-10, Bento is a towering prospect with a ton of upside. He plays hard, runs the floor and can step out and hit the mid-range jumper. As he gets stronger and develops additional post moves, he’ll be a big-time priority for Division 1 schools.
5A. Justin Ebor (Oak Park) – The 6-7 Ebor is an ambidextrous scorer in the paint, but also has the ability to face up and score from the short-corners and midrange. Plus, he’ll battle daily with some of the best bigs in Southern California, Riley Battin and Zeke Richards.
4. Pape Momar Cisse (Fairmont Prep) – The 6-9 post is very agile and has good scoring touch around the basket and has the potential to be a big-time rim protector and rebounding presence.
3. Joshua “JJ” Uphold (Bakersfield Garces) – An explosive athlete, Uphold is a forceful scorer in the paint and dominates the glass on either end.
2. Obinna Anyanwu (Cathedral Catholic) – One of the more forceful paint scorers you’ll see at this stage, but he’s far from a brute. Anyanwu has one of the more advanced post offensive packages you’ll see from a prospect in this class.
1. Wilhelm Dorsz (Mater Dei) – The highly skilled 6-8 Dorsz can score in the paint with either hand and can shoot it to boot. Defensively, he’s a solid rim protector and does work on the glass. What’s more, Dorsz isn’t near done growing and has tremendous upside.
Names to watch: Dillon Wilhite, Cathedral Catholic; Truman Gettings, Harvard Westlake; Derrick Nettles, Rancho Verde; Solomon Jones, Bishop Montgomery; Jalen Cole, Rolling Hills Prep, Nick Davidson, Santa Margarita