Orange Lutheran HoopFest: Recap + Five Takeaways
The inaugural Orange Lutheran HoopFest put on by the Lancers in conjunction with Compton Magic proved to be a solid mix of talented teams from all across the Southland.
The court-side seats were filled – for all seven games – with college coaches from all levels, including UCLA head coach Steve Alford and his assistant David Grace, as well as USC head coach Andy Enfield and assistant Jason Hart.
The marquee game featured the Mobley brothers of Rancho Christian High going against another top team from the Inland Empire, Corona Centennial, which features sophomore studs Jaylen Clark and D.J. Davis.
Rancho Christian came out victorious,72-65, behind 21 points from Isaiah Mobley and 18 from Isaiah Knox, further cementing itself as one of the eight teams likely to be selected for the CIF Southern Section Open Division playoffs.
Centennial’s Davis led all scorers with 26 points and sophomore guard Paris Dawson added 16.
More Orange Lutheran HoopFest Results
Mission Bay 59, Orange Lutheran 55 – Top junior point guard Boogie Ellis led all scorers with 33 points, while Lancers wing Isaiah Pope paced his team with 21.
Alemany 57, Villa Park 52 – Sophomore point guard Brandon Whitney led all scorers with 21 points in the absence of senior D.J. McDonald who left the game after the first quarter with an ankle injury. Oregon State-commit Julien Franklin led the Spartans with 16, while fellow junior Maceo Reddick added 14.
Windward 76, Santa Clarita Christian 64 – UCLA-signee Jules Bernard led all scorers with 28 points and freshman guard Jaren Harris added 19.
Los Alamitos 64, Mayfair 56 – Unsigned senior forward Jacob Eyman led the Griffins with 18 points and five blocks, while sophomore point guard Kevin Kent finished with a career-high 15 points. Caleb Christopher led the Monsoons with 20 points and his brother Joshua Christopher added 17.
Los Altos 62, Rolling Hills Prep 57 – Jarod Lucas added to his Conqueros all-time leading scoring total with 24 points, senior wing Julian Lopez finished with 13. RHP junior Chris Koon paced the Huskies with 26, senior Alex Garcia added 22.
Foothills Christian 82, Lynwood 40
Taeshon Cherry, a recent decommit from USC and one of the top unsigned seniors in the country, finished with 35 points and 10 rebounds. Derrick Carter-Hollinger pitched in 16 for the Knights. Junior center Carl Lewis’ 24 points made up more than half of Lynwood’s offensive output.
Five Takeaways
Isaiah Pope continues to raise stock
The 6-foot-3 (and growing) off-guard is trending up in the junior class. Pope scored 21 points against a solid Mission Bay defense and did so in a variety of ways. Pope is a good downhill driver and finisher around the basket, but also showed improved consistency and confidence with his catch and shoot 3-pointer.
Boogie Ellis making a case for the top PG in SoCal’s 2019 class
Orange Lutheran had no answer for the 6-foot-3 Ellis, whose 33 points in front of USC’s Andy Enfield and Jason Hart earned him a scholarship offer soon after the buzzer had sounded. Ellis knocked down multiple 3-pointers and balanced mid-range jumpers, but best of all, he produced while not forcing many actions.
Rolling Hills Prep junior Chris Koon continues to elevate his game.Jacob Eyman can help many Division I programs
Eyman was recently granted his full release from his NLI with UTEP and the 6-foot-8 shot blocking machine looked relieved. He played loose and free, scoring 18 points while swatting five shots in Los Al’s upset win over Mayfair. Eyman showed off a couple of impressive jump hook shots and capped his afternoon with a huge follow dunk off of an offensive rebound.
Chris Koon is one to monitor
Koon is a smooth lefty with a high basketball IQ and a knack for finding ways to score or creating for his teammates. The 6-foot-5 junior finished with a game-high 26 points and did it very efficiently. Koon can score from three levels with ease, has a smooth stroke off the catch and is becoming a stronger finisher around the basket.
Villa Park struggles could help Julien Franklin
The Spartans fell to Alemany in a tight contest and Villa Park has a sub .500 record with Julien Franklin playing out of position at the point guard spot. The struggles could be a blessing in disguise for Franklin as his ball handling and creating off the dribble have improved a lot since the end of last season.