Bay Area Memorial Day Classic: Four Fantastic 2020 Rising Stars
As we are always on the lookout for the next young stars, the Bay Area Memorial Day Classic was host to some interesting talents from the class of 2020. As they continue to develop their skillsets on the court, it will be very exciting to watch them help carry their respective programs into the spotlight along with their teammates. Here is a quick look at four intriguing prospects from the 2020 class who caught our eye during the course of the tournament.
Keith Maldia, 5’9, Pg, Sobrato Hs (West Coast Extreme Purple 17U)
This floor general is always poised and does a really good job directing his teammates by setting the table for them to make easy decisions. His dribbling skills and change of speed make him tough to guard as he is always a threat to put pressure on the defense. While he is comfortable taking contact and finishing in traffic, his most impressive ability is his passing vision as he is able to find seemingly unseen angles to make passes to his teammates.
Isaiah Rider, 6’5, Pf, California Hs (Bay Area Warriors White 17U)
Isaiah is currently Mr.Versatile with a wide skill set that allows him to impact the game in several areas at once. He is able to score in the post, drive by closeouts from the perimeter, and even shoot it with good looking mechanics. He has an underrated ability to lead the fast break after covering an absurd amount of ground to steal the rock out of the air. One of his most special skills is his ability to pass to cutters anywhere on the floor. His size and wingspan allow him to see over the top of defenses where he can whiz a pass into various pockets at a moments notice.
Brahjon Thompson, 5’11, Pg, James Logan Hs (SF Work Hard Play Hard 17/16)
The sniping southpaw and MVP of the event, is already an excellent shooter with range that literally extends to the NBA line. His ability to attack off the bounce with aggression and pace force defenses to guard him the second he crosses half court. When teams try to key in on him, he is a more than willing passer who excels at putting his teammates in position to score. There is a tremendous competitive fire that burns inside of him throughout the game and this is especially the case on the defensive end where he looks to make his matchup uncomfortable.
Trevor Wargo, 5’11, Pg, Menlo-Atherton Hs (Bay Area Sonics 17U)
Already showing an impressive calm and collected attitude, Trevor runs his team as a floor general with excellent precision. His solid handle allows him to wait patiently for an opening before aggressively exploiting it. He shows a strong feel and understanding of the game that allows him to throw his teammates into open spots with accurate passing skills that are rare for a player to possess. One of his favorite tools is the look off pass which prevents defenses from guessing where he is planning to throw the ball next.