Francisco’s Finest: WCE HS Invitational (Best Playmakers)
Francisco’s Finest: WCE HS Invitational (Best Playmakers)
GARDEN GROVE, CA—Ryan Silver, director of the West Coast Elite AAU program, gathered a plethora of elite high school teams to do battle at The Map complex. When you have Mater Dei, St. John Bosco, Damien, and Bishop Montgomery and a host of other talented squads coming together to improve their skill, fundamentals, and team chemistry—those are the ingredients for a must-see event. In this installment we’ll be breaking down the “Best Playmakers”
Anthony Holland (Riverside/Notre Dame)
2019, WF, 6-foot-4, 205 pounds
Joel’s Take: The burly 3-man continues to impress with the evolution of his game. His 3-point shot is a weapon and his mechanics and range on his shot are Division 1 good. He has the body to carve out space and rebound and he always gives an honest effort. In addition, he doesn’t force the issue and will find the open teammate with the skip pass.
Jaxen Turner (Rancho Verde)
2019, CG, 6-foot-2, 190 pounds
Joel’s Take: Turner is more of a big-time football prospect, but he can hoop as well. The chiseled combo-guard has great range on his shot and his burst off the dribble is high-level. While attacking opposing guards he can carry defenders on his hip and finish through contact. His shot selection can be shaky at times, but he’s an ultra-competitor.
Jason Hart Jr. (Dorsey)
2022, PG, 6-foot, 155 pounds
Joel’s Take: The son of a former NBA point guard should have a good deal of savvy in his game—and Hart Jr. does. The slick lefty can play at different speeds, has an evolving pull-up game, and his passing is spot-on. He needs to improve his jump shot, but that should work itself out in the coming seasons.
Dillon Depina (Heritage Christian)
2020, SG, 6-foot-3, 185 pounds
Joel’s Take: Since his youth Depina has always been a natural scorer. However, in the past year he has developed other areas of his game. His forte is shooting, but he attacks well off the dribble and is a capable rebounder and creator for others as well.
Gianni Hunt (Bishop Montgomery)
2019, CG, 6-foot-2, 170 pounds
Joel’s Take: If there is one area of Hunt’s game that is always consistent—it’s his motor. He is always on attack mode and possesses the strength and explosiveness to finish in the lane. Defensively he alwasy gets in a stance and has the length and active hands to cause havoc. To take his game to a new level, he needs to improve the consistency of his shot and play at different speeds as he has a tendency to play too fast.