RHP Fall Classic: Five Takeaways
LOS ANGELES — The Rolling Hills Prep Fall Classic afforded SoCal basketball fans who made the trip to Cal State Los Angeles the opportunity to see a handful of potential Open Division contenders along with teams that should play deep…
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Continue ReadingLOS ANGELES — The Rolling Hills Prep Fall Classic afforded SoCal basketball fans who made the trip to Cal State Los Angeles the opportunity to see a handful of potential Open Division contenders along with teams that should play deep into the playoffs in their respective divisions. Here are five takeaways from the eight-game event.
Sierra Canyon looks as good as advertised
The defending CIF State Open Division champions spent the offseason reloading and the Trailblazers first game as a full squad showed that they are in great position to repeat last year’s outcome. Sierra Canyon plays an uptempo style where it apply constant defensive pressure and use length and athleticism to shrink the floor, create countless turnovers and score quickly off of the opponents mistakes. For a team to beat Sierra Canyon it has to stay patient, take care of the basketball, and try to force a slow-paced, half-court style of game.
Most important new piece to Sierra Canyon’s roster might not be the most hyped name
Some of the more lauded additions to the Sierra Canyon roster include five-star wing Ziaire Williams, five-star Kentucky-commit Brandon Boston, Jr., Zaire Wade (son of former NBA star Dwyane Wade), and freshman Bronny James, but Shy Odom, who made his way west from Massachusetts, might be the most important newcomer. The 6-foot-5 sophomore operates with a no-nonsense approach and isn’t afraid of doing the dirty work. Odom is a power finisher in the paint, crashes the glass on both sides of the floor and is a capable rim protector on the back end of Sierra Canyon’s press.
Windward makes early case as an Open Division contender
Coach Colin Pfaff has two of the most talented sophomores in the country in point guard Dylan Andrews and power forward Kijani Wright. Wright is a consensus Top-10 ranked player in the class and brings a versatility to the offensive end which is difficult to guard at the high school level. Andrews is ranked inside the Top 50 and has made big strides both as a scorer, but also balancing playmaking within his bucket-getting mindset. The catalyst for this Windward team is Devin Tillis. The 6-foot-6 senior always seems to make the right play at the right time. He’s proven to be one of the better passers in the class and hits the open 3-point shot with consistency.
Loyola High forward Remington Rofer scored 27 points in the Cubs’ win over La Cañada at the Rolling Hills Prep Fall Classic.Loyola forward takes a big leap in his development
One of the breakout players from Saturday’s event was junior Remington Rofer of Loyola. The 6-foot-8 junior scored 27 points in the Cubs’ 65-47 win over La Cañada and did so in a variety of ways. He stretches the floor as a capable 3-pointer shooter from multiple spots beyond the arc. Rofer runs the floor with energy and purpose and can finish around the basket with touch with either hand. With two more seasons of high school ball to go, it would come as no surprise to see Rofer end up at the mid-major level.
Bosco boasts combination of depth and talent
There are some teams that feature a couple of star players who get the majority of touches who are surrounded by solid role players, and then there are teams like St. John Bosco. Coach Matt Dunn and the Braves really don’t have one or two ball dominant scorers, but instead have a group of guys who share the ball and compete on both ends of the floor. Bosco’s leading scorer on any given night could be one of 10 players – from Wynton Brown to Lamaj Lewis to Josh Camper or Jeremiah Nyarko – and that player might score between 13-17 points, but as long as the outcome is a win, it looks like Dunn’s group doesn’t care who the star is.