Hilltop Tournament – Day 1 Standouts

<p>The Hilltop Tournament annually serves as a coming-out party for an under the radar team that goes on to be a championship contender.</p> <p>Friday kicked off this year’s event, which includes the host Lancers, Otay Ranch, Canyon Crest, Eastlake, La Jolla, Westview, Helix and Mission Bay.</p> <p>We attended the two night games, which included Westview defeating La Jolla 56-42 and Mission Bay avenging an earlier loss to Helix 53-44.</p> <p>Here are some of the standouts:</p> <h3>Best prospect: Angelo Rodriguez-Gil, 6-0 2023 PG, Mission Bay</h3> <p>Gil didn’t have his best outing that I’ve seen this year, but his combination of size, savvy, court vision and improved scoring were all evident. Defensively, he’s disruptive on the ball and can pick up his man full court, a prerequisite to play for Marshawn Cherry.</p> <h3>Most long-term upside: 6-7 2020 Mission Bay F Trae Taylor and 6-11 2021 Westview C Max Lonneker</h3> <p>Bigs take longer to develop than guards, but Taylor and Lonneker are on the right track, Taylor especially. The long, lanky four man runs the floor like a deer, rebounds it and finishes through contact around the rim. He can also hit a 15-footer consistently. Plus, he recently turned 17, making him one of the younger senior prospects. His best basketball remains ahead of him. <br /> <br /> </p> <p>Lonneker is a project, but against La Jolla, you got a glimpse of his improvement as a rim protector and rebounder. He has soft touch shooting the ball, though he tends to fade away from contact in the post. Continuing to get a stronger base will help that. <br /> <br /> </p> <h3>Best shooting performances: 6-4 2023 La Jolla W Vincent Ricchuiti and 6-7 2020 Helix F Maurice Holmes</h3> <p><br /> Ricchuiti hit three 3-point shots in the loss to Westview. He’s got nice size and length for a young prospect and is unafraid to take shots. He doesn’t have great lateral quickness yet and is one-dimensional as a scorer at the varsity level, but he’s got time to improve in both areas.</p> <p>Holmes, who signed with D2 Fresno Pacific, is known for his versatility, but he sometimes is too reliant on his outside shot. He was at his best when he attacked the paint and scored at will against Mission Bay, which set up easier shots from the perimeter. </p> <h3>Most improved: 6-4 2021 La Jolla WG Christian Gamboa</h3> <p>Gamboa is wired to score, and early in the Westview game was attacking the basket (right-hand dominant) and finishing through contact, including a nice finish over Lonneker. Foul trouble slowed his production, but his improvement as a shooter (albeit streaky) and ball handler is evident. <br /> <br /> </p> <p>Other notes:</p> <p>La Jolla got a solid outing from 2022 F Max Raulston. Only 6-3, Raulston’s springy athleticism and determination make him tough on the boards.</p> <p>Westview 6-2 senior G Ian Linn continues to be productive. He’s got a strong frame and can make shots consistently out to the college 3, and can score off the bounce.</p> <p>Mission Bay 5-7 sophomore G Jaysten Ramos is a polarizing prospect, but his grit, tight handle and scoring off the bounce are undeniable. Fellow sophomore, 6-1 G Rami Anglo, hit 3 triples (line-drive release) to help keep Helix at Bay. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p>