CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Playoffs Round 1 Preview
Today the section playoffs for CIF Sac-Joaquin division begin and there will be several teams with the chance of playing at the NBA stadium ‘Golden One Center’ for a section championship trophy. First,16 worthy teams must be narrowed down over…
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Continue ReadingToday the section playoffs for CIF Sac-Joaquin division begin and there will be several teams with the chance of playing at the NBA stadium ‘Golden One Center’ for a section championship trophy. First,16 worthy teams must be narrowed down over the next few weeks. I wanted to mention five players in which I believe will play big roles in their teams’ success and must play their absolute best if they want to take home the championship trophy. I will break down these previews into four sections, one for each round of the playoffs. Instead of discussing which teams have the upper edge or best chance at going to the championship game, I wanted to discuss a handful of players that make their team better just by being on the floor. Here we go for the first round of the playoffs.
Marquis Hargrove; Franklin EG; Senior; SG:
Hargrove a 6-foot 3-inch shooting guard from Franklin EG high is a skilled ball player that on paper shows he is the backbone of the Wildcats. Through the regular season, Hargrove led his team in almost every major stat lines such as PPG with 19.5, 5.8 RPG, 2.8 APG, and 1.9 SPG. With impressive stats like these, it is easy to see why Hargrove can make an impact in the playoffs, although the only knock to his game is that he averages the most turnovers on his team with 3.8 per game. If he can cut down on the turnovers especially in big moments then he can potentially lead his team deep into the playoffs, but he will have to play hard and show people why he can make the same impact at future levels.
Ravenna Miller; Cosumnes Oaks; Junior; PF/C:
Miller is a 6’6 forward/ center hybrid that can do it all for the Wolfpack. This season he averaged 12.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.2 SPG, and 1.5 BPG. Miller put up a decent stat line this year as a junior which will pay off in the playoffs if Miller is able to actively stay engaged on defense to create a few turnovers while also putting up double-digit points. I believe if Ravenna can do this then his team will have an excellent chance at taking their first game against Oak Ridge. Miller needs to do what he does best and stick to his game so that Cosumnes Oaks can notch a win and move on to the next round where they would play the winner of Folsom High vs. Weston Ranch High. The best part about Miller is that he still has another year left in high school where he can fine-tune his skill set while also possibly growing a few more inches to become a fulltime center.
Sione Lose; Capital Christian; Junior; PG/SG:
Mr. Lose is a giant guard compared to most of his counterparts from different schools, but his length and height make him an instant weapon on both offense and defense. This year Lose averaged 13.2 PPG, 2.9 APG, 3.7 RPB, and 2.0 SPG. His lengthiness allows him to pickpocket his opponents and get up the floor very quick which is a coveted trait of any basketball player. Not the typical guard you might see in high school, but his frame and skill set make guarding him tough for shorter opponents. Look for Sione Lose to make a big impact in the Cougars’ first game tonight against Inderkum High.
Handre Reinecke; Rocklin; Senior; PF/C:
Reinecke is a dog on the floor, having seen him play multiple times I can attest to the fact that Reinecke plays hard every single play and makes his teammates better just by being on the floor. Listed at 6’7 Reinecke plays like he is 7 feet compared to most of his opponents. He is able to physically dominate many of his opposers on the glass and in the post. But his game does not end there, he excels at mid-range and can even hit spot-up 3 pointers when allowed space behind the arc. His physicality and shooting skills will come into play during the playoffs when facing much tougher individual players and team defenses altogether. Still keep your eye out for this young man who has a very high ceiling and an already splendid skill set for a stretch 4.
Marcus Bagley; Sheldon; Senior; Forward:
One of the best all-around players in the Sac-Joaquin Playoffs this year on one of the arguably best teams in California. An explosive player who stands at 6’8 but can do it all. This year Bagley averaged 22.7 PPG, 3.0 APG, 8.5 RPG, and 2.0 BPG which is an impressive stat line for the big man, but I am curious to see how he plays against more formidable teams with tougher defense and bigger players. If Bagley plays lights out, then look out for him next year at Arizona State and possibly even joining his brother Marvin Bagley in the big leagues a few years from now. Marcus has a ton of potential and can only grow as he gets older and possibly putting on a few more pounds of muscle while also growing a few inches in height. If Bagley can play well coming off a foot injury then I am looking for himto do his thing during the playoffs and dominate the field.