Francisco’s Finest: Capo Valley vs Corona Centennial (Part 1)

Joel Francisco

May 19, 2021 @ 04:59 PM

Francisco’s Finest: Capo Valley vs Corona Centennial (Part 1) SANTA ANA, CA—It was a contrast in styles in the last game of the Nike Extravaganza at Mater Dei High School as Corona Centennial defeated Capo Valley 64-50. Centennial used its significant quickness advantage to defeat a Cougar squad that exhibited a highly efficient half-court offense. The Cougars made a nice 3-quarter run, behind the scintillating play of senior Aidan O’Neil, but the Huskies had too much firepower, led by super sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="992480" first="Jared" last="McCain"]. Ultimate Facilitator [player_tooltip player_id="747093" first="Langston" last="Redfield"] (Capo Valley) 2021, PG, 6-foot-3, 160 pounds Joel’s Take: Redfield is the ultimate “true” point guard. He has a nice rangy frame with long arms and he has solid straight-line speed. He showed off this burst in the 1st half with a high-level finish against Centennial. He showed an improved jump shot as he converted both from the mid-range as well as from beyond the stripe. However, his strength is his ability to play at a great pace and run the offense with aplomb. One of the West’s Best [player_tooltip player_id="992480" first="Jared" last="McCain"] (Corona Centennial) 2023, PG, 6-foot-3, 200 pounds Joel’s Take: It didn’t take long for McCain to demonstrate why he is one of the elite guards in the country in his class. The smooth shooting point guard has a quick release and his overall mechanics look great. He displayed good ball skills, excellent quickness, and the athleticism to finish in the paint. Look for McCain to build upon his already young impressive resume this summer. Can slash with the best of them [player_tooltip player_id="970280" first="Donovan" last="Dent"] (Corona Centennial) 2023, PG, 6-foot-2, 180 pounds Joel’s Take: The Huskies are blessed with a number of high-level guards and most of them are underclassmen like Dent. The ultra-slashing combo-guard knows how to slice and dice the defense and he shows excellent body control while converting bucket after bucket. Defensively, he slides his feet very well, has a high motor, and active hands. Mr. Glue-type Gavin O’Neil (Capo Valley) 2021, WF, 6-foot-4, 190 pounds Joel’s Take: While his brother Aidan was converting buckets, Gavin was the ultimate glue-type in their game with Centennial. Gavin is a right-handed marksman who has a high basketball IQ. He cuts well, finds open teammates with the pass, and he showed a solid skillset as he demonstrated a nice pull-up game and 3-point touch. On the Rise [player_tooltip player_id="994973" first="Devin" last="Williams"] (Corona Centennial) 2023, PF, 6-foot-9, 185 pounds Joel’s Take: The term “upside” gets thrown around a lot in our profession, but it definitely applies to Williams. The willowy Williams has very long arms, good hands, and excellent feet. He is bouncy at both ends as a rim protector and finisher. He runs very well in transition and can finish with an emphatic throw-down. Overall, Williams will be one of the most heavily recruited “bigs’ on the West Coast in the next two years.