Gerry Freitas: Evaluations from 2021 SoCal Senior Showcase

The 11th annual So Cal Senior Showcase was held Sunday June 13 at Get It Done Sports Arena in Corona. Here is a report from the event on the prospects who caught our attention. Top Prospects: (*indicates highest consideration) *6’2 CG [player_tooltip player_id="748737" first="Roddie" last="Anderson"] of Fountain Valley HS (CA) 2022 (Cali Rebels) Anderson may have been the best overall prospect at the event, displaying the capability to be a high-level 2-way impact player. He keeps the ball on a string, constantly surveys the floor making the right read, and the court vision to make tough passes in tight windows. Anderson excels quickly with the ball, absorbs and finishes through contact, can score from all three levels, and has great touch on his floater. He has good body control when finishing around the basket, rebounds well for his position and gets into his man on defense. High level motor and competes on both ends. Very promising prospect! 6’3 G/W [player_tooltip player_id="745448" first="Brian" last="Brown"] of Scale Leadership Academy (CA) 2021 (Cali Elite) Brown is an active and engaged guard/wing who finds ways to get things done for himself and his teammates. He knows how to play, is fundamentally sound and maximizes what he has. 6’6 F Kenji Cooper of Valor Academy (CA) 2020 (Team Independent) Cooper is a lengthy and athletic slasher that has potential if he puts the work into developing his all-around basketball skills. (He does need to prove himself as a perimeter shooter but is a solid driver.) He is active on the glass, alters shots in the key and on the perimeter, and runs the floor well in transition.   6’2 PG [player_tooltip player_id="644869" first="DJ" last="Davis"] of CSA Academy (CA) 2021/Post Grad (Team Independent) Davis is a talented point guard that has a solid physique to bully his way into the defense. He rebounds well for his size and being a guard, he has the handles and court vision to push the tempo in transition and make plays in the open court. Good finisher at the basket when being guarded by bigger players. He can knock down the outside shot as well.   5’10 PG Tajon De Silva of Pierce College (CA) 2020 (Loopers Hoopers) De Silva is an athletic point guard with a nice motor. He’s a solid handler who can get in the lane and make things happen. And he shows the ability to shoot from the perimeter.   *6’5 F/W Louis Di’ Modica of Nipomo HS (CA) 2022 (WCE Central 17u National) Di’ Modica is a strong and athletic forward that is expanding his shooting range to be more of a perimeter threat. He is dominant on the glass, does a great job of finding his guards off the rebound to push the ball in the open court, and has a good touch around the basket on the finish. He has the ability to stretch the floor but would need to add consistency outside the paint to be more of a threat off the wing. Has a good feel for the game. (Elite level student.)   6’5 F Chris Diaz of Norco HS (CA) 2021 (Cali Elite) Diaz has a strong build with the athleticism and agility to transition to a perimeter threat with work on his ball handling skills. He showed the ability to knockdown the midrange jump shot. He’s a good rebounder and has enough handle to push the ball in the open court. He uses his strength and finesse to finish through or around defenders at the basket. And he has a high IQ.   6’1 Jalen "JD" Douglas of San Joaquin Memorial HS (CA) 2021 (WCE Central 18u/Unsigned) Douglas is a lock up defender that has improved as a threat on offense. He gets up into his man, pressures the ball, has quick hands to create turnovers, and will do what is necessary to help the team win. Douglas has improved as a threat from the three-point line. Plays with great energy and constantly communicates with teammates on both ends. A real team guy. 6’4 W Devin Dunn of Oceanside HS (CA) 2021 (Gamepoint) Dunn is an elite level athlete who can elevate over the defender. He gets by defenders on the drive consistently. He needs to prove himself as a perimeter shooter. He can guard multiple positions and is a capable shot-blocker.   6’4 SG Carson Frincke of Carlsbad HS (CA) 2021 (Gamepoint) Good shooter off the catch and shoot, especially from the three. Good floor spacer that would fit nicely next to a facilitate-first point guard.   6’2 PG [player_tooltip player_id="939986" first="Justin" last="Gladney"] of Southern California Academy (CA) 2021 (BTI) Gladney is an athletic one-man that can run the show and make plays for himself and others. He has solid ball-handling skills and makes pretty good decisions. He can play off the ball as well. And significantly, he is a willing and capable defender. Good guy to have on your side. 5’11 PG Noah Hernandez of Ridgeview HS (CA) 2021 (WCE Central 18u/Unsigned) Hernandez is a prototypical point guard that puts pressure on the defense and looks to find open teammates off the drive and kick. He sees the court well, has a pass-first mentality and finds the open player, gets into his defender and has the strength to finish through contact at the basket. Defensively is where Hernandez makes his mark, as he is capable of guarding bigger players, gets his hands into his defenders dribbling space, will get the 50/50 ball, and rebounds very well for his height. He needs to work on his shot to gain consistency from deep to be more of a scoring threat at the lead guard spot.   5’7 PG Kaden Kent of Los Alamitos HS (CA) 2022 (Cali Rebels) Kent is an energetic and real athletic point guard who can turn on the jets. He is very efficient in the pick and roll and does a nice job scoring in the mid-range. He is a pretty solid on-ball defender.   6’5 W/F Kenton King of Ribet Academy (CA) 2021 (RA Frogs) King is an athletic wing with long arms that rebounds the ball well and has active hands on defense. He gets off the ground quickly helping on the offensive rebounds and does a nice job of going back up with the ball. King does have enough handle to push the ball in the open court and displayed decent court vision when attacking in transition. He also showed that he can be a threat from the midrange and did hit a three. Plays with great energy and does have the ability to attack off the wing, but is more comfortable when the game gets up and down. He can guard multiple positions at the defensive end.   *6’5 F/W Kristopher King of Ribet Academy (CA) 2021 (RA Frogs) King, similar to his brother, is an athletic player that gets out in transition and runs rim to rim. He has a great motor and excels when running on the wings in transition. Has nice upside if he works on his shot and the skills and handles to become a slasher off the wing. Very impressive rebounder who can go get the ball and is effective guarding multiple positions defensively. Nice motor and a good one to have on your side.   6’7 W Christian Littlejohn of San Marcos HS (CA) 2021 (Gamepoint) Littlejohn is a real athletic wing player that plays to his strengths on offense and defense. Offensively, he excels when running on the wing in the open court and making plays off the ball handler’s decision. Defensively, he rebounds well and uses his length to alter shots. A lot of potential with time in the gym, working on creating off the wing.   6’4 F Angel Llamas of SCALE Leadership Academy (CA) 2021 (Cali Elite) Llamas displayed a solid all around skill set on offense. Llamas has a solid frame and good footwork to operate in the post. He has good court vision and facilitates nicely out of the high post, and routinely finds open teammates for the spot up shot or slashing through the paint. Llamas also displayed nice touch on his shot and can stretch the floor from beyond the arc. Defensively, he communicates and anchors the defense. Nice feel for the game and poised for a bigger player when handling the ball.     6’0 CG Luka Marich of Golden Valley HS (CA) 2021 (Looper’s Hoopers) Marich had his point guard skills on full display at the showcase. He is an intelligent player that has a great feel for the game. Marich keeps pressure on the defense, looking to get into the middle of the defense and then make plays of what he is given. Shifty moves and crafty ball handler that sees the court well, and makes nice use of the hesitation to get his defender on his hip and finish through contact. Shot the ball well from the field. Creates a lot of plays with his passing ability.   6’5 G/W Elijah Mark of New Hampton Prep (NH) 2021 (BTI) Mark has good size and length with the ability to create on the perimeter. He was able to get into the paint with relative ease and finish at the rim or a nice touch on his floater. Mark also showed the ability to connect from deep, which opened up driving lanes for him to get downhill. He also has the ability to guard multiple positions defensively.   *6’2 G/W Davaughn McCrumb of CSA Academy (CA) 2022 (Team Independent) McCrump has a strong handle with the ball and uses his physical build to initiate and finish through contact in the key. He is a lock-down defender, with active hands, that creates turnovers and initiates transition offense. He showed the ability to score from all three levels effectively and is hard to guard when going aggressively to the basket with his nice first step. He also does a nice job finishing in transition. And he does show some ability to post up.   *6’4 CG [player_tooltip player_id="1206986" first="Kyle" last="Monk"] of Gregori HS (CA) 2022 (WCE Central 17u National) Monk is a freakish athlete that looks to throw it down every time he gets the ball in the open court. He rebounds very well with his quick leaping ability and has enough ball handling skills to push the offense in transition. Monk has good court vision and likes to zip the ball up the court to create easy offense. He shoots the ball well from mid-range and has garnered a lot of attention from scouts and coaches over the past month and a half. Monk needs to develop his left handle and his efficiency from deep in order to be a true lead guard. Very good attacking the rim. (Elite level student.)   *6’7 F [player_tooltip player_id="748770" first="Dane" last="Persek"] of J Serra HS (CA) 2022 (Cali Rebels) Persek is a physical specimen that plays with a relentless motor on both ends of the court. He is dominant on the glass, has a nice midrange jump shot, is able to stretch the floor from three, and has enough handle to push the tempo in transition. He is real competent around the basket with his post-up game and has a very clever jump hook with either hand.   6’3 G Justin Plough of Peninsula HS (CA) 2020 (WCE Marx 18u/Unsigned) Plough impacts the game in various ways and has a good understanding of the fundamentals as a guard. He is a tough-minded defender, rebounds well for his size, and can knockdown shots consistently from fifteen feet and beyond. Plough has good footwork and post moves that he uses effectively to score on smaller guards. He is very active and moves well without the ball.   *6’ G Mason Pryor of River City HS (CA) 2021 (WCE Central 18u/Unsigned) Pryor is a dynamic scoring lead guard that is able to score it from all three levels. He has good ball handling skills, uses the hesitation to create separation from his defender, and has good bounce to help rebound among taller players. Pryor is a volume scorer and when he gets going he can score from any spot on the court. Makes great reads in transition.   6’8 F/C Kany Ray of TMG Prep Academy (CA) 2021 (TMG Prep) Ray showed a lot of potential as an athletic forward that could develop into more of a slasher off the perimeter. He rebounds very well, blocks shots, and has a decent back to the basket game and post moves.     5’9 PG Isaiah Robinson of SCALE Leadership Academy (CA) 2021 (Cali Elite) Robinson is a solid lead guard that makes plays to get others involved, and has the skill set and moves to create his own scoring opportunities. Robinson has nice handles and a quick first step to get by his initial defender. He has a good touch on his floater to get his shot off over bigger players in the key. He displayed the ability to score effectively from all three levels and good court vision. He plays at his pace, makes good decisions and shows poise under pressure.   *6’7 W/F Gene Robinson of Antelope Valley HS (CA) 2021 (Crush Basketball) Robinson was one of the more intriguing prospects at the event, with the length and athleticism of a prototypical wing slasher. He was able to score in transition, was consistent from three and used his length to shoot over smaller defenders. He was able to get by bigger defenders with his length and finished well at the rim. He used his wingspan to block or alter shots, and had good fundamental principles of rebounding to control the glass.   6’1 PG Geremy Robinson of Woodlawn HS (HI) 2021 (RA Frogs) Robison is an effective point guard that understands how to run an offense. He uses high screens to create mismatches and has a quick burst of speed to take advantage of defensive switches. He is able to get into the core of the defense and has the physicality to finish through contact. He shoots it fairly well with long range. 5’8 PG Myles Rowley of Paraclete HS (CA) 2021 (Crush Basketball) Rowley is an athletic one-man with an impressive first step who can break down defenders and get to the rim. He has a solid mid-range pull-up and he is a good on-ball defender. Has a high IQ as well.   6’2 PG Alaijian Russell of Quartz Hill HS (CA) 2021 (Crush Basketball) Russell is a solid point guard that facilitates and gets others involved in the flow of game. He has good handles, gets downhill when on the attack, and has the body build to take contact and still get his shot off. He passes it well and shows the ability to rebound from the guard position.   *6’6 PF Mason Savory of West Ranch HS (CA) 2021 (BTI) Savory is a four man with the ability to play inside and outside. He can face up and create his own shot. He’s a decent shooter (with 3 range) but his release is a little slow. He can also dribble operate on the block. And he is a solid rebounder as well. 6’1 G Aamari Smith of CSA Academy (CA) 2021 (Team Independent) Smith is a highly athletic guard who runs the floor very well. He can handle the ball and makes pretty good decisions. He has a real good first step and gets by defenders regularly. He’s an impressive rebounder from the guard position.   6’4 G Roman Swizek of Chaparral HS (CA) 2021 (Gamepoint) Swizek did a nice job of getting to his spots and took the shots he wanted to take. Knockdown shooter from three, who moves well off the ball and off of screens to get open. Rebounded well and initiated transition offense.   6’6 W/F Antonio Tercero of River City HS (CA) 2022 (WCE Central 17u National) Tercero is a lengthy wing that has a smooth stroke from beyond the arc. He can create off the dribble and attack the rim or pull up for a nice looking jump shot. He rebounds well and plays within his skill set. Tercero is a real threat when he gets going from three and can score in bunches.       6’3 G/W Zac Van den Heuvel of Mater Dei HS (CA) 2021 (WCE Marx 18u/Unsigned) Van den Heuvel is a player with sneaky athleticism that has a nice all-around basketball skill set. He is an efficient shooter from behind the arc and from the midrange, as well as the ability to create off the perimeter and get to his shot spots. He plays with good pace and control at the shooting guard position.   6’3 G Mac West of Capo Valley Christian HS (CA) 2022 (Cali Rebels) West is a versatile guard that plays well on and off the ball. He was able to run the offense at the lead guard spot with poise and control of his handle. West moves well off the ball, running off screens for catch and shoot opportunities. He has good range on his three-point shot.   5’10 PG [player_tooltip player_id="943404" first="Snookey" last="Wigington"] of IMG Academy (FL) 2021 (RA Frogs) Wigington is a true point guard that displays great court vision, playmaking abilities and can create his own shot. He has a quick first step to get by his defender, shifty with the ball in his hand, and can score at all three levels effectively. He has a nice mid-range shot and floater to use over bigs in the middle. Good feel for the game and brings the toughness needed at the next level. A floor general with a high IQ.   *6’1 SG Maxiah Williams of St. Anthony’s HS (CA) 2022 (Cali Rebels) Williams is an impressive shooting guard, with good ball handling skills and court vision to develop into a true combo guard. He is able to finish in transition consistently. Williams has a good-looking shooting form and is very confident and efficient with the three ball. He is crafty with the ball in his hands and has the perimeter moves to create space from his defender to get open looks.   *6’5 F Brandon Wilson of Premier Prep (CA) 2021 (RA Frogs) Wilson has a strong and physical build. He does a nice job of using his frame to rebound amongst taller players, as well as finish through contact at or around the basket. Wilson showed the ability to guard on the perimeter and has quick hands to disrupt passing lanes and force turnovers. Offensively, Wilson was very efficient scoring from the field and was consistent from beyond the arc all afternoon. Given his size and shooting efficiency, Wilson is a forward that can space the floor. Names To Note: (*indicates highest consideration) 6’4 W Mathis Aiassa of TMG Prep Academy (CA) 2021 (TMG Prep) – big time motor 6’3 PF Brody Baumgartner of Quartz Hill HS (CA) 2021 (Crush Basketball) – clever inside 6’3 CG Gilbert Camacho of Valencia HS (CA) 2020 (WCE Marx 18u/Unsigned) – tough competitor 6’3 SG Elian Castillion of St. Mary’s HS (CA) 2022 (Team Independent) – nice mid-range game *6’8 PF Quinn Collins of Santa Monica College (CA) 2020 (WCE Marx 18u/Unsigned) – inside/outside scorer 6’6 PF Jayden Johnson of TMG Prep Academy (CA) 2021 (TMG Prep) – face up driver 6’3 SG Ken Kroese of Tucson HS (AZ) 2021 (Team Independent) – aggressive playmaker 6’9 C Gabe Latkovich of Valencia HS (CA) 2021 (Loopers Hoopers) – solid jump hook 5’11 SG Noah Layne of Scale Leadership Academy (CA) 2021 (Cali Elite) – versatile *6’3 SG [player_tooltip player_id="748760" first="Tyler" last="Matthews"] of Los Alamitos HS (CA) 2022 (Cali Rebels) – all-around skills *6’1 CG DJ Meleney of Santiago HS (CA) 2021 (Gamepoint) – runs very well/attacks *6’4 G/W Zach Miller of Antelope Valley College (CA) 2020 (Loopers Hoopers) – shoots it with range *6’4 SF Chinecherem Nwanaeve of CSA Academy (CA) Post Grad (Team Independent) – great athlete 5’10 G Nikko Nunez of East Union HS (CA) 2022 (Team Independent) – max effort 6’ G Jimmy Pak of Culver City HS (CA) 2021 (Gamepoint) – solid ballhandling skills 6’2 G Abriel Pearl of Burbank HS (CA) Post Grad (WCE Marx 18u/Unsigned) – natural scorer 6’2 SG [player_tooltip player_id="747098" first="Selah" last="Robins"] of West Memphis HS (TN) 2021 (Team Independent) – strong/shoots it fairly well 5’10 PG Joshua Rush of CSA Academy (CA) Post Grad (Team Independent) – sees floor in transition

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Gerry Freitas: Evaluations from 2021 SoCal Senior Showcase

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