Hoops By Ugland Fall HS Showcase: Sleepers (Pt. 2)
The Hoops By Ugland Fall HS Showcase featured 20 games over the course of two days, hosted by Beckman and Servite high schools. The event featured some of Southern California’s top high school programs including: Santa Ana Mater Dei, Damien,…
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Continue ReadingThe Hoops By Ugland Fall HS Showcase featured 20 games over the course of two days, hosted by Beckman and Servite high schools. The event featured some of Southern California’s top high school programs including: Santa Ana Mater Dei, Damien, Rancho Christian, Colony, St. Anthony, Fountain Valley, Eastvale Roosevelt, Gardena Serra, and more. In this piece we take a look at some sleeper prospects whose performances put them on the SoCal basketball map.
Julien Gomez, La Mirada – Matadores’ coach Randy Oronoz made it a point to mention Gomez as a freshman to watch and he wasn’t wrong. The 6-foot-2 guard has a nice overall feel for the game and can play well out of screen-roll action on the wing. Gomez did a nice job of curling around ball screens and knocking down mid-range jumpers both contested and uncontested.
Micaiah Hankins, Rancho Christian – Hankins is a lightning quick guard who transferred to Rancho Christian from Temecula Valley and immediately brings a floor general presence to the Eagles roster. Hankins, a 5-foot-10 senior point guard, uses his speed and quickness to his advantage in the open court when blowing by defenders and getting into the paint where he looked to kick to open shooters. Hankins is also a guy capable of breaking down defenders in a one-on-one setting to put pressure on the defense.
Miles Song, Servite – Song dropped a cool 20 points in Servite’s win over St. Monica on Sunday and hit five of his six three-point attempts on the game. The 6-foot-1 junior guard is a lethal spot-up shooting option with fundamentally sound shooting mechanics and great balance through his release.
Zion Staples, Artesia – This was our first look at Artesia over the last couple of seasons and coach Jeff Myles has a nice young squad to work with led by Staples. The 6-foot-5 sophomore forward is a high motor and physical presence inside who thrives in the mid-post area where he can face-up his defender and drive past him for a paint bucket or kick-out to an open shooter. Staples is a great rebounder both in and out of his area and runs the floor with purpose.
Spivey Word, Damien – Word isn’t the most flashy name or player on Damien’s roster of legitimate Division 1 prospects and commits, but his impact on the team’s winning ways cannot be understated. Word, a 5-foot-10 senior guard, is a high level on-ball defender and three-point shooter whose toughness, focus, and intensity brings up the level of play of his teammates. There’s not one thing Word isn’t willing to do on the court to help secure a victory and that’s why he gets so much playing time for the Spartans.