Battlezone Showcase: 2022 Standouts (Pt. 1)

<p>CORONA — The annual Battlezone event hosted by Corona Centennial changed its format from tournament style to showcase style, but still featured high level match-ups and individual talent as we’ve come to expect from Coach Josh Giles and his Huskies’ staff. In this piece we take our first look at the standout performers from the 2022 class.</p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="748773" first="Ben" last="Shtolzberg"]</strong>, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame - Shtolzberg, along with his 2023 teammate [player_tooltip player_id="992483" first="Dusty" last="Stromer"], who we will discuss in a separate story, are the two major cogs for the Knights’ high-powered offense. The 6-foot-4 guard did his part in a loss to California’s second-ranked team, scoring 24 points in a barrage of jump shots from the mid-range and three-point levels. The Creighton-signee showed that he has a college ready frame and his shooting ability could help him make an immediate impact for the Bluejays next season.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="748749" first="Benny" last="Gealer"]</strong>, Rolling Hills Prep - Gealer is one of the more electric and exciting players in the state. His free flowing style and unconscious scoring mentality make him a must-see player in the SoCal basketball scene and he didn’t disappoint in a win over Mater Dei of Chula Vista. The 6-foot-1 combo guard scored a game-high 21 points, complete with his patented deep three-point shots off the bounce and smooth pull-up jumpers and floaters in the lane. One thing the Stanford-bound senior doesn’t get enough credit for is his basketball IQ and how hard he plays each game.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Brody Davis</strong>, Corona Santiago - We had seen Davis over the summer playing with Hoop Nation on the club circuit and it was good to see him again with his high school team. The 6-foot-4 wing does a little bit of everything for the Sharks from being their main scoring threat to a guy who can initiate offense and serve as a multi-positional defender and good rebounder for his size. Davis finished with a team-high 17 points in a loss to Great Oak.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="970280" first="Donovan" last="Dent"]</strong>, Corona Centennial - Dent remains one of the most under-appreciated players in the country and his production combined with his talent level leave us befuddled as to why that is. The 6-foot-2 senior point guard headed to New Mexico is a blur in transition and lightning quick with his first step in the half-court. And while he possesses elite blow-by speed, he rarely gets sped up or plays out of control and runs the Centennial offense to a "T." Dent is a high IQ playmaker for others in addition to his ever-improving scoring punch which are both driven by high level competitiveness.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Jackson Bernardo</strong>, Great Oak - This was our first legitimate look at Bernardo and we came away impressed with his pace, feel and all-around IQ for the game. The 6-foot-2 point guard showed a nice balance of scoring and playmaking in the Wolfpack’s win over Corona Santiago as he finished with 17 points and a handful of assists.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Jaden Henley</strong>, Colony - Known mostly as "Stretch" to his Titans’ coaches and teammates, Henley’s status continues to rise in the eyes of college coaches who have made it a point to see him. The 6-foot-5 wing plays with a high motor and relentless attacking mentality in transition. Henley has good pop in his legs which helps him finish above the rim around the basket and he has the ball skills and shooting ability to operate on the perimeter at the guard position.</span></p>