Battle at the Bay: Junior Standouts

SAN DIEGO — The Battle at the Bay showcase event organized by Mission Bay head coach Marshawn Cherry is always loaded with matchups among some of the best teams and prospects in all of San Diego. The 4th edition went off without a hitch over the weekend and lived up to its billing as one of the top in-season events in SoCal high school basketball. In this piece we take a look at some of the junior class standouts from the event.

Angelo Gil Angelo Gil 6'1" | PG Mission Bay | 2023 State CA-S , Mission Bay - Gil controlled the game from the opening tip to the final buzzer with his ability to push the pace in transition and put pressure on a retreating defense. The junior point guard finished with 23 points and eight assists in a big win over Mater Dei Catholic and scored in a variety of ways from pull up three-pointers to mid-range jumpers and tough layups around the basket. Gil used his burst of speed to get into the lane, draw extra defenders, and make the right read to kick to the open shooter.

Caleb Hofmeister, Mission Hills - Hofmeister caught fire for the Grizzlies as he hit six three-pointers en route to a game-high 20 points. The 5-foot-7 guard doesn’t need much time or space to get his shot off due to the quickness of his release and he has deep range which puts even more onus on the defense to extend and close which opens up driving lanes and creates spacing for offense.

JJ Bartelloni JJ Bartelloni 6'4" | SG Torrey Pines | 2023 State CA-S , Torrey Pines - Bartelloni didn’t get off to his best start, but from what we’ve seen from him over the last couple of seasons, the jump shot will fall eventually, and it did. The 6-foot-4 wing scored the majority of his 14 points in a second half that saw Torrey Pines blow the game open. Bartelloni’s off-ball movement and understanding of spacing and the difference between a good shot and bad shot makes that Falcons’ starting five tough to guard.

Kristian Gonzalez, Mater Dei Catholic - Gonzalez battled some foul trouble throughout the Crusaders’ loss to Mission Bay, but it didn’t stop him from showcasing his elite catch-and-shoot abilities. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard is another player in the young generation whose range is seemingly limitless and he has the blessing of the coaching staff to pull from deep. Gonzalez finished with a team-high 16 points.

Shea Fitzgerald, Cathedral Catholic - We loved what we saw from Fitzgerald as he played a complete floor game in the Dons win over La Jolla Country Day. The 6-foot-2 point guard has the total package offensively: he can knock down rhythm three-pointers off the bounce, makes good reads out of ball screen action and has a combination of speed and pop in his legs to get to the rim and finish.

Thomas Metcalf, Mission Bay - Metcalf is a beast inside and in transition. The 6-foot-4 forward might lack size for position from a height perspective, but his strength, motor and willingness to play physically allows him to be a force at the 5-spot for the Bucs. Metcalf finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds in a win with most of those buckets coming while sprinting the floor in transition or snatching offensive rebounds for second-chance opportunities.