A Scouts Take: Hustle Region Day 1 standouts

<p style="text-align: left;"> Last week, I had the chance to spend a day at the AIM Sports Complex for Day 1 of the Prep Hoops Hustle Region Kickoff. </p> <p>The Saturday yielded some solid hoops action across the 15u - 17u levels.</p> <p>While my colleagues will go in greater depth about the specific levels, I'll give you some broad brushes on general standouts from the day. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Best squad: <span style="font-size: 1rem; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Coastal Elite 16u </span></h3> <p>The Coastal group is a blast to watch, and they're loaded with shooters and playmakers. 2024s Mazen El Bissat (long, lanky shooter + driver), Deuce Sims (lefty playmaker) and [player_tooltip player_id="1423839" first="Derek" last="Tuason"] (best shooter in the gym) gave a preview of the new-look San Marcos back court — and it looks promising. 6-3 2025 G CJ Coleman is a physically imposing bucket getter, and several other standouts comprise a team that manages to go 11 deep and get things done. </p> <h3>Best Prospect: Brady Henige, 6-10 2024 C, D1 Nation (AZ)</h3> <p>Henige had his way for long stretches of the day. The biggest player in the gym, Henige's footwork, reads against double teams and soft touch around the basket and midrange make him a big that deserves D1 looks. </p> <p>Best game: California Select 17u Black 39, Pro Skills El Paso-2 17u 38</p> <p>While the play at times was aesthetically tough to watch, the finish was exciting. Down 15 points with 10 minutes to go, Cali Select (led by guards Lachlan Hetrick and Elijah Pirvani) shut Pro Skills down completely on defense, holding them to just two points the rest of the way. Pirvani's free throws with 7 seconds left completed the comeback. </p> <h3>Best unsigned prospect: Timmy Parker, 6-4 2022 G, Cali Elite </h3> <p>Parker's jump shot is a thing of beauty. He gets great elevation and has a picturesque release and mechanics. But his ability to get a bucket from all three levels efficiently made him a tough cover. In his final game vs Coastal Elite, he was well on his way to a 30-Pt effort before fouling out on a dubious technical. </p> <h3>Biggest surprise: De'Angelo Macalino, 6-4 2024 G, Coastal Elite</h3> <p>On a team with 11 players it's often hard to stand out, but Macalino - who bounced between the JV and varsity this year at Mission Hills - jumped off the page in his reserve minutes with his smooth, yet assertive slashing and finishing off the bounce. He plays with great energy on both ends and is a very good rebounder too. </p> <h3>Hardest workers: Maurice and Tyrese Lynch, 2024 guards, Cali Elite</h3> <p>The Moreno Valley twins (Valley View HS) are kind of atypical when it comes to basketball prospects. Neither looks the part at 5-11 and stocky. But they can play. Seriously. Both guys impact the game with their toughness, leadership and defense, and offensively they know how to throw their weight around, punishing guards and bigs alike off the bounce. </p> <h3>Most Intriguing: Nathan Wanjohi, 6-4 2024 W, D1 Nation (AZ) and Justice Ahiafor, 6-7 2025, Coastal Elite 16u</h3> <p>Wanjohi jumped off the charts with his length, athleticism, defensive versatility and shootings. He's also a really good rebounder in traffic. </p> <p>Ahiafor is a project, but you see flashes when he handles the ball in transition, makes correct reads with the pass and knocks down jumpshots. With more reps against better competition, his ceiling is super high. </p> <h3>B-team special: Cris Estebane, 5-9 2022 PG, Pro Skills El Paso-2 </h3> <p>Talk about a player who snuck up on me. Estebane got off to a slow start and was stifled down the stretch, but in between he was flat-out dominant. He scored 19 of his team's 38 points and probably assisted on 12 of the other points. He's got high level court vision, passes with either hand and finishes ambidextrously. It was only until he canned his first three that I realized he was a lefty. </p> <h3>Most improved: Dalton Norvell, 6-1 2023 G Ramona</h3> <p>Norvell has always been one of my favorites in the 2023 San Diego class, but slipped off the radar through no fault of his own: a bad ACL injury took him off the court for over a year. Since his return, he's steadily gotten better, and looks the part of a poised combo guard who plays with great pace and can score from three levels. His midrange game is very advanced. </p> <h3>Best back court: <span style="font-size: 1rem; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">[player_tooltip player_id="994959" first="Xavier" last="Ogle"] and Dalton Runyon, 2023s, D1 Southern California </span></h3> <p>The Rancho Bernardo teammates looked in sync in wins early Saturday. Ogle, a slippery, undersized floor general can pound it sometimes a bit too much, but can get into the paint and is a creative passer and improving finisher. Runyon (6-3 2023 SG) can rip it from deep when his feet are set, is an underrated passer and is a solid slasher and scorer off the bounce. </p>