Creme of the County: Event Surprises, 2023 edition
While my colleague’s Devin Ugland and Frank Burlison have covered my signature event from soup to nuts, there are several players who had performances that caught my attention. We’ll start with my surprises from the 2023 sessions. Lawond Zagana, 6-8…
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Continue ReadingWhile my colleague’s Devin Ugland and Frank Burlison have covered my signature event from soup to nuts, there are several players who had performances that caught my attention. We’ll start with my surprises from the 2023 sessions.
Lawond Zagana, 6-8 C, Granite Hills
Playing tucked away in El Cajon, Zagana’s growth over the past few years has been out of much of the county’s view. But he took advantage of the stage at the COTC to showcase a nice interior offensive package, scoring over his left shoulder consistently, and defensively showcasing solid position defense. He’s a sleeper.
Loren Daniel, 6-1 G, Balboa School
Daniel heated up down the stretch for his squad, showcasing his strong shooting ability off the dribble drive, including a couple of 15-foot pull-up jumpers and some threes off of ball screen action. A scoring combo guard who also thrives on the defensive end, Daniel is an underrated prospect in the class.
Darnell Green, 5-9 PG, Morse
Green made his return to the COTC with a bang this year, scoring off the bounce and showcasing the burst in the half court that opened eyes as a freshman starter with the Tigers. He’s a load to handle off the dribble, and scores and distributes it with equal aplomb. Defensively, he’s very good on the ball as he gets lower than his man and gets a lot of deflections and strips.
Micah O’Dell, 6-6 F, El Capitan
O’Dell is a raw prospect, but the physical tools are undeniable. The 6-6 lefty has a physically strapping frame, is a tough slasher and rebounder and plays hard on both ends. He impacts the game more with his energy and motor than with his skill at this point, but if I am a junior college willing to develop the edges of his game, the return on investment would be significant.
Jonathan Black, 6-3 W, Morse
Another Morse prospect who showcased well, Black – who plays on the interior for his high school team – looked very comfortable attacking and scoring from the perimeter. The lefty scored off the bounce and showed off a good looking pull-up jumper from 15 feet to boot. His length and lateral quickness also make him a solid on-ball defender.
Patrick Perez, 6-5 W, Christian
While teammates Dalton Norvell and Titus Davis made the biggest splash, Perez quietly had a double-figure scoring performance on the wing, filling the lane in transition and finishing through and around contact. He handles the ball capably and his catch and shoot ability from midrange and three are also solid. The underrated area of Perez’s game, which he showcased in his game, was his rebounding.
Hudaifa Osman, 6-5 W, Helix
Osman’s length, and frame at 6-5 scream “college wing.” And his game is improving. Osman scored several pull-up jumpers in space and attacked the basket going to his dominant hand, scoring through contact on a few occasions. He’s got to physically beef up his frame, and improve his consistency from three, but the tools are there. Junior colleges should be all over him.
Nolan Reuter, 6-1 G, Coronado
The 5-11 physical combo guard made a living scoring off the bounce or in transition, using his muscly frame to absorb contact and finish just about everything from close range. This contrasts to earlier in his career when he primarily scored on the perimeter. He can still do that too, but his newfound physicality makes him a more complete offensive player.
Tre Lucia, 6-0 G, Cathedral Catholic
Lucia’s game is made for the showcase setting. A crafty scoring guard with a bucket getter mentality, Lucia showcased flashy handles and a scoring repertoire from midrange and three that drew oohs and ahhs from the crowd, including a snap-back three in the second half that brought the crowd to its feet. It remains to be seen what his role will be on the new-look Cathedral squad, but his scoring ability is something that should generate collegiate interest at some level.
Micah Brickner, 6-6 F, Scripps Ranch
The younger brother of former St. Augustine standout Isaiah Brickner (Marist), Micah is a different player, but has similar upside that dictates his best basketball is still far ahead of him. At a strapping 6-6 and with nice athleticism, Brickner had several powerful finishes above the rim, but also knocked down shots from the perimeter and midrange off the catch. He’s an improved handle away from being a bonafide wing prospect, but for now, he’s an athletic face-up four with a mountain of upside.
Quaylon Bryant, 5-11 G, Hoover
Bryant, who received a late invite, showed he belonged in the showcase with his offensive outburst in his game. He hit a pair of pull-up threes and mixed in some scores in transition, while also playing with a ton of energy on both ends. If Bryant, who transferred to Hoover after a brief stint Mission Bay, can bottle this performance and recapture the momentum he had in his two years at El Cajon Valley, he’ll be a valuable addition to the Cardinals.
Rayveon Bush, 6-2 G, Morse
The first thing that stands out to you about Bush is that he has a college ready frame, with a plus wingspan, athleticism and strength. His first two offensive possessions, a strong lefty drive and a pull-up jumper with excellent elevation, give you a glimpse of why he’s got a chance to play after HS. The next step for Bush is consistency and developing his shot from three, which will be imperative at the next level as driving lanes are tighter and defenses game plan against the midrange.