SoCal Clash: First Five

<p>Downey's Apollo Park was the site of Alex Carmon's (aka Beach City Hoops) latest installment of the So-Cal Clash, an event that pits many of the top 2024 and 2023 players against each other for a battle for class supremacy.</p>   <p>And for the first time in the event's history, the junior group claimed the crown, defeating a heavy-legged senior group 61-46 in a target-score finale that saw Narbonne junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='994905' first='Marcus' last='Adams'] dominate down the stretch. </p>   <p>Adams won MVP for the event, and his LA City Section counterpart, senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1310858' first='Zyier' last='Beverly'], was the most oustanding player for the senior class. </p>   <p>These were my top five performers from the event, regardless of class (Note* these might differ from the All-Tournament team awards that will be announced on social media)</p>   <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='994905' first='Marcus' last='Adams'], 6-8 2024 F, Narbonne</h2>   <p>Adams showed why he's the front-runner for City Section Player of the Year, scoring a combined 40 points in two games, and doing it in every way imaginable. Adams, who plays a lot like a poor man's Paolo Banchero (don't kill me), has a physical frame, and is a skilled, three-level scorer who scores it both with the live dribble (he hit an array of step back and pull-up shots from 3 and mid-range), and off the catch. He also showcased the ability to finish above the rim with authority and punish defenders in the paint while finishing through contact. While he's not the best athlete, he's more than capable of scoring against length due to his strength and footwork. He's got some areas where he needs attention (shot selection, effort level on defense), but he's emerging as a potential high-major prospect in the 2024 class. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/09/IMG_0148.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/09/IMG_0148-1024x768.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1592083"/></a></figure>   <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='1310858' first='Zyier' last='Beverly'], 6-9 2023 F/C, Washington Prep </h2>   <p>In a final game where defense took a holiday and none of the 2024's wanted to challenge Beverly, a 6-9 pogo stick, Beverly obliged with dunk after dunk after dunk en route to a game-high 25 (of his team's 46) points. Beverly is a long, athletic prospect who flashed versatility as a catch-and-shoot guy on the perimeter (fitting the mold of the modern 4/5), but it's his ability as a rim runner, rim protector and his upside (I believe he recently turned 17), that will make him as coveted of a 2023 post prospect as you will see out West. </p>   <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='992482' first='Darius' last='Carr'], 6-4 2023 G, Southern California Academy</h2>   <p>Carr, a top-100 prospect in the 2023 class, took a few seconds to get going in his first game, but once he did, it was clear why he's rated so highly as a prospect. He scored from each level and did it in a variety of ways. He hit threes off the catch, hit one of the step back variety, scored a tough fadeaway in the post, put on a dribbling display en route to another score that brought the crowd to its feet, and had a handful of transition dunks that would've rated high in some dunk contests. His ability to put the ball in the basket at multiple levels in multiple ways was unique even in the showcase setting. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/09/IMG_0136.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/09/IMG_0136-1024x768.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1592084"/></a></figure>   <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='1502772' first='Deshawn' last='Gory'], 6-7 2024 W, Oak Hills </h2>   <p>While other's stood out with more volume of touches, Gory's game was a study of contrast. He impacted every facet of the game with his motor: he was always in the mix for rebounds on both ends, he defended, shot the passing lanes for steals, efficiently scored from three levels (really quick release as a catch and shoot threat), and unselfishly advanced the ball in transition, knowing that if he sprinted the floor hard, he would get it back - and he did, finishing several lobs well above the rim, including the penultimate score of the final game. Gory, whose game echoes that of former Inland Empire standout Tony Snell, did a lot to live up to the comparisons. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/09/IMG_0146.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/09/IMG_0146-1024x768.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1592085"/></a></figure>   <h2>Bowen Hammer, 6-8 2023 F, Fairmont Prep</h2>   <p>Hammer's box score for the two games will be deceiving, as he averaged 12.5 points per game. What you won't see is that the recent Utah transplant (prepped at Snow Canyon HS in Saint George for three years) scored all 25 points in 20-minute stretch in which he was the most dominant player on the floor. A knockdown three point shooter, he hit three different triples during that stretch: a transition pull-up, a deep one off the catch and a step-back triple over heavily contested defense. He also scored pull-ups and fadeaways from midrange and had some of the game's most authoritative dunks. Hammer served apt notice that he has arrived in Southern California. </p>

Downey's Apollo Park was the site of Alex Carmon's (aka Beach City Hoops) latest installment of the So-Cal Clash, an event that pits many of the top 2024 and 2023 players against each other for a battle for class supremacy.