Bucs Thanksgiving Classic: Second Five

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bucs Thanksgiving Classic is proving to be an excellent barometer of where teams are at the start of the season. If this year's event is any indication, Carlsbad looks to be a serious Open Division threat. The Lancers handily defeated Mission Bay 78-61 to claim the championship, winning its four games by an average of 22 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here were some of the top players we saw throughout the Thanksgiving Week tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='1630676' first='Jayden' last='Wade'], San Diego</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1434801' first='Noah' last='Marte'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1630676' first='Jayden' last='Wade'] proved to be a devastating duo for the Cavers, with Wade showcasing a versatile skillset and a vastly improved perimeter stroke. The 6-5 sophomore bruiser does a little bit of everything for the Cavers: he advances the ball in transition, gets tough buckets in the paint, rebounds at an insane clip and, now, is a threat from midrange and the college three, albeit at a streaky clip. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Ben Lee, Del Norte</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lee can be streaky from the perimeter, but when he's on, he's as deadly a shooter as you'll see in San Diego. This was the case for several games during the tournament, where he hit shots from all over the court, which then allowed him to get into the paint and create for teammates with the pass. He needs to improve his finishing at the rim, especially against contact. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='994959' first='Xavier' last='Ogle'], Rancho Bernardo</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For the first three games of the event, Ogle was playing some of the best basketball of his varsity career. The cat-quick floor general has improved his consistency shooting the ball to complement his paint-touching prowess, and he's making better decisions in pass-score situations. As a result, the Broncos are much improved versus the same time last season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='994906' first='Jake' last='Altman'], La Jolla Country Day</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Altman goes under the radar a bit on a team that has a lot of balance, but his primary skill set - his motor - makes him stand out. He plays HARD. He dives after loose balls, rebounds much bigger than his 5-11 height, and sets excellent screens. Offensively, he scores it well in the paint and is a very unselfish passer and playmaker. Defensively, he gives max effort on the ball. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Aubrey Thompson, Scripps Ranch</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Thompson was one of the revelations of the event. He wasn't on Scripps Division 4 championship team last season, but this year, the 6-1 guard looks to be a key cog on the new-look Falcons. He's a sharpshooter from deep when his feet are set, and a right-hand dominant slasher who can find the paint and is a solid finisher. His length and body type suggests that his best basketball is ahead of him. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->