Week 3 in San Diego: Hidden gems
There are a lot of teams and players in San Diego that, for one reason or another, don’t get the coverage or recognition of other programs. Some of it is where they play and who they play. But that doesn’t…
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Continue ReadingThere are a lot of teams and players in San Diego that, for one reason or another, don’t get the coverage or recognition of other programs. Some of it is where they play and who they play. But that doesn’t mean that they don’t have guys who can play.
Over the first few weeks of the season, I’ve made a concerted effort to get to some of these below-the-radar schools, and here are some of the players that have stood out.
Isaiah Sutton, 6-3 2023 G, Kearny
Sutton scored a game-high 26 points in the Komets win over Santana. The lefty slasher has a great frame with long arms and broad shoulders, has excellent burst (plays with nice pace) and gets into the paint going to his dominant hand. He was able to repeatedly attack the paint and get lefty layups or draw contact and get to the foul line. Defensively, he uses his length and quickness to get into the passing lanes. On one play in particular, he was able to shoot the gap on an inbound and use his speed to outrun the offensive player to the ball and in a single stride scored the layup. A football prospect who has an NAIA offer on the gridiron, I think he’s got a ton of upside as a basketball player, but will need to go to junior college to polish his game (consistent shooting, right hand).
Jeffrey Van Oostende, 6-4 2024 W, Santana
Of the players I’ve seen to begin the season, Van Oostende stands out as the biggest surprise. A solidly built wing guard with picturesque shooting form and a crafty offensive game, he’s not a great athlete, but it doesn’t seem to matter. He does a good job getting to his spots on the floor either moving without the ball or attacking off of ball screens, has great mechanics getting into his pull-up jumper and has a quick release shooting off the catch, with range that extends well beyond the college three. Where his lack of athleticism causes issues is finishing against length, an area where he needs to improve.
Micah Whitley, 5-10 2023 G, Rock Academy
There are times when you watch Whitley you forget that he’s a senior, because he looks like a baby. But the lefty combo guard leaves an impact on the game for one of San Diego’s smallest schools. He’s a pure shooter, off the catch, off the bounce or attacking out of the pick and roll. An underrated aspect of his game is his passing. He has good vision and is a willing and unselfish ball mover, and makes some solid reads in the pick and roll. From a physical standpoint, Whitley has a pretty immature frame with very long arms and he’s deceptively athletic, but in order for him to play at the next level, he has to fill out his frame a lot more. As it stands, he’s a definite late bloomer to keep an eye out for.
Grant Stewart, 6-0 2025 G, Point Loma
Stewart, a wiry shooting guard with a feathery shooting stroke, had a solid game in a win over Rock Academy. He has excellent shot mechanics, especially on his pull-up jumper, as he gets good lift and his follow through is picturesque. An underrated ball handler as well, Stewart is a nice under-the-radar sophomore whose best basketball is ahead of him.
Noah Sadatmand, 5-7 2023 PG, High Tech SD
Sadatmand was thoroughly dominant in a win over Mission Vista in an early matchup of D3 contenders. To call him undersized would be an understatement, but his impact on all facets of the game is undeniable. He’s a heady floor general who doesn’t get sped up and always seems to make the right play, either with the pass or scoring from three or finishing with craft under the basket (his ability to sneak layups under defenders is uncanny). Defensively he is a disruptive on-ball presence who creates live ball turnovers with his active hands in the Storm’s zone press. If he were a few inches taller, you’d be talking about a potential D2 talent. As it stands, he’s a heck of a high school player.
Noe Flores, 6-2 2023 G/W, Kearny
Flores quietly had a major impact on the game. He scored 16 points, none bigger than the three he hit to kickstart the Komets fourth-quarter run. He’s a jack-of-all-trades type that can rebound, pass, shoot it and score it without over handling it. Defensively, he plays solid position defense and has active hands and gets a lot of deflections. He’s the quintessential high school glue guy.
Andre Scott, 5-9 2023 PG, Kearny
Scott didn’t play last year at University City, but looks like a player with some solid upside. He’s got very long arms for his size and broad shoulders, and while he’s got a thin frame, he’s deceptively strong. A crafty ball handler and passer, he tends to over penetrate and needs to improve his decision making, but shows flashes of some high level court vision. He’s also a solid shooter when his feet are set. Another player from Kearny I think can find his way on a junior college team and continue his career.
Tommy Rashad, 6-5 2023 F, High Tech SD
Sadatmand’s teammate was no slouch himself, knocking down a pair of early threes and then scoring bruising buckets through contact down the stretch. He’s ponderous and his effort level tends to wax and wane more than my liking, but he’s very skilled and is a productive rebounder as well.
James Rine, 6-0 2024 G, Clairemont
In a game where there weren’t a ton of next-level prospects (I expected more from Chieftains senior Kai Long), it was Rine, a bespectacled combo guard, who had the brightest moments. He’s a crafty finisher around the basket when he gets into the paint (surprisingly effective floater package) and can hit shots off the catch or using the sidestep to create space from three. I also love his confidence: he’s unafraid to let the ball fly.
Jake Henderson, 6-3 2023 G, Mission Vista
Henderson, much like his team, had an underwhelming performance in the loss to High Tech, but showed some of the reasons why I think he’s a solid late-blooming combo guard. He had a stretch in the second half where he used his length to cause the Storm’s undersized guards trouble, stripping them of the ball or forcing them into errant passes, and then converted the turnovers into driving layups on the other end. I think he’s a player who could use a grey shirt year in college to develop his body and continue to hone his craft at the point guard position, but the upside at 6-3+ is evident.