Colony/RHP State Preview: Second Five

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>ONTARIO — The basketball staffs at Colony High and Rolling Hills Prep teamed up once again as the Titans hosted the always-competitive Colony/Rolling Hills Prep State Preview Classic. The 2023 edition of the event featured nine games inside the "Thunderdome" on the Colony campus with some intriguing head-to-head matchups. Below we name our "First Five" performers from the day.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>[player_tooltip player_id='1630650' first='Brandon' last='Benjamin'], Anaheim Canyon</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With two of Canyon's best players sidelined indefinitely, the production and impact of the sophomore forward has become even more important and he stepped up in a big way Saturday night. Benjamin scored 26 points in a 58-51 win over Riverside Poly and flashed his elite low block footwork and touch in the process. Though he stands at 6-feet-5 and isn't a jumping-jack type of athlete, Benjamin's back to the basket skill-set, crafty shot fakes and ability to finish with either hand in the lane make him one of the best interior scorers in the region.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>[player_tooltip player_id='1380769' first='Connor' last='Sevilla'], Dougherty Valley</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sevilla and his Dougherty Valley squad had the furthest trip of any of the teams in the event and faced one of the toughest matchups against Sherman Oaks Notre Dame. The 6-foot-1 senior took even a bigger role when the team's star player, University of San Francisco-commit [player_tooltip player_id='950790' first='Ryan' last='Beasley'] - went out with an ankle injury. Sevilla stepped up to the plate as he scored a team-high 18 points in a loss. Sevilla is an undervalued unsigned senior whose mid-range shot-making ability and toughness on the defensive end are traits that translate to the next level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>[player_tooltip player_id='992482' first='Darius' last='Carr'], Fairfax</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Carr is the lone member of either the first or second five to have lost in the State Preview Classic but the senior did everything in his power to put Fairfax in a position to win. Carr, a 6-foot-4 combo guard, scored a game-high 26 points in the overtime loss to St. Francis and also grabbed seven rebounds to go along with five assists. Carr had his dynamic transition finishing ability and half-court shot-making on display.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>[player_tooltip player_id='1643024' first='Tanner' last='Jones'], Campbell Hall</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jones is an interesting prospect. From his efficient offensive game, to his combination of strength and athleticism at 6-feet-3, and his NBA bloodlines as the son of 12-year NBA veteran Dahntay Jones, the junior is still a bit under-the-radar on the west coast, but wont be for long. Jones moved to Los Angeles from Missouri where he was a Class 3 All-State performer at Greenwood high school. Jones has a great mid-range pull-up game and the strength and physicality to finish through contact in the lane. He scored 17 points in Campbell Hall's win over Hillcrest.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>[player_tooltip player_id='994966' first='Tyler' last='Small'], St. Anthony</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The matchup of Long Beach between St. Anthony and Poly, which took place over an hour away from the city, was decided by a couple of key late defensive plays and made shots, many of which were made by the senior guard. Small finished with 15 points in the win and showed a lot of poise and high IQ decision-making in the stretch moments of the game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->