San Diego CIF D5 Championship: Ten Best
The lowest division in San Diego’s CIF Playoffs gave us perhaps the most thrilling game, as No. 8 seed Classical Academy outlasted No. 6 seed Santana 83-78 in THREE overtimes. The triple-OT instant classic saw Classical battle from 17 down…
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Continue ReadingThe lowest division in San Diego’s CIF Playoffs gave us perhaps the most thrilling game, as No. 8 seed Classical Academy outlasted No. 6 seed Santana 83-78 in THREE overtimes.
The triple-OT instant classic saw Classical battle from 17 down to tie the game at the end of regulation on a buzzer-beating three, and fight back from deficits in the first two overtimes to win the program’s second D5 title in four years.
Here were some of the standouts:
Presley Bruskotter, 5-11 Sr. G, Classical Academy
Bruskotter played the game on a severely injured left ankle, but it didn’t seem to slow him down. He scored 21 points and knocked down critical three-point baskets in the second half to give the Caimans the surge they needed to overcome a late 9-point deficit in the fourth quarter. A compactly built guard with a quick release, Bruskotter is one of the region’s better shooting threats when he’s dialed in.
Brody Chapman, 6-1 Fr G, Classical Academy
Of all the players on the floor, Chapman – the youngest player – probably has the most upside. An athletic slashing guard who has an excellent motor, Chapman impacted the game in ways that don’t alway show up on the stat sheet: he dove after loose balls, battled on the boards and made the extra pass in the offense. When he did look to score, he attacked the basket and finished through contact, hit a spot-up three and got to the free throw line. He’s one to track.
Isaac Davis, 5-11 Sr. G, Classical Academy
The third of the Caimans back court trio, Davis hit the biggest shot of all, a running three pointer at the buzzer to tie the game at 58 at the end of regulation. That seemed to get him going, as he scored from deep two more times in the OT periods. A sharpshooter with a smooth handle, Davis plays with a ton of confidence.
Dainian Keokham, 6-0 Sr. G, Santana
A right-hand dominant point guard who gets into the paint, Keokham plays will really nice pace and is a solid playmaker out of ball screen action. He hit some very acrobatic shots off the bounce and was relentless attacking the paint against the undersized Caimans.
Lucas Tavares, 5-11 2023 G, Santana
Much like his back court counterpart Keokham, Tavares made it a point in the second half and overtime to attack the basket and get to the foul line with regularity. He and Keokham kept the Sultans in the game after the team’s leading scorer fouled out late in the fourth quarter. Earlier in the game, Tavares knocked down a pair of threes off the bounce.
Jeffrey Van Oostende, 6-3 2024 G, Santana
Van Ooostende started the first half hitting big shots off the bounce and off the catch from three and midrange, but quickly got in foul trouble and couldn’t maintain the momentum. But an indicator of his impact beyond scoring can be seen by the fact that his team struggled to generate offense after he fouled out, ceding a 14 point lead in the final four minutes of the game.
Lucas Thomas, 5-11 2023 G, Santana
Thomas, a crafty scorer and shooter, chipped in 14 points to the Sultans and played a big role in the final minutes of the game and the three overtimes, hitting big shots to help his team keep pace with the Caimans.
Michael Mendez, 6-3 2024 F, Santana
Mendez, an undersized five man for the Sultans, battled in the paint, grabbing 21 rebounds and giving his team multiple scoring opportunities on the offensive glass. While he’s not super skilled, Mendez is a hard worker and does a good job getting position in the paint to grab rebounds or tip attempts on the offensive end.
Ethan Davis, 5-11 2023 G, Santana
Davis had his moment in the third overtime, where he hit consecutive three pointers to effectively put the game out of reach. Once he gets his feet set, he’s a solid spot-up shooter who is a complementary floor spacer for the Caimans.
Life Pollard, 5-10 2023 G, Classical Academy
A standout on the Caimans state-championship football team, Pollard provided energy and timely rebounding the second half and overtime, scoring a couple of critical put-back layups. While he’s raw from a skill perspective, he’s an excellent athlete whose bounce and motor allow him to have an impact on the game.