CIF Division 1 Championship: Ten Best

<p>In a moderate seeding upset. La Jolla Country Day, the 3 seed, took control of the game against top-seeded Mission Bay in the second quarter and held on to defeat the Buccaneers 63-56. </p>   <p>The Torreys, who were runners up in D1 in 2022, used a collective effort to repel a huge 34-point effort by Bucs senior [player_tooltip player_id='994926' first='Angelo' last='Gil']. </p>   <p>Here are some of the standouts from Friday's game. </p>   <p><strong>Best individual performance</strong></p>   <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='994926' first='Angelo' last='Gil'], 6-1 2023 G, Mission Bay</h2>   <p>Gil saved his best performance since transferring back to the Bucs for the championship game. He scored it from every level en route to a game-high 34 points, knocking down 5 threes, scoring in the paint and from midrange. It was arguably the most efficient scoring effort I've seen from Gil in his career, and Mission Bay needed every point to keep pace. </p>   <p><strong>Clutch shooting</strong></p>   <h2>Ely Elegado, 6-1 2025 G, La Jolla Country Day</h2>   <p>La Jolla Country Day seemed to have an answer for every big Mission Bay run, and Elegado was usually the one delivering the daggers. He hit back-to-back threes at the end of the second quarter to give the Torreys a seven-point lead it ultimately wouldn't relinquish. He also hit big free throws down the stretch. The sophomore sharpshooter finished with a team-high 20 points. </p>   <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='1477693' first='Anthony' last='Aruffo'], 6-2 2023 G, La Jolla Country Day</h2>   <p>Aruffo got the scoring started for the Torreys, scoring 8 of his 12 points in the first 10 minutes. A deadeye spot-up shooter, Aruffo can attack closeouts to set up his compact pull-up jumper or complete drives in the paint through contact going to his right hand. </p>   <p><strong>Best point guard</strong></p>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/IMG_7904.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/IMG_7904.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1826107" width="534" height="401" /></a></figure>   <h2>Christopher Carrillo, 5-10 2025 PG, La Jolla Country Day</h2>   <p>The Torreys executed their game plan to perfection, and Carrillo was the conductor. He calmly dissected the Buccaneers trapping defense, setting up easy transition buckets on which he either assisted or delivered the "hockey assist." A pass-first lead guard, Carrillo called his number offensively a handful of times, and each time delivered a big basket for his team. His change of speed and pace kept Mission Bay defenders off balance all game. </p>   <p>Best glue guy</p>   <h2>James Wei, 6-2 2024 W, La Jolla Country Day</h2>   <p>Wei doesn't fit neatly into a true position on the floor, but makes an impact on both ends. Offensively, the lefty swingman is an efficient scorer, doesn't overdribble and finishes plays around the basket or from the corner three. Defensively and on the boards, he gives great effort and gets his team extra possessions as a result. </p>   <p><strong>Best bigs </strong></p>   <h2>Charlie Hutchison, 6-7 2024 F, Mission Bay</h2>   <p>Hutchison is a versatile scorer and playmaker, but didn't have the impact in this game that we saw throughout the playoffs. He scored 10 points on three made field goals, but scored from each level to show his versatility, but disappeared for stretches in the game. </p>   <h2>Garrett Bass-Sulpizio, 6-5 2023 F, La Jolla Country Day</h2>   <p>The future Ivy League quarterback played a big role on the interior for the Torreys, rebounding and providing stout position defense in the paint. Offensively, he fits the team's style of play with his ability to knock down stationary threes and to set strong screens. </p>   <p><strong>Best athlete</strong></p>   <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='1434840' first='Thomas' last='Metcalf'], 6-4 2023 F, Mission Bay</h2>   <p>Metcalf is the classic "live athlete" who's motor and athleticism can have a big impact on a game. In the second quarter, he was able to help turn the tide by causing steals in the Bucs press and had a big dunk that almost turned the tide. He still is raw in terms of his feel and decision making, but there's a place for him at the next level with a program willing to develop and refine his game. </p>   <p><strong>Gritty performer</strong></p>   <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='994906' first='Jake' last='Altman'], 5-11 2023 G, La Jolla Country Day </h2>   <p>Altman is as tough as they come in the back court. Offensively, he gives you a little bit of everything: he can knock down open threes, finish tough baskets in the paint, and find open shooters in drive and kick. Defensively, he fights over ball screens and stays connected to his man, shoots the passing lanes for steals and gets on the floor for loose balls. A baseball player in college, he's had a heck of a career for the Torreys on the hardwood. </p>   <p>Intriguing scorers</p>   <h2>Gavin Girouard, 6-1 2024 G, Mission Bay</h2>   <p>Coming off of a huge effort in the D1 semifinals, Girouard didn't have the same impact in the finals, namely because it appeared the Torreys made an effort to take away his strengths: open threes and straight line drives to his right. The fact he's being game-planned for in big games tells you where Girouard is headed as a prospect: he's one of the region's most improved scorers. </p>

In a moderate seeding upset. La Jolla Country Day, the 3 seed, took control of the game against top-seeded Mission Bay in the second quarter and held on to defeat the Buccaneers 63-56.