EYBL Session 1: California Standouts (Pt. 1)
In this article:
We weren’t able to physically be in attendance at the first live period session of the 2023 EYBL, but, thanks to live streams, we got the chance to follow all of the California teams at the event. Though the Southern…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWe weren’t able to physically be in attendance at the first live period session of the 2023 EYBL, but, thanks to live streams, we got the chance to follow all of the California teams at the event. Though the Southern California and Northern California-based club teams didn’t fair too well in the wins and losses column overall but there were still some standout performers.
Aaron Powell Aaron Powell 6'0" | CG Campbell Hall | 2024 State CA-S , 2024, Oakland Soldiers 17s
The Campbell Hall product did what he does best and shot the ball at a high clip from three-point range. The 6-footer went 9-for-17 from deep and did so both off the bounce and off the catch with nine of his 11 total field goal makes coming from behind-the-arc. Powell made the move from the Soldiers to Team Why Not to finish out the spring and summer and it will be interesting to see the impact he can make over there.
Andrew Hilman Andrew Hilman 6'4" | SG Archbishop Riordan | 2026 State CA-N , 2026, Oakland Soldiers 15s
Hilman is a Northern California product to track over the next three seasons as his size, frame, athleticism and feel for the game are very advanced for his class. The 6-foot-3 combo guard out of Archbishop Riordan is a strong downhill driver who can absorb and finish through contact around the basket. Part of his game that stood out the most was his willingness to rebound and defend. Hilman averaged 11.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in Atlanta.
Brannon Martinsen, 2026, Team Why Not 15s
Martinsen was one of the top freshmen in the state as he carved out a starting role at Santa Ana Mater Dei this past season. The 6-foot-7 lefty is an inside-out scoring threat, active rebounder in and out of his area, and simply plays with a high motor and high basketball IQ. Martinsen can step out to the perimeter and knock down catch and shoot threes but can also score efficiently in the lane with his back to teh basket. The sophomore-to-be averaged 11 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 51 percent from the field in the first EYBL session.
Caeden Hutcherson Caeden Hutcherson 6'4" | SG Archbishop Mitty | 2026 State CA-N , 2026, Oakland Soldiers 15s
The 6-foot-3 combo guard is another talented prospect to track out of Northern California. Hutcherson logged big minutes at San Francisco St. Ignatius and that experience clearly gave him confidence to go into the club season as an alpha-type player for his team. Hutcherson has a really good feel for the game and thrives in isolation situations where he can break his defender down and make plays for himself and teammates in the painted area. He wasn’t at his most efficient offensively in the Atlanta session, as he shot 42.9 percent from the field and 32 percent from three-point range but he did average 14.3 points per game on the weekend.
Carter Bryant Carter Bryant 6'8" | SF Corona Centennial (CA) | 2024 State #12 Nation CA-S , 2024, Paul George Elite 17
Bryant is one of the biggest national stock-risers over the last year or so but evaluators in Southern California had seen it coming from a mile away. At 6-feet-8 with ball skills, a high basketball IQ and an inside-out scoring arsenal, the senior-to-be does a little bit of everything on the court and does it within the flow of the game. Bryant is down to a final two of Arizona and Louisville, schools he will decide between on Wednesday, April 26th. Bryant was his usual versatile-self in Atlanta where he averaged 12.5 points per game on 60 percent from the field and 70 percent from 3.