Best Class of 2025 Players I saw at Boys California Live 2023
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The 1st annual Boys California Live tournament kicked off around Orange County, California on Friday. Nine different high schools are being used as host sites this weekend including Irvine, Beckman, Mission Viejo, and Tustin with Irvine High School serving as…
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Continue ReadingThe 1st annual Boys California Live tournament kicked off around Orange County, California on Friday. Nine different high schools are being used as host sites this weekend including Irvine, Beckman, Mission Viejo, and Tustin with Irvine High School serving as the headquarters. More than 150+ high schools from all over California are in attendance including St. John Bosco, Harvard Westlake, and Modesto Christian.
Jaden was terrific again this weekend and lead Bosco Tech to wins over Santa Monica and Foothills Christian by contributing all over the court. Erami rebounds, brings the ball up the court, and is often Tech’s leading scorer. Jaden can score at all 3 levels, is strong enough to play through contact in the paint, and has a mean turnaround game in the midrange and on the baseline. He is also a terrific passer, and likes to play out the high post so he can utilize all the space the middle of the floor provides him.
Jovani had some monster performances this weekend including a 29 point 10 assist game and averaged 21.5 points across Poly’s 4 games. Ruff excelled in the open court and showed off his explosive athleticism along with his soft finishing touch with either hand. Jovani’s ability in the open court also naturally opens up opportunities for his teammates and his propensity to rebound only increases how often he is able to push the pace.
Elzie had a typically great game against an overmatched Palo Alto team on Friday afternoon before twisting his ankle which caused him to sit out the rest of the weekend. Harrington influenced and pushed the pace of Friday’s game particularly well, sensing the mismatch and understanding how to best exploit it. His length, handle, and athletic ability make him such a difficult player to contain on offense and all of these same qualities make a valuable player on the defensive end as well.
Kade continued his strong play this summer in wins over Palo Alto, Campbell Hall, and Jesuit. Bonam consistently shows good touch in the paint with either his left or right hand, the requisite strength to bang down low and not fall apart physically, and a good sense of when to pop into space off a screen or to roll hard to the basket.
Nikolas showed off all aspects of his elite offensive repertoire this weekend in wins over Crean Lutheran, Clovis North, and Santa Margarita. Khamenia scored at all 3 levels, rebounded at both ends, and created good shots for teammates. Nik’s ability as a point forward and his unselfishness allow him to consistently contribute even when his own shot may not be falling. Khamenia has reportedly received offers from Iowa and UNLV since the contact period began.
Brayden showed off his pure scoring ability all weekend in wins Vanden, St. Bernard’s, and Santa Margarita. He moves all over the court with great fluidity and exhibits tremendous body control in tight spaces in order to score. He has good upper body strength which helps him effectively seek out and play through contact, and the same quality helps him be versatile defensively. Burries has heard from a plethora of HM schools including UConn, UCLA, and Arizona since the contact period began, reaffirming how good he has been in the last few months.
Alek played well this weekend in wins over Birmingham, Rancho Christian, and St. John Bosco. He never seems to be sped up or out of control and dictates the pace of the game in a beyond his years way. Sanchez is also particularly patient on the offensive end and is a confident playmaker even as the shot clock winds down. Alek doesn’t necessarily have one skill that leaps out at you, but he somehow always finds a way to make an impact in games and plays very unselfishly.
JJ Sanchez JJ Sanchez 6’4″ | CG Montgomery | 2025 State CA-S played a large part for Montgomery this weekend in wins over Birmingham, Rancho Christian, and St. John Bosco. He contributes all over the court as a rebounder at both ends, part-time primary ball handler, and a versatile defender. Sanchez is a very unselfish offensive player and a strong passer who thrives on having cutters run off of and around him as the fulcrum of an offense or simply as the roll man on a ball screen.
Angelino exhibited great quickness this weekend attacking the basket and good touch finishing as he did confidently with both hands. Mark, in his first summer on the varsity team, played fearlessly as he was truly difficult to stop or stay in front of once he got going downhill. His length and leaping ability enables him to be an effective defender on most guards though he is still a bit slight to hold up in the post.
Isaiah played well all weekend in wins over Bakersfield Christian, Rancho Christian, and Notre Dame (SO). Johnson showed great quickness to shake defenders, a proclivity for getting to the free throw line with persistent offensive aggression, and a keen understanding of where to be on offense to find enough space to get a catch and shoot three off.