The Classic at Damien (Best All Around)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>LA VERNE, Ca.--The Classic at Damien continued to show it's the ultimate holiday tournament on the West Coast due to its plethora of quality teams and stellar players, led by Tournament MVP <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1630617' first='Brayden' last='Burries']</strong> of Roosevelt.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the following days, there will be numerous breakdowns of prospects ranging from High-Major Division 1 talents to junior college prospects under a bevy of categories. Let's begin with <strong>Best All Around</strong>. This type of player impacts the game in a variety of ways–fills the stat sheet, per se. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1630617' first='Brayden' last='Burries'] (Eastvale Roosevelt)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025, WF, 6-foot-5, 190 pounds</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Joel's Take:</strong> The first description that comes immediately to mind regarding Burries is "relentless". The standout 2-guard punishes defenders off the bounce and can get to the rim at will--usually finishing with either hand. He can snatch a rebound in transition, lead the break, and either get to the rim or deliver a outlet pass to an open teammate. He can knock down the 3-point shot off the bounce, but that is an area that still needs polishing. Defensively, he can guard 1-through-4 due to his versatility and strength. Due to his mindset and overall approach to the game, these developments should be expected going forward. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1264595' first='Jase' last='Butler'] (Branson)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2024, SG, 6-foot-4, 185 pounds</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Joel's take:</strong> Butler, who is headed to Illinois in the fall, continued his outstanding play--after a scintillating performance at the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas. The strongly built wing type plays the game at a controlled pace with no wasted motion. His demeanor is calm, but he has grit as well. He is deadly off the catch from anywhere on the court and his touch is feathery. He isn't overly explosive off the bounce, but he changes speeds well and has full control of his handle. He'll hit the glass at both ends, lead the break, and his passing acumen is high-level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1510766' first='Aaron' last='Hunkin-Claytor'] (Salesian College Prep)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024, PG, 6-foot-3, 175 pounds</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Joel's take:</strong> Arguably, Hunkin-Claytor (Hawaii-bound) was the most complete senior point guard in the event. He can play both guard positions and handles pressure well while weaving his way through the competition. He shows an excellent burst off the dribble, has his head up navigating the defense, and can finish in a variety of ways at the rim. In addition, he can play off the ball and deliver the 3-point dagger from anywhere on the court. Defensively, he can swing between the 1 and 2, slides his feet well, and shows active hands. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1568017' first='Liam' last='Campbell'] (Owyhee, ID)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2024, SG, 6-foot-5, 195 pounds</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Joel's take:</strong> Along with the aforementioned [player_tooltip player_id='1630617' first='Brayden' last='Burries'], no one at the event attacked the opposing defenders as effectively as Campbell. The USC-bound scoring guard has a college-ready frame and loves to play through contact. He can bury shots from deep off the catch or via the bounce, and his release is tight. On the last day of the event when teams are playing on fumes, Campbell found his team down 25-9 to an ultra-talented Centennial team led by current Pac-12 signees [player_tooltip player_id='1502773' first='Eric' last='Freeny'] (UCLA) and [player_tooltip player_id='1502766' first='Carter' last='Bryant'] (Arizona). Campbell's team could have easily packed it in, but Campbell had other ideas as he sliced and diced the Centennial defense with an epic scoring exhibition. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1502771' first='Tyrone' last='Riley'] (St. Pius-St. Matthias)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2024, WF, 6-foot-5, 180 pounds</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Joel's take</strong>: The willowy Riley can impact the game in a multitude of ways. Riley has the athleticism and length to be an outstanding two-way player at the next level. With his long arms, he deflects passes and can rim protect on occasion. Offensively, he showed a nice touch that extended to the 3-point stripe and he can slash to the rim as well. In addition, he can face-up his opponent and either shoot the jump shot, drive, or kick it out to an open teammate. Once his frame fills out and he continues to add to his game, San Francisco got a steal here. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->