The Classic at Damien (Glue-Types)
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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 Brayden Burries of Roosevelt. In the following days,…
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Continue ReadingLA 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 Brayden Burries of Roosevelt.
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. The next category is the “glue-types”. These are the players that do what is needed to win games. They don’t always need to score, but they’ll impact the game with their gritty play, defense, rebounding, or savvy pass.
Semetri Carr (Branson)
2025, PG, 6-foot-1, 160 pounds
Joel’s take: Carr is one of the better point guards in the junior class and there are multiple reasons why he garnished that label. The slick point guard can push it hard in transition and get to the rim. He does a nice job of drawing defenders–utilizing his excellent downhill speed–to find open shooters. His pull-up game is quite potent as well. Overall though, he exhibits moxie at both ends as a tenacious defender and potent scorer/facilitator.
Jared Shepherd (American Fork, UT)
SG, 6-foot-3, 175 pounds
Joel’s Take: Tiger Cuff Tiger Cuff 6'4" | CG American Fork | 2024 State UT and Blake Rawson Blake Rawson 6'8" | PF American Fork | 2024 State UT are the two go-to players on an excellent American Fork team. However, throughout this tournament, Shepherd hit some timely shots and made some clutch plays as well. Overall, he’s just a sound all-around player who grabs rebounds, can lead the break, and finishes through contact in the paint area. He has a nose for the ball at both ends and was a major catalyst for keeping his team in every game.
Leo Rickets (De La Salle)
2024, CG, 6-foot, 165 pounds
Joel’s take: Rickets is an undersized combo guard who impacts the game in multiple ways. He plays with a hot motor at both ends and possesses a solid all-around skill set. Teammate Alex Blair is the facilitator for De La Salle, but chiseled Ricketts hits time jump shots, grinds his way to the rim, and has some explosiveness to his game–which is usually noticed while he’s in transition.
Rider Portela (Sunnyslope,AZ)
2026, CG, 6-foot-5, 175 pounds
Joel’s take: Portela is a willowy wing-type who can play all three perimeter positions for his team. He can run the offense where he showcases his timely passing or creates a scoring opportunity for himself–usually ending up with a mid-range jump shot. He moves very well off the ball as well. He has a nice combination of quickness and bounce and once he gains strength and experience, he should be an excellent candidate for the D1 level.
Xavier Ahrens Xavier Ahrens 6'4" | SF Curtis | 2025 State WA (Curtis, WA)
2025, WF, 6-foot-4, 185 pounds
Joel’s take: One of the under-the-radar players in this event who impacted the game with their blue-collar style is Ahrens. He is also a touted wide receiver in football and his grittiness was on point during his team’s play. The athletic Ahrens snatched rebounds in traffic, finished through contact, and was a defensive stalwart at the other end despite defending taller players. He’ll get his occasional points in transition or in the paint area, but his impact on the game goes far beyond scoring.