The Classic at Damien (Juco Gems)

<!-- 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 [player_tooltip player_id='1630617' first='Brayden' last='Burries'] 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. In this section, we'll look at some candidates that could be junior college candidates. At this stage, it may be a strength, skill, or savvy issue. However, playing a year or two under a polished junior college staff could do wonders for their confidence and overall game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>JJ Harris (Windward)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024, WF, 6-foot-5, 180 pounds</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Joel's Take:</strong> Harris is a lengthy wing type with budding skills and athleticism. He excels in transition where he can weave to the rim and play with a hot motor. He can knock down the 3-point shot and gets a nice lift on it as well. Due to his energy at both ends, he gets deflections in the passing lanes and slides his feet well while defending. His ball skills are evolving as well and it will come down to continuing to add strength and consistency to his overall game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jovan Jestr (Pasadena)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024, CG, 6-foot-4, 180 pounds</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Joel's take</strong>: Jestr has a great-looking frame with good shoulder width and and long arms. He has the physical traits to play college ball right now, he just needs some seasoning. He can swing between the 1 and the 2 due to his evolving skill set and solid decision-making. He plays hard and loves contact while defending and attacking the defense off the dribble. His jump shot needs to get more consistent to keep defenses honest. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1891747' first='Evan' last='Bautista'] (Dublin, CA)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024, PG, 6-foot-2, 170 pounds</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Joel's take</strong>: One of the more under-the-radar guards up north is Bautista. The moxie-filled point guard has the speed and quickness to play at the next level. He can snatch a rebound, lead the break, and has the burst to get to the rim or pop in the open shot. He'll snap passes around the perimeter to open shooters as well. He needs to learn how to change speeds to keep defenders off balance, but overall he has talent. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1502868' first='Devin' last='Ringer'] (Redondo Union)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024, PG, 6-foot-3, 160 pounds</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Joel's take:</strong> Ringer can also be labeled a "diamond in the rough". He has a sinewy frame with very good length and he's a Division 1 athlete. He needs to gain strength to finish through contact in the paint and his pace needs to be refined as he tends to force the issue. In addition, his jump shot needs more consistency as he has a tendency to be off-balanced while releasing his shot. By adding a jump stop and a more polished pull-up game, his stock will rise. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Darrell Morris (West Ranch)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024, PG, 5-foot-8, 150 pounds</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Joel's take:</strong> Morris is facing a size issue for the next level, but the speed, quickness, and skill are evident. He is a bit on the wiry side and he plays the game at an electric-style pace, but he can go. He can hit the open 3-point shot off the dribble or the catch and he can push it hard in transition. Defensively, he has the lateral quickness and active hands to disrupt opposing guards. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2102484' first='Tracy' last='Bryden'] (West Ranch)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024, C, 6-foot-9, 260 pounds</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Joel's take</strong>: The big-bodied Bryden has a good length and magnetic hands. He finishes consistently in the paint due to his touch and solid footwork. He needs to get in better shape and improve his mobility on the defensive end (defending the pick-and-roll and hedging), but the upside is there. Offensively, he needs to bend his knees while posting up and establishing a stronger base while operating in the paint. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->