The Jamboree Showcase Day 1 Standouts

As the 2024-25 high school basketball season creeps closer, one of the biggest preseason events in the Borderland kicked off at Del Valle High School in East El Paso known as The Jamboree Showcase. In its second year, the showcase is a burgeoning event hosting some of the top high school boy's programs in the Borderland region. The who's who of players and teams from El Paso, Las Cruces, Alamogordo, Hobbs, and the state of Arizona were all in attendance. Here are the top performers from Day 1 of The Jamboree Showcase.    Arguably the top player in the Borderland area was in attendance for The Jamboree Showcase representing Eastwood High School and he did not disappoint. That player is [player_tooltip player_id='2023032' first='Devin' last='Falk-Ramirez'], a do-it-all all combo guard who looks primed and ready for a monster senior season if Day 1 was any indication. For starters, DFR looked bigger in height and frame from the last time I saw him play roughly six months ago. In terms of game performance, his on-ball defense as a point-of-attack defender was exceptional; playing in a deep stance, the lateral quickness and timing were all there. Offensively, he was aggressive looking for his shot but not at the expense of his teammates as his pass-first mentality is still intact. While other players are still rounding into form, Falk-Ramirez looks ready to go for the 2024-25 season.     You don't often come across seven-foot prospects in the Borderland area or anywhere for that matter but The Jamboree Showcase played host to Hobbs High School and [player_tooltip player_id='1524943' first='Parker' last='Henderson'] on Day 1. Always a low post mismatch, Henderson was undeniable just about every time he got the ball in a position to score. Moreover, he swatted just about every shot in his vicinity. Aside from the obvious flashy plays--dunks and blocks--Henderson plays the game with the right mentality. He takes up space and is not going to apologize for it. He's aggressive with a physically imposing mentality that can't be taken for granted, regardless of height or position.     Healthy and ready to go for his senior year, [player_tooltip player_id='2263143' first='CJ' last='Quirino'] is back in the fold after a spell of injuries halted his junior season. Quirino has this uncanny knack for getting to the rim, regardless of the cost or space. He can seemingly fit himself onto the smallest of runways while attacking the rim, unlike any prospect in the Borderland area. If you can't keep this kid out of the paint, he's going to beat you by finishing at the rim or by breaking down the defense and finding shots for his teammates. If Quirino can play a full season of basketball in 2024-25, he will reannounce himself as one of the top point guards in the Borderland area.     Another Eastwood player who needs mention from Day 1 is [player_tooltip player_id='2412943' first='Marcus' last='Bennett']. His role for the Troopers is to fill the gaps within the Eastwood offense or defense. From a scoring perspective, he fits in where the opportunities come, whether that be in the paint or out on the perimeter. A growth area for Bennett is scoring from the outside and he certainly showed flashes of that improvement in Day 1. Defensively, it is a matter of what he can't do as he functions as Eastwood's proverbial Swiss army knife. He can guard just about every position and being that he is one of Eastwood's bigger players, he often gets tasked with guarding bigs and cleaning up in the paint. He's the ultimate role player who stars in his role because he impacts the game in so many ways and checks so many boxes.     There has been a lot of internal buzz about [player_tooltip player_id='2364767' first='Tristan' last='Anderson'] in the Sun City by those in "the know" when it comes to potential breakout prospects from the class of 2027. The buzz, hype, or whatever you want to call it, was all true. Anderson, now in a starting role for Eastlake made his imprint on every game he played in Day 1. From an athletic standpoint, he's long, rangy, and explosive with one of the best first steps in the area. In one-on-one situations, you cannot guard this kid straight up, he is the type of player you force to his non-dominant hand. Granted, he is only a sophomore so he is invariably still learning how to let the game come to him, rather than forcing himself into certain shots or passes. That said, the preseason buzz/hype about Anderson is justified.     Chapin High School, the top program in the Borderland area was in attendance at The Jamboree and although the Huskies went 0-2 on Day 1 they still had some standout performances. I would be remiss if I didn't highlight the play of junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2551709' first='Jacob' last='Garcia']. Now coming into a starting role, he is one of the key players on a deep talented squad. In terms of play, Garcia was fearless against some of the best competition the showcase had to offer. Oftentimes, the Huskies are the biggest and most talented team on the floor but that wasn't necessarily the case this weekend. Nevertheless, Garcia did not back down whatsoever. Arguably Garcia's best quality is that he is unshakeable in the way he plays, regardless of circumstance or context.

As the 2024-25 high school basketball season creeps closer, one of the biggest preseason events in the Borderland kicked off at Del Valle High School in East El Paso known as The Jamboree Showcase. In its second year, the showcase is a burgeoning event hosting some of the top high school boy's programs in the Borderland region. The who's who of players and teams from El Paso, Las Cruces, Alamogordo, Hobbs, and the state of Arizona were all in attendance. Here are the top performers from Day 1 of The Jamboree Showcase.