SoCal Fall Prep Classic: Standout Playmakers (Pt. 1)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>ORANGE — Gerry Freitas' annual SoCal Fall Prep Classic was held last weekend at Santiago Canyon College and featured many of the state's top programs and a handful of strong out-of-state teams from Utah and Arizona. Below we break down the top playmakers we saw.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2425687' first='Acen' last='Jimenez'] | 2026 | La Habra</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jimenez is one of the most under-appreciated point guards in the region, mainly because he doesn't play for a big name high school or club program. The 6-foot-1 junior is a heady passer and creator for himself and teammates off the bounce who brings grit and toughness to both ends of the floor. Jimenez is a prospect who makes winning plays and does the little things that don't show up on the stat sheet.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1630650' first='Brandon' last='Benjamin'] | 2025 | Anaheim Canyon</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If usage rate was tracked at the high school level, Benjamin would likely be near the top of that advanced stat category. Everything that Canyon does runs through the skilled 6-foot-5 forward whose vision, basketball IQ and savvy allow him to create for himself and teammates in a variety of ways. The recent University of San Diego commit is an elite passer and interior scorer who has improved his face-up 15-foot shot.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1956543' first='Caleb' last='Newton'] | 2026 | Mission Bay</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Newton has been turning the corner from high level talent to productive and efficient with high level talent. The 6-foot-3 combo guard scores in bunches with deep and mid-range jumpers off the bounce and explosive takes to the rim but Saturday he flashed improved vision, passing ability and feel for situational decisions. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1956470' first='Chace' last='Holley'] | 2026 | Redondo Union</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Holley's combination of speed and explosive vertical athleticism were on full display Saturday as he impacted the game with his aggressive finishing ability in transition. The 6-foot guard has elite speed with the ball and changes direction quickly without losing a step which results in consistent paint touches. The pressure that Holley puts on a defense forces it to collapse which allowed him to find open teammates if he didn't have a finishing opportunity for himself.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1707488' first='Demari' last='Hunter'] | 2026 | Sacramento Grant</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hunter has "sleeper" prospect written all over him. The 6-foot-2 point guard has a long, wiry frame with creativity and shiftiness off the dribble that allows him to get to his comfort zones. Hunter is a clever ball-handler who manipulates the defense with changes of speed and direction to get into the lane where he can create for himself and teammates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1703083' first='Isaiah' last='Davis'] | 2025 | Lincoln-Stockton</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Davis is an intriguing prospect with his combination of size, length, ball handling ability and feel for the game when creating as a primary ball handler or off-ball slasher. The 6-foot-4 guard/wing is as unselfish as they come and has a natural feel for the game that shows in his set-up ability with on-time and on-target passes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->