Top Performers: The Lloyd Williams Basketball Invitational

The Lloyd Williams Basketball Invitational, hosted by Bakersfield-North High School, showcased exceptional talent from the 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028 classes, providing a glimpse into the rising prospects in the Central California region. The tournament featured on the radar rising prospects and hidden gems, all of whom made an impression with their skill, leadership, and impactful performances.   This article will highlight the top performers by class beginning with the 2025 class for college coaches and fans alike. In our final article, we will recognize the All-Tournament Team selections whose offensive/defensive prowess captured the spotlight. The Invitational offered an exciting preview of the talent to watch as we head into conference play.   *In specific order   [player_tooltip player_id='2571725' first='Gabe' last='Gutierrez'] | 5'11 |  CG | Bakersfield Christian HS | 2025   Plays with intensity and grit on both ends of the court, always making the right play. Possesses underrated passing ability, a deadly mid-range game, and the capability to score 30 points effortlessly. Tournament MVP.   Drew Minnear | 5'10 | G | Bakersfield Christian HS | 2025   He is a true point guard who excels in multiple areas of the game. He defends effectively, pushes the ball up the court, and consistently makes the right plays. He is involved in every significant play for his team, showcasing high-level passing skills. Additionally, he is a solid shooter when open and knows how to draw contact when attacking the rim. His scoring ability was underrated during the Lloyd tournament.   Wyatt Haner | 6' 2 | Wing | Bakersfield North HS | 2025   The player is a shooting guard known for his excellent off-ball movement. He has a keen ability to read his defender and identify his scoring opportunities. He is proficient at catching and shooting off screens and can effectively defend his position. However, his three-point shooting needs to be more consistent, especially during the final stretches of games.   Eli Griffin | 6'4 | Wing | Bakersfield North HS | 2025   This athlete continues to show tremendous potential and continues to improve this season. He is consistently effective around the rim, quick on the rebound, and has demonstrated the ability to guard 6'8" wings and forwards throughout the tournament. NJCAA programs and West Coast JUCOs should take a strong interest in this prospect as he moves forward.   Dylan Taylor | F/C | Bakersfield North HS | 2025   He is a hard-nosed big man with overachieving abilities, capable of performing various scout objectives expected of his position. He excels at rebounding on both ends of the court and is athletic enough to effectively hedge against opponents. He finishes strong around the rim and plays a vital leadership role for his team. He is a solid, must-have glue guy for his North team during the Lloyd Williams tournament.   Braden Della |  6'3   | W | Porterville HS | 2025   Physically gifted wing player with slashing ability; excels at rebounding, possesses a solid motor on both ends of the floor, finishes effectively around the rim, demonstrates good footwork, is a solid passer, and is a tough rim runner who can finish in traffic.   Carson Acevedo | 6'7 | W | Garces Memorial HS | 2025   Carson has been shouldering his team's scoring responsibilities due to injuries. This situation has positively impacted him, forcing him to dig deep into his skill set. His talents were on full display as he demonstrated his ability to consistently score in the paint, mid-range, and with occasional three-point shots. I particularly enjoyed witnessing his competitive spirit in one-on-one situations on both ends of the court. If he can continue to build on this tournament performance, he has the potential to be a significant force during league play. JUCOs, NAIA, and DIII programs should keep an eye on this hidden gem, who stands at 6'7".   Micah Cole | 6'8 | W | Sanger HS | 2025   The player has a tall frame and demonstrates significant potential for skill development. Micah is capable of efficiently pushing the ball up the court when needed. However, he needs to work on achieving greater consistency in his perimeter shooting. While he is a strong finisher in transition when attacking the rim, he should be more proactive in rim protection. He possesses the skill potential for a wing position at the next level, but patience will be required for his progression.   Caleb Ramirez | 6'4 | W/F | Sanger HS | 2025   He is a physical wing player with a strong motor. He has excellent ball handling and vision, both in transition and in traffic, as well as forward-type skills. He displays solid footwork in the post and has a soft touch around the rim. Additionally, he can shoot effectively from mid-range and beyond the arc when open. He showed true leadership throughout the Lloyd Tournament and should be on the radar of junior colleges.   Dominic Contreras | 5' 9 | PG | Bakersfield HS | 2025   He is a skilled defender with a solid handle and consistent three-point shooting ability. He excels at creating plays off the dribble, showcasing his underrated one- and two-dribble pull-up game. Throughout the tournament, he demonstrated potential as a point guard at the next level.

The Lloyd Williams Basketball Invitational, hosted by Bakersfield-North High School, showcased exceptional talent from the 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028 classes, providing a glimpse into the rising prospects in the Central California region. The tournament featured on the radar rising prospects and hidden gems, all of whom made an impression with their skill, leadership, and impactful performances.