SoCal Fall Prep Classic: Best F/C (Pt. 1)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>ORANGE — Gerry Freitas and Santiago Canyon College played host to one of the biggest fall high school basketball events in the West over the weekend. The SoCal Fall Prep Classic featured top high school and prep school programs and prospects from Southern and Northern California, Arizona, Utah and Washington. Below we detail some of the best forwards and centers we watched.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2948280' first='Achilles' last='Orji'] | 2028 | Etiwanda</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Orji is trending toward becoming a true wing type player as his skill level continues to rise but his best position right now is the four spot. At 6-feet-7 with a long, wiry frame, Orji is a versatile two-way prospect with fluid movements, quick twitch athleticism and the ability to change ends of the floor with purpose. Offensively, the sophomore is a threat to stretch the floor off the catch, slashes his way to the rim in transition and has a consistent pull-up jumper of the bounce.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2492665' first='Anthony' last='Granger'] | 2026 | PHHoenix Prep OTE (AZ)</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Granger is a high energy and pogo-stick athlete who, at 6-feet-9, impacts the game on both ends of the floor with his motor. The Arizona-based senior is active on the offensive and defensive boards, fills lanes in transition offense and serves as a lob threat in half-court offense. Everything Granger does is above the rim due to his vertical athleticism and his length and lateral speed and agility allow him to guard multiple positions defensively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2693801' first='Dane' last='Montague'] | 2028 | Perry (AZ)</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Montague is more of a traditional style of big man. The 6-foot-10 sophomore has a burly frame that allows him to play a physical brand of positional post defense and he showed off good footwork and touch on the offensive end. Montague was effective as a finisher in screen and roll action as he used his fundamental footwork and soft hands and touch to catch, gather and finish around the basket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2622334' first='David' last='Abisogun'] | 2026 | Fairmont Prep | *Pictured*</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What always stands out when watching Abisogun play is the fact that he never takes a possession off. The 6-foot-9 center embodies the "high motor and energy" tag as his level of compete is high on both ends of the floor. In this event, the senior impressed with his passing ability out of the low and mid-post areas. He found open shooters and cutters and sprinted into screens with guards when following his pass. Abisogun has plenty of Division I options to choose from.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1806767' first='DeMarco' last='Hunter'] | 2026 | Archbishop Riordan</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hunter made his usual impact as an energy, effort and athletic finishing prospect but he also showed improved confidence and touch from behind-the-arc. The 6-foot-7 forward crashed the defensive glass, threw a quick outlet pass to his guards and ran the floor with purpose which resulted in numerous high percentage baskets. Hunter's three-point shots came in the face-up and catch-and-shoot varieties.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">JP Pihtovs | 2026 | Archbishop Riordan</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pihtovs should be one of the more highly recruited big men out west over the next few months as his combination of size, strength, mobility and skill fit the modern offenses that college programs are running. At 6-feet-9 and a solid 220 pounds, Pihtovs can stretch the floor with catch-and-shoot, pick-and-pop and trail three's in transition and is also a physical interior finisher where he uses his strong shoulders to bump defenders off balance and his touch to score with jump hooks and off-glass finishes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->