Classic at Damien: Platinum Div. Underclass Standouts

<p>LA VERNE — The ninth annual Classic at Damien is one of the nation's premier post-holiday high school basketball tournaments. The 2025 edition features 144 teams from five states spread across nine divisions and includes many of the country's top prospects. We were in attendance for the three of the four days at Damien High and below are the best underclass prospects (freshmen and sophomores) we saw among Platinum Division participants.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Aaron Anderson | 2028 | St. John Bosco</h4>   <p>Anderson plays reserve minutes on a good Bosco team and showed some really nice instincts and basketball IQ on the defensive end of the floor. The sophomore has good positional size at 6-feet-3, a strong frame and a combination of ball skills and a smooth pace that allow him to initiate offense as a primary ball handler.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2915923' first='Cameron' last='Anderson'] | 2028 | Eastvale Roosevelt</h4>   <p>Anderson put his name on the map last season as the ideal glue guy for a team loaded with stars and now it's time for him to step into a bigger offensive role. The 6-foot-4 combo guard is a jack-of-all-trades prospect who consistently stuffs the stat sheet with points, rebounds assists and steals.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">JoJo Mariles | 2029 | Damien</h4>   <p>Mariles is among the best jump shooting freshmen in the state and though he plays limited minutes and doesn't get a ton of shots offensively, it's easy to see the confidence, basketball IQ and smart decision-making he brings to the floor when he does get his time. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard will be one of the Spartans' go-to scoring options when he reaches upperclassmen status.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2336388' first='Josh' last='Agbo'] | 2028 | Corona Centennial</h4>   <p>Agbo's combination of size, strength, physicality and body control make him one of the top underclass slashers and finishers in the state. The 6-foot-4 wing is an aggressive downhill scorer who attacks the body of defenders and absorbs and finishes through contact in the paint. Agbo has shown more confidence and better touch on his three-point shot.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2605708' first='Juelz' last='Richo'] | 2028 | Salesian</h4>   <p>Richo is rising as one of Northern California's best underclass prospects and is already garnering big minutes on the region's best team. The 6-foot-5 wing/forward brings a combination of footwork, strength and touch to the interior that allows him to finish in a variety of ways around the basket. Richo also showed face-up touch out to the three-point line in a 14-point effort in a win over La Mirada.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Marcus Gholar | 2029 | Damien</h4>   <p>Gholar brought a ton of two-way energy and hustle off the bench and those traits have clearly given the coaching staff confidence to give him minutes as a freshman. The 6-foot-4 forward is a good screener and roller, crashes the offensive and defensive glass and plays to his role as a gritty defensive presence well.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2433379' first='Samay' last='Wagh'] | 2028 | O'Connor (AZ)</h4>   <p>Wagh is a sharp-shooting sophomore whose specialization as a catch and shoot threat with deep range and multiple spot consistency has earned him minutes on a mature and talented O'Connor team. The 6-foot-1 lefty has tight shooting mechanics, great balance off the catch and a true follow through that generates rotation and touch.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Travis Walton, Jr. | 2029 | Eastvale Roosevelt</h4>   <p>Walton stood out with the confidence, toughness and vocality he brought to the back-up point guard minutes he played. The 6-foot freshman has advanced feel and poise for the game with the ball in his hands, operates with good pace in transition and half-court offense and has an explosive burst of speed that allows him to get paint touches. Walton played a steady 18 minutes of action in a first-round loss to eventual champion Sunnyslope.</p>

LA VERNE — The ninth annual Classic at Damien is one of the nation's premier post-holiday high school basketball tournaments. The 2025 edition features 144 teams from five states spread across nine divisions and includes many of the country's top prospects. We were in attendance for the three of the four days at Damien High and below are the best underclass prospects (freshmen and sophomores) we saw among Platinum Division participants.