North OC Championships: Top Wings/Forwards

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>LA HABRA — We were in attendance for Wednesday's action at Sonora high school for the annual North Orange County Championship tournament. Below are the top wing and forward performances we saw.</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 has the frame and skill-set that next level programs look for in a hybrid, multi-positional wing that he projects as. The long, wiry and fluid 6-foot-7 forward has a combination of perimeter skill and interior finishing that allows him to impact the offensive end in a variety of ways. Orji didn't have his best offensive effort, scoring 10 points in a win over Cypress, but his versatility on the defensive end caused problems for the opponent.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Dominick Young | 2027 | Rancho Verde</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Young impacted the game as a dirty work, glue-type player whose willingness to rebound on both ends and play a physical brand of basketball inside allowed him to generate second chance opportunities and limit the same category for his opponents. The 6-foot-5 forward might be undersized for his position but his strength, high motor and toughness allow him to be effective at the four/five spot.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Hugo Morales | 2027 | Norte Vista</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This was our first look at Morales and the 6-foot-5 junior impressed with his combination of back to the basket feel and ability to step out on the perimeter and knock down shot and create out of face-up situations. Morales is a highly-skilled interior scorer with sound footwork and soft touch around the basket with either hand. He finishes with 22 points and seven rebounds in a loss to Anaheim Canyon.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Pierce Haugen | 2026 | Anaheim Canyon</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A player like Haugen is invaluable to a team like Canyon because he's often the lone interior/screening presence on the floor and his ability to get guards open and control the glass is crucial for the Comanches offensive attack. The 6-foot-7 power forward didn't have a huge statistical game - finishing with nine points and seven rebounds - but his physicality and willingness to do intangible things inside helped Canyon beat Norte Vista to reach the tournament semifinals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2425764' first='Semaj' last='Carter'] | 2026 | Rancho Verde</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Carter is a wired-to-score type of player who has the ability to take over a game in half-court or transition offense. The 6-foot-4 wing, who is signed with the University of Montana, scored a game-high 23 points and pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds in Rancho Verde's win over host Sonora and he put points on the board in every way imaginable. Carter connected on a couple of three-pointers, slashed to the rim, got to the free throw line and finished offensive rebound put-back opportunities.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2779912' first='Tyler' last='Holmquist'] | 2026 | Sonora</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Holmquist, who earlier in the week reached the 1,000-point career scoring mark earlier in the week, got off to a slow start Wednesday night but came alive in the second half to show his perimeter scoring ability. The 6-foot-3 lefty brings skill and versatility to the floor that allows him to play the 1, 2, 3 and even 4 spot at times and his ability to dribble, pass and shoot lends to his mismatch ability. The senior scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half as Sonora fell short to Rancho Verde.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->