Take Flight Challenge: Saturday’s Top Scorers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>REDONDO BEACH — The 2025 Jordan Brand Take Flight Challenge opened up Friday with three games at Redondo Union high school. SeaHawks' coach Reggie Morris, Jr. and his staff consistently put on strong events and this year's TFC is shaping up to be another great event. Below we take a closer look at the best scorers from the eight games on Saturday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2436269' first='Brandon' last='Granger'] | 2027 | St. Bernard</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If we were to track the usage rate of each player in this event, Granger would have been near or at the very top of the list. The 5-foot-9 point guard had the ball in his hands seemingly 90 percent of the time for St. Bernard due to him being the primary scoring, ball-handling and playmaking catalyst for his team. Granger scored an event-high 40 points with a variety of tough, crafty finishes at the rim, contested mid-range and three-point shots and explosive downhill drives to the rim. Granger's efforts helped St. Bernard take down Eastvale Roosevelt in overtime.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2779851' first='Jeremiah' last='Hunt'] | 2026 | Millikan</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hunt has the luxury of playing off the ball sometimes this season and the less burden he has to shoulder as a ball handler, playmaker and primary decision-maker has clearly opened up his offensive game. The 6-foot-2 senior finished with 26 points in Millikan's win over St, Pius, including four three-pointers, and was equally as good driving the ball and finishing at the rim in transition and half-court offense. Hunt has a smooth and efficient offensive game as a true combo guard.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1956504' first='Joe' last='Sterling'] | 2026 | Harvard-Westlake</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If Harvard-Westlake is in an event, it's rare that Sterling isn't included in the "best scorers" post-event recap. The 6-foot-3 senior put on an impressive second quarter performance where he scored 21 of his team's 24 points with five three-pointers that included a couple of deep "heat check" style shots. Not only did Sterling give onlookers a show for that eight minute stretch, he also all but put away any chances of San Diego-based Francis Parker making it a game. The Texas-bound guard finished with 36 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2137372' first='Josiah' last='Johnson'] | 2026 | Mayfair</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Monsoons are missing a handful of rotational players due to the CIF Southern Section transfer sit out period, so Johnson carries a lot of responsibility on both ends of the floor and he did everything he could offensively for his team Saturday. Mayfair needed all 30 points from the 6-foot-4 senior guard to push Las Vegas-based Democracy Prep to the limit, but Mayfair lost 73-71 on a last second shot. Johnson, who is one of the top unsigned seniors out west, had his physical driving, athletic finishing and pull-up jumper on full display.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2820407' first='Quali' last='Giran'] | 2029 | Millikan</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There aren't many underclassmen in the state who can match the offensive polish that Giran brings to the floor. The 6-foot guard plays with a pace and basketball IQ well beyond his years and can impact the game as a primary scorer or playmaker depending on what his team needs from him. In Millikan's win over St. Pius on Saturday, Giran dropped a game-high 28 points, including four three-pointers and a barrage of balanced, smooth mid-range jumpers. The freshman already boasts a well-packaged all-around game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1956526' first='SJ' last='Madison'] | 2026 | Redondo Union</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Madison's combination of size, strength, athleticism and ability to play with physicality provided a problem that Crespi had no answer for. The 6-foot-5 wing often uses his defense to create offense, and while he had plenty of transition points and points off turnovers, Madison also had his mid-range jumper dialed in from the tip. The Nevada-bound senior scored a game-high 25 points as Redondo defended its home court and home event with a win over Crespi.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2435361' first='Tavid' last='Johnson'] | 2027 | Francis Parker</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Johnson's offensive game is as smooth as they come out west and he put that on full display against a very well-coached defensive team in Harvard-Westlake. The 6-foot-3 combo guard plays at his own pace, is never sped up with the ball in his hands and uses footwork and changes of speed and direction to get to his comfort zones to score. Johnson is adept at getting defenders off-balance to get to his mid-range jumper or into the paint where he plays off two feet and utilizes pivots to get himself and angle to get a basket or draw a foul. The junior scored 30 points in the loss to the Wolverines.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->