So-Cal Showdown: Ten Best

<p>Alex Carmon, a former Long Beach Poly/ Art U star who has established himself as the premier highlight producer in Southern California under the moniker Beach City Hoops, also knows how to run a good event. </p> <p>This year, he created a pair of events dedicated to giving seniors in the class of 2022 a last chance to get exposure and compete against each other before making their college decisions. </p> <p>I was able to attend the second of the events held at St. Pius X/ St. Matthias HS, the So-Cal Showdown. The event pitted four senior teams - one composed of players from the Los Angeles area, one from Orange County, one from the Inland Empire and a final one from San Diego - who competed in a pair of semifinal games before teams competed in a championship and third-place game. </p> <p>In the end, it was the Inland Empire team, spearheaded  by Minnesota signee [player_tooltip player_id="1408854" first="Jaden" last="Henley"], which won the event, defeating Team OC 78-62 in a runaway victory. </p> <p>Here are my thoughts on the event’s top talents. </p> <h2>So-Cal Showdown: Top 10</h2> <h2>Event MVP </h2> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/IMG_6471.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1417534" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/IMG_6471-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="1408854" first="Jaden" last="Henley"], 6-6 G, Colony HS </h3> <p>The Big 10 commit separated himself from the pack with a dazzling display of scoring and playmaking. Most list him as a wing, but he’s squarely a "big guard" in my book, with the ability to use his slick handle to create driving lanes and attack the basket, finishing above the rim with ease. Additionally, he can step out and consistently hit threes from the wing. His MVP selection was an easy call. </p> <h2>First Team</h2> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/IMG_6475-crop-1613x1059-1648758683.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1417536" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/IMG_6475-crop-1613x1059-1648758683-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a></p> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="972530" first="Payden" last="White"], 6-4 G, Riverside Poly</h3> <p>I’ve watched White over the years on the AAU circuit and he’s always been impressive, so this strong effort didn’t come as a surprise. A strong combo guard with a nose for the ball and the strength to finish through contact, White won’t wow you with flashy handles or highlight-driven play. He’s efficent, plays off of two feet and gives a great effort on both ends, and has the markings of a lockdown perimeter defender at the next level.  </p> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="748737" first="Roddie" last="Anderson"], 6-1 PG, Fountain Valley</h3> <p>The explosive UC San Diego commit had a solid pair of games to get the OC team into the finals, flashing all of the things that we’ve come to see from him over the years: great functional athleticism, solid feel operating out of pick and roll, improving shooting from deep and a great midrange package. </p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/IMG_6162-1-crop-1871x1228-1648758817.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1417538" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/IMG_6162-1-crop-1871x1228-1648758817-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a></p> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="970252" first="Otto" last="Landrum"], 6-9 F, Torrey Pines</h3> <p>Landrum had his way down the stretch of the event, especially in the third place game where he took advantage of Team LA’s lack of size and carved them up in the paint. In this setting, however, Landrum showed some facets of his game he didn’t really get to display during his senior year at Torrey Pines. He’s actually a solid straight line-driver from the perimeter, a heads-up passer in transition and brings the energy pretty much from tip to buzzer. Boston University is getting a good one. </p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/IMG_6364-crop-1871x1229-1648758889.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1417540" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/IMG_6364-crop-1871x1229-1648758889-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a></p> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="1409286" first="Jaayden" last="Bush"], 5-9 PG, St. Anthony</h3> <p>Dominican University for a second straight year was able to snag a very underrated guard out of SoCal (last year it was Santa Margarita’s Jake Blazona). Much like Blazona, the knock on Bush has been can he knock down shots from the perimeter consistently. Bush showed here that he’s come a long way in that aspect, but the other areas of his game - impressive defensive instincts, excellent court vision and the ability to score it off the bounce in traffic - are so high level that it more than makes up for it. Bush is, above all, a gamer who competes with an edge. </p> <h2>Second Team</h2> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="1409415" first="Kwinten" last="Crenshaw"], 6-1 G, Etiwanda </h3> <p>Crenshaw looks like the "anti-prospect" in a lot of ways. He’s got an average build, he’s a good but not a great athlete, and doesn’t pass the eye test. But he has big game on both ends. Defensively, coming out of Dave Kleckner’s system, you see the footwork, anticipation, active hands and commitment to defense. Offensively, he’s a crafty scorer who can get into the paint and score or create for others, and can knock down perimeter shots with equal aplomb. Some school will be getting a steal with him. </p> <h3>Rob Diaz, 6-1 G, JSerra Catholic</h3> <p>Diaz, who starred earlier in high school with Long Beach Millikan, played with his LA mates in this game. The combo guard is a very good scorer and does a great job of turning defense into offense in this setting, shooting the passing lanes or creating live ball turnovers with his active hands, and then finishing on the other end. The lefty is a streaky shooter from deep but his form his definitely playable. A casualty of the COVID/transfer portal scenario, Diaz would be yet another quality late signee for any team. </p> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="954258" first="Chol" last="Deng"], 6-6 W, Fairmont Prep</h3> <p>Deng is one of the more under-recruited prospects in the class out west, and displayed why in his first game. The long, explosive wing can soar in traffic and in transition and plays with a motor that is always running hot. A strong straight line driver and crafty finisher when he needs to be, Deng opened up his scoring with an impressive left-to-right drive finished with a driving layup through contact. He also has a solid pull-up jumper to boot. </p> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="954243" first="Quinton" last="Webb"], 6-6 W, Etiwanda</h3> <p>Webb, a New Mexico signee, got hot in the final game, finishing with authority in the half court and transition and rebounding everything in sight. He also knocked down several jumpers off the catch from midrange and three. While he’s limited off the dribble, Webb’s ability to rebound, defend, finish plays above the rim and catch-and-shoot makes him an intriguing prospect at the next level, and given the fact he’s a year younger than most prospects in the class, his upside is immense. </p> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="971229" first="Camden" last="McCormick"], 6-3 G, Francis Parker</h3> <p>McCormick nearly willed the San Diego team to a win in the first game against Team IE, and did it both scoring and creating out of pick and roll. A big lead guard with super-high IQ and feel, McCormick was able to dissect the defense during the torrid stretch where he scored 10 points and dropped numerous assists to briefly take the lead. McCormick, one of San Diego’s best available prospects, has interest from several D2s as well as Ivy League Cornell. </p>