SoCal Clash: Second Five +1
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Downey’s Apollo Park was the site of Alex Carmon’s (aka Beach City Hoops) latest installment of the So-Cal Clash, an event that pits many of the top 2024 and 2023 players against each other for a battle for class supremacy.…
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Continue ReadingDowney’s Apollo Park was the site of Alex Carmon’s (aka Beach City Hoops) latest installment of the So-Cal Clash, an event that pits many of the top 2024 and 2023 players against each other for a battle for class supremacy.
And for the first time in the event’s history, the junior group claimed the crown, defeating a heavy-legged senior group 61-46 in a target-score finale that saw Narbonne junior forward Marcus Adams, Jr. Marcus Adams, Jr. 6'8" | PF Narbonne | 2023 State CA-S dominate down the stretch.
Adams won MVP for the event, and his LA City Section counterpart, senior forward Zyier Beverly Zyier Beverly 6'7" | SF Washington Prep | 2023 State CA-S , was the most oustanding player for the senior class.
These were my second five performers from the event, regardless of class (Note* these might differ from the All-Tournament team awards that will be announced on social media)
Malik Olafioye, 6-4 2023 G, St. Paul
Olafioye, who recently moved to LA from Michigan, brings a Midwest toughness and mindset to the showcase setting. He was a menace on defense, racking up steals on the ball and in the passing lanes, which he then converted into transition opportunities for himself and his teammates. Another thing that stood out was his passing acumen, as Olafioye racked up assists both in transition and in the halfcourt, showcasing his court vision.
Charlie Hutchison Charlie Hutchison 6'6" | SF Mission Bay | 2024 State CA-S , 6-7 2024 F, Mission Bay
Hutchison got going in the first 2024 game around the end of the first half, and then was critical in his team’s come-from-behind win just by playing to his strengths. At 6-7, he can dribble, pass and shoot with equal aplomb, and did all of those things in both games. He hit shots from the perimeter and midrange, and scored it around the basket through contact better than in previous viewings. He even showed some toughness defensively with some blocked shots and good effort on the boards.
Ariik Mawien Ariik Mawien 6'3" | SF Capistrano Valley Christian | 2023 State CA-S , 6-4 2023 G, Capistrano Valley Christian
Mawien exploded in the first few minutes of the first game, showcasing his explosiveness off the drive with a right-to-left driving two handed dunk in traffic, knocking down a deep three and finishing a tough bucket in transition for an and-1. The Pepperdine commit balanced his scoring with unselfish play, not hunting shots and playing hard on the defensive end.
Lolo Rudolph, 6-2 2024 PG, St. Augustine
Rudolph, the second San Diego prospect mentioned, is quickly working his way up “top 2024 point guard” lists and he showed why in this setting, netting a event-high 10 assists in his first game. The quick-on-quick lead guard has great burst and knows how to control it to get into the paint and when he draws helpside defense knows where his options are on the floor. He also scored 14 points in the first game – all in the paint. He puts pressure on the defense with his paint touches. While his pull-up jumper is playable, it needs to become more consistent.
Jimmy Baker Jimmy Baker 6'2" | PG Etiwanda | 2023 State CA-S , 6-1 2023 PG, Etiwanda
The Inland Empire guard prospect arguably was the most athletic point guard of the bunch (he had a near poster dunk that would’ve ended up on all over social media had he converted), and his end-to-end speed and doggedness on defense were tailor made for the showcase setting. He scored most of his points in the paint off of drives and transition dunks and rebounded it well for a guard in this setting. Much like Rudolph, his perimeter shooting needs to become more consistent.
Anthony Ivey Anthony Ivey 6'5" | SF Villa Angela-St. Joseph | 2023 CA-S , 6-5 2023 WF, St. Monica
The 6-5+ wing type had a stat-stuffing performance in both games, scoring it efficiently while also rebounding, defending, assisting and playing unselfishly on offense. While a little rigid in his movements (stiff hips), Ivey’s versatility on defense and his ability to impact the game while not needing the ball will serve him well at the next level.