Coast News Classic – Senior Sleepers and stock raisers
Each year, seniors in San Diego that are not household names emerge during the non-conference tournament season. For one reason or another, these players have hovered under the radar. Some don’t play on elite travel teams, others play multiple sports. Several of these players made waves on the final day of the Coast News Classic.
2018 Sleepers and Stock Raisers
Andres Tovar, 5-10 PG, Orange Glen
The stocky scoring point guard scored a team-high 22 points in the win over Murrieta Mesa. The lefty is a knockdown shooter and a flashy ball handler who can get into the lane and score through contact. Tovar has active hands on defense and uses them to create deflections and steals. Local junior colleges would be wise to monitor him.
Carlos Torres, 6-7 C, Point Loma
Torres is a load in the paint, as Carlsbad quickly found out during the Pointers big second-half push. The no-nonsense big scored a team-high 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, several of them for offensive put-backs. Torres needs to play with better composure and improve his passing from the post. But his size and rebounding will translate to somewhere on the collegiate level.
Kobe Gatti, 5-11 PG, Westview
Gatti overcame some early turnovers to have a strong game for the Wolverines, scoring an efficient 18 points. He’s the consummate point guard: he rarely gets sped up, delivers accurate passes to initiate the offense, and knocks down open shots. Division 3 colleges should definitely look into him.
Deaudra McNair, 6-3 F, El Camino
McNair is a positionless prospect who impacts the game with his motor and nose for the ball. He had a very strong first half against Temecula Valley against the zone defense, making play after play from the mid post. He needs to improve his right hand scoring and driving (left-hand dominant). He’s had a solid start to his senior year, and is the type of player who can have an impact at a junior college simply because of his effort level.
Antonio Hale III, 6-0 G, El Camino
The undersized combo guard heated up in the fourth quarter of the Wildcats comeback win over Temecula Valley, knocking home four threes in the second half. Hale’s decision making and on-court composure of have improved markedly since last year as well. While not a true point guard, his ability to score off the dribble and shoot off the catch makes him a potent scoring threat.
Isaiah Ramos, 6-4 F, Carlsbad
Ramos is likely playing football at the college level, but he’s a solid hooper in his own right. Known as a volume shooter earlier in his career, Ramos has improved his shot selection and accuracy on his deep ball. When he sets his feet, he knocks shots down consistently. At 6-4, he’d be a nice 3-and-d wing, but improved handle and fluidity will determine what level.