The Classic at Damien: Francisco’s Finest (Part 2)
The Classic at Damien: Francisco’s Finest (Part 2)
LA VERNE, CA.— In the final day of The Classic at Damien, there were a highlight reel of plays that caught our attention—beginning with Los Altos’ buzzer-beating win against Roosevelt in the championship of Gold Division. Jarod Lucas, a 6-foot-2 junior launched a 50-footer in the waning seconds to clinch the championship in dramatic fashion. This was one of many plays and prospects that we will be mentioning in our final blog on this loaded tournament.
Under the radar
Darryl Polk (Long Beach Poly)
2018, 5-foot-8, 150 pounds
Joel’s Take: This cat-quick point guard. has some Division 2 schools on him, but it would not surprise me if a few Divison 1s jump on board. His jump shot was solid in the games I watched, and he always delivers at both ends of the floor. The slick lefty sets up teammates and sets up teammates with aplomb. He needs to improve finishing at the rim, but the athleticism is there.
Toby Okwuokei (Etiwanda)
2018, SG, 6-foot-0, 165 pounds
Joel’s Take: The position-less Okwuokei affects the game in multiple ways. He can play 1-thru-3 due to his savvy, skill and athleticism. He had a few monstrous follow dunks due to outstanding timing. He can knock in the 3-point shot as well to add to his value.
Quinn Collins (Redondo Union)
2018, 6-foot-8, 190 pounds
Joel’s Take; Like most “bigs” it takes time as Collins is no exception. He is a willowy 4-man with quick feet and timing in the paint area. He can fill the lane and finish with dexterity and his shooting touch is smooth out to 20-feet. He needs to get stronger and play through contact better, but he is intriguing.
Expert Marksmen
Ryan Evans (Santa Margarita)
2020, SG, 6-foot-2, 170 pounds
Joel’s Take: As the season has worn on, Evans appears to be hitting his stride. He has to share point guard duties with Jake Kyman, but that didn’t affect his jump shot as he hit a number of 3-point shots in the championship game. He has a strong frame, a ton of moxie and confidence, but he needs to continue to improve his quickness and burst off the dribble.
Demetrius Calip II (Taft)
2020, SG, 6-foot-3, 160 pounds
Joel’s Take: The slender left-hander with extraordinarily long arms possesses a feathery touch out to the stripe. He is potent off the catch and his range is out to 23-feet. He handles it well in the open court and shows the right feel to be a point guard one day. He needs to get stronger and more aggressive in the paint area, but once his frame fills out—look out.
Attack Mode
Alpha Okoli (St. John Bosco)
2018, WF, 6-foot-5, 195 pounds
Joel’s Take: Okoli is not only the best all-around player for the Braves, he is the glue as well. This chiseled wing-type was relentless off the bounce this event, rebounded and defended at a high level. His jump shot is a bit erratic, but he hit enough of them to keep defenders honest.
On the rise
Mook Harris (St. Bernard)
2019, CG, 6-foot-2, 165 pounds
Joel’s Take: Harris is definitely coming into his own during his junior campaign. Most importantly he is making more sound decisions and his scoring is becoming more efficient. He can knock in deep shots and also has the size, skill, and strength to finish in traffic. Harris is part of an impressive group of underclassmen (2019 Romelle Mansel, 2021 Tyler Powell, and 2020 Nick Bowden Jr.) for St. Bernard.
Anthony Holland (Riverside Notre Dame)
2019, SG, 6-foot-5, 190 pounds
Joel’s Take: Holland is part of a quartet of juniors (Anton Mozga, Pierce Sterling, and Dondre Bausley) at his high school that will cause havoc this season and next. At this stage Holland is the best player and prospect. He can knock in 3s, is a multi-positional defender, and he’s a physical specimen as well.