Francisco’s Finest: Battle at the Bay (Part 1)
Francisco’s Finest: Battle at the Bay (Part 1)
SAN DIEGO, CA—The 1st Annual Battle of the Bay, organized by Mission Bay Head Coach Marshawn Cherry, provided parents, fans, and scouts a taste of the best talent that resides in the San Diego County. Essentially it was a league battle between the Western and Coastal conferences and there were a number of standout performances—Led by Arizona State-bound Taeshon Cherry as well as highly regarded juniors Ryan Langborg and Rejean “Boogie” Ellis.
Francisco’s Finest (Part 1)
Best Performance
Ryan Langborg (La Jolla Country Day)
2019, SG, 6-foot-3, 170 pounds
Joel’s Take: Langborg was sensational at this event. His jump shot was buttery off the catch as well as off the dribble. He showed an improved 1st step and his conversions at the rim were impressive. He showed excellent body control and was able to finish plays with either hand. The game comes easy to him and he never appears to force the issue. Apparently, Santa Clara is his only WCC offer? Yikes—he can ball.
Best 2018 in the West?
Taeshon Cherry (Foothill’s Christian)
2018, PF/WF, 6-foot-8, 220 pounds
Joel’s Take: I know Jordan Brown (Prolific Prep) has an argument, but Cherry has an argument for receiving the Best in the West tag for the 2018 class. He played with an edge from start to finish and scored in a variety of ways including a few deep jump shots as well as some surgical moves from the elbow. His ball skills against pressure need to improve and he is a straight-line finisher in transition (needs some wiggle to get around defenders), but he’s a talent.
Mr. Fundamental
Charlie Gal (La Jolla)
2018, C, 6-foot-6, 240 pounds
Joel’s Take: The big-bodied 4-man put together a nice all-around performance at this event. He exhibited a feathery touch out to 20-feet and utilized the up-fake to keep defenders off balance. He isn’t an explosive prospect, but he has the skill and savvy to play somewhere in college.
Jack of all trades
Albert Pirchardo (Army/Navy)
2020, WF, 6-foot-3, 185 pounds
Joel’s Take: Pirchardo is a sophomore who affects the game in a variety of ways. He has a solid frame with good length and he plays the game at a good pace. He can knock in the 3-point shot, rebound in traffic and convert in the paint, and he’s a savvy passer. Defensively, he needs to do a better job of getting in a stance and use his long arms to get deflections in the passing lanes.
Christian Rose (Bishops)
2019, PF, 6-foot-7, 200 pounds
Joel’s Take: The rangy left-hander is a multi-skilled 4-man that affects the game with his savvy and effort. He is a good rebounder who uses his long arms and good hands to snag extra possessions for his team. He can knock in jump shots from the elbow, but his range needs to extend. In addition, he has improved his ability to create off the bounce, but going forward his 1st step and explosiveness to the rim needs to get better to finish more consistently over length and through contact.
Mr. Moxie
Raymond Lu (La Jolla Country Day)
2019, PG, 5-foot-9, 150 pounds
Joel’s Take: It only takes a few possessions to notice that this kid loves to play this game. He is an ultra-competitor who defensively gets into opposing guards, plays with physicality, and does a nice job leading his team. He shows a nice burst off the dribble and can get to the rim—showing the ability to finish with either hand. He can knock in the jump shot, but that needs to improve to attract interest form DII, DIII, and NAIA.