Francisco’s Finest: Battle at the Bay (Part 2)
Francisco’s Finest: Battle at the Bay (Part 2)
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.
San Diego’s Best Junior?
Rejean “Boogie” Ellis (Mission Bay)
2019, PG, 6-foot-2, 160 pounds
Joel’s Take: At this stage there are three outstanding 2019 prospects in San Diego in Ryan Langborg, Derrick Carter-Hollinger, and lastly “Boogie” Ellis. Ellis may end up being the best due to his lethal combination of length, deep shooting ability, and improved attacking game. He did a nice job of converting some high-level finishes in traffic despite the pesky defense of Foothills’ Christian’s Nafarrete. He advanced the ball well, but his passing still needs to improve both in transition and in traffic. Overall though, his progress has been excellent.
Mr. Upside
Derrick Carter-Hollinger (Foothills Christian)
2019, WF, 6-foot-5, 180 pounds
Joel’s Take: I’m just waiting for him to put it all together. He has the size, athleticism, and aggressive mindset to be a good one. His overall length is impressive and he can slash his way to the rim with the best of them. Overall he can score from all three levels and he is only going to get better with added strength and experience.
Scores in bunches
Juan Carlos Canahuate (Army/Navy)
2018, CG, 6-foot, 160 pounds
Joel’s Take: One of the better unsigned seniors I’ve seen this winter. He is a natural scorer at all three levels. Would like to see him play with a more talented roster to see his facilitating ability. He handed out some nice passes, but this kid thinks score. He gets good lift on his shot and he is a rhythm shooter off the bounce. In transition he can finish in traffic, but he needs to improve his left hand both while attacking and finishing to improve his stock.
Best Rebounder
Ronnie Latting (Mission Bay)
2019, C, 6-foot-7, 225 pounds
Joel’s Take: Latting is one of the few Division 1 prospects that knows what he is and plays to his strengths. He is an undersized 5-man, but he has long arms, good hands, and knows how to carve out space. He blocks out well and shows good instincts in the paint as a finisher. He’ll fill the lane in transition and can finish over the rim. Overall, he is one of the more improved players in So-Cal since the summer.
Diamond in the rough
Nakial Cross (Bishops)
2020, PF, 6-foot-6, 175 pounds
Joel’s Take: Cross has a ways to go at both ends of the floor, but the upside is evident. He was arguably the quickest leaper of the day and his timing as a rim protector was impeccable. He had a few weak-side blocks that were awe-inspiring. He showed a solid pull-up jump shot off the dribble, but he needs to improve his ball handling and shooting range to improve his stock.
Best Defender
Jaren Nafarrete (Foothills Christian)
2019, PG, 5-foot-7, 140 pounds
Joel’s Take: Nafarrete did an admirable job defending the best junior guard in San Diego in Boogie Ellis. The crafty and feisty point guard got into Ellis and used his quickness and active hands to cause a few turnovers make life a bit difficult for Ellis. Offensively, he can manage a game and has the nifty handle and speed to create plays for teammates.
Most Improved
Jayson Taylor (La Jolla Country Day)
2019, C, 6-foot-9, 220 pounds
Joel’s Take: Taylor will not wow you with explosive plays, but this young “big” has improved remarkably since July. He has long arms, soft hands, can convert buckets with either hand, and he rebounds at a high clip in his area. He needs to increase his strength on the block and play through physicality at a higher usage rate, but the effort is evident.
Best Motor
Jamaryee Norton (Mission Bay)
2019, SG, 6-foot-1, 175 pounds
Joel’s Take: This chiseled lefty cooled off against Foothills Christian in the 2nd half, but he was everywhere in the 1st half. He comes off of pin-down screens and has the skill to separate from defenders off the dribble. He can knock in pull-up jump shots out to 22-feet and he gets nice lift on his shot. Defensively, he attacks opposing guards and he slides his feet very well. Definite sleeper in the 2019 class.
Matt Bender Jr. (Francis Parker)
2019, PF, 6-foot-6, 220 pounds
Joel’s Take: Bender Jr. plays with a relentless motor (runs hard) at both end of the floor. He has a strong frame with long arms and has soft hands. He sets solid screens, rolls off the screens well, and can finish through contact. He isn’t a big leaper but he uses his body to finish through contact and he can convert shots in the paint.