With two of San Diego's longest-running January showcases ceasing their runs this year - the Horizon MLK Day Showcase and the SD/LA Challenge - Christian High School Coach Davion Famber stepped in to fill the void with the eight-game MLK Jr. Day Shootout.
Fans in attendance got to see teams from across San Diego County battle in one-game showcases, concluding with the host taking on Army Navy in a 7:30 p.m. game.
So, what did we learn from the daylong showcase? Here's a few bullet points for your consumption.
Christian High is rounding into form
Considered by us at Prep Hoops to be one of the preseason favorites in Division 2, Christian got off to an up-and-down start. The culprits? Injuries, illness and several key player sitting out for 30 days after transfer. Since the calendar turned, however, the Patriots have only lost once - a close call to San Diego Serra. Last night, spearheaded by underrated senior point guard Nashom Carter and junior high-flyer Jackson Larsen, the Patriots turned away a scrappy Army Navy team 73-53 in the final game of the showcase. The Patriots have solid depth in the back court with Dominic Safarta, Isaiah Robinson and Jordan Gaines, and the front court is deeper with the addition of Christian West (Mira Mesa transfer) and Johnny Williams (Saints transfer).
If the playoffs opened tonight, Christian would be the 6 seed, and nobody would want to play them in the second round.
San Diego High is looking more like the clear favorite in Division 4...
The Cavers dropped an earlier game to Maranatha Christian, which currently sits atop Maxpreps' Division 4 rankings. But there might not be a hotter team in the city than the Cavers, winners of seven straight games since an overtime loss to a solid Bonita Vista team. San Diego's latest win, against Division 2 Steele Canyon, was impressive given its dominance - the Cavers led all but one minute of the game in a 72-61 victory.
Thomas Marcus, who when dialed in is one of the top 10 senior basketball prospects in San Diego, leads the group (16 points and 17 rebounds in the Steele game). But it is the diversity of the improving supporting cast that makes them so tough. Senior F Emanwel Henry (25 points in the win) is a smooth shooting lefty with a lot of upside. Junior guard Daniel Thomas is a pass-first point guard and a rugged defender. Junior guard CJ Johnson, a Bonita Vista transfer, provides size and shooting at the guard spot. And freshman G AJ Burgin has shown flashes of great play as the season has progressed.
...but watch out for El Centro Southwest
The Eagles would currently be the 12 seed if the playoffs began today, and I would pity the teams that would have to play them. The Eagles hung tough against Mission Hills before the Grizzlies turned it on in the second half to win 80-62 (Oregon State signee Warren Washington finished with a near triple double; 25 points, 10 rebounds, 7 blocks).
But the Eagles, who were four points away from a Division 4 championship appearance last year, are not a 12 seed. They play a fast, entertaining style of basketball spearheaded by its senior back court of Eric Pompa and Ryan Silva. Both players are knockdown shooters, and Pompa plays at a relentless pace. The frontcourt, albeit undersized, is manned capably by 6-4 Grant Hansink. Hansink scored 14 points and hit several shots in Washington's face throughout the game, not backing down despite giving up nearly 7 inches.
The Eagles took a lot of losses waiting for the return of their football players (they also won a CIF Championship in football this year), but now that they have returned to the fold, the Eagles should make a push during the second half of the season.
Buy stock in the South Bay's young talent
Sweetwater and San Ysidro are a combined 14-22 on the year, but looking beyond the record you will see that the future is bright for both teams. The Red Devils, who lost a close game to West Hills (more about that later), relies heavily on two freshmen and three sophomores, none more talented than 6-4 2021 F Craig "CJ" McMillan. McMillan, a burly skilled forward, scored 20 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in the loss, and at times looked unstoppable. He plays center for the Red Devils out of necessity, but he put his versatility on display, scoring from the post, the perimeter and off the dribble. Freshman guard Jimmy Mattox is a knockdown shooter and relentless on defense, and 5-10 sophomore Isai De Leon also is a productive shooter.
San Ysidro's 66-62 win over Madison was of the miraculous variety, as the Cougars fell behind 21 points before going on a 28-4 run to capture the lead in the 4th quarter. While senior guard Malik Campbell (a solid unsigned prospect) was the catalyst of the comeback, I like the progress of the Cougars' trio of youngsters, sophomore guards Kailen Rains and Philix Kilbourne and freshman forward Raheem Nowlin. Rains, a 6-3 shooting guard, is the best prospect, and has added some nice burst off the dribble. Once he gets stronger and plays with better balance, he could emerge as a Division 1 sleeper by his senior year. The lefty Kilbourne is a crafty playmaker off the dribble who is also getting better at finishing plays. Nowlin is strong on the boards and has improved his effort level.
In a year or two, these two teams could be among the better teams in South Bay.
Cameron Barry deserves some college attention
There were a number of very good unsigned seniors on display throughout the day; San Ysidro's Campbell, San Diego's Henry, Christian's Carter, Steele Canyon G Gage Sanders and Hoover guards Chris Modica and Jalnn Harrington all come to mind.
But there wasn't a more intriguing unsigned prospect on display than 6-0 West Hills G Cameron Barry.
Barry has been on a tear to start the season, averaging 34.9 points and 9.9 rebounds per contest. In the 60-51 win over West Hills, Barry was not sharp from the perimeter, but still managed 28 points and an eye-popping 18 rebounds. Sure, he is more of a volume scoring guard than a true point guard (he shoots 43 percent from the field), and his shot selection is questionable at times, but his productivity at this level is undeniable. Moreover, he is a tremendous competitor and commands the respect of his teammates and opponents.
The last East County guard who put up numbers like this with little fanfare turned out OK: Tyson Kygar went on to have a great career at Division 2 CSU San Marcos. Barry, who compares favorably to Kygar, might have to go the JUCO route to prove he can play at the D2 level, but I am convinced that he can.
