Solano County Athletic Conference Key Players
The 2017-2018 season for the Solano County Athletic Conference will be one to remember. The talent level of the teams are high, the competition is as even as its been in a long time. Every team in the conference believes that have what it takes to not only make it to the postseason, but to also win the conference. Another reason why this season will be one to remember is because this is the last season that the Solano County Athletic Conference will be in existence, as the six teams will split up and go into different conferences. Vallejo, Jesse Bethel, Benicia, and American Canyon High Schools, will all be going into the North Coast Section, While Vanden and Fairfield High Schools will move back to the Monticello Empire League. It will be interesting to see if someone can take the crown away from Vanden High School who has won league for four straight seasons.
Regardless of what happens by the end of the season, the Solano County Athletic Conference is loaded with talent. Each team has key players who can possibly make a case for league MVP. Here are the key players from the Solano County Athletic Conference.
Aaron Porcil – Vanden HS (Class of 2018) PG 6’1′
Aaron has been on varsity for the past three years and was a major part of Vanden’s playoff run last season. Aaron can get hot and go on a scoring tear. Vanden will be looking for leadership from him this season in order for them to make another deep playoff run.
Marquis Davison – Vanden HS (Class of 2018) SG 6’3′
Marquis arguably may be the best athlete in the conference. His leaping ability is superior to the competition, but he has worked hard on other parts of his game such as his shooting, and ball handling. He could cause matchup problems for opposing teams.
Jhaylon Martinez – Vanden HS (Class of 2020) PF 6’9′
Jhaylon is the biggest player in the league. His size alone can possibly cause problems for opposing teams, while they try and focus on Aaron and Marquis. He will have a lot of opportunities to clean the glass on offensive rebounds. Expect for him to be a double-double machine.
Anthony Thomas – Vallejo HS (Class of 2018) SF 6’4′
Anthony could be the sleeper of the whole conference. He has a high motor and always finds the ball. He doesn’t need to take a lot of shots to score a ton of points. Expect Anthony to make the all-conference team and possibly make a play for MVP depending how Vallejo performs this season.
Deontae Jenkins – Vallejo HS (Class of 2019) PG 5’9′
Deontae is the driving force for Vallejo. He sets the tone for the team on the offensive and defensive side, and he has shown during pre-season that he could be a floor general. Deontae has averaged around 11 points and 6 assists a game, and his speed can cause nightmares for his opponents.
Dion Moore – Jesse Bethel HS (Class of 2018) SG 6’2′
Bethel has a 1,2 punch in Dion Moore and Jacob Sharp. Dion will have to stay aggressive if Bethel wants to make a run at the conference title. His ability to score and shoot the mid-range will always make him effective. Dion is also very athletic and is good in the open court.
Jacob Sharp – Jesse Bethel HS (Class of 2019) SG 6’1′
Jacob is a tremendous athlete that can shoot from the outside and defend. Similar to Moore, Jacob will have to stay aggressive in order for Bethel to make a run at the conference preview. Jacob should have a good year.
Lafayle Fuller – Benicia HS (Class of 2019) SG 6’4′
Lafalyle is another strong candidate for league MVP. He is picking up where former Benicia High School player Trey Pugh, left off. He finished pre-season averaging nearly 27 points per game, and led Benicia to a 9-6 record. He will have to continue his excellent play once the conference start.
Kade Lockrem – Benicia HS (Class of 2018) PG 6’1′
Kade is a smooth point guard that plays with an excellent pace. Doesn’t get rattled and can score when needed. He will make a strong case for the all-conference team.
Malik Ghiden – American Canyon HS (Class of 2018) SG 6’3
Malik’s ability to run the floor, slash, and rebound will make him a serious candidate for league MVP. American Canyon will need an MVP effort every night from him if they want to stay in the race for the conference title. Expect a lot of breakout games from Ghiden.
Shakir Howard – Fairfield HS (Class of 2019) SF 6’4
Shakir is a long athletic player who has worked on his fundamental skills tremendously over the summer. He has a high motor and will be an important piece for Fairfield this season.
Here are other names to watch for:
Johnathon Cobbs – Vanden HS 2019 PG 6’1′
Damon Fowler – Vallejo HS 2019 SG 6’1′
Taejon Frederickson – Vallejo HS 2019 SG 6’1′
Ezekiel Dycus – Jesse Bethel HS 2019 SG 6’3′
Hy-Keem Davis – Fairfield HS 2018 PG 5’10’
Joey Aranas – Fairfield HS 2018 SG 6’0′