A Scout’s Take: St. John Bosco vs Crespi
A Scout’s Take: St. John Bosco vs Crespi
BELLFLOWER, CA—In the Open Division Consolation Championship, St. John Bosco would use a relentless scrambling defense and a dominant 2nd half performance by 6-foot-6 junior Jonathan Salazar to eventually pull away from Crespi 72-60. Brandon Williams, the Celts only consistent offensive threat throughout the night, would end up tallying 31-points.
MVP
Jonathan Salazar (St. John Bosco)
2019, PF/WF, 6-foot-6, 220 pounds
Joel’s Take: It was a tale two halves for Salazar as well. In the 1st half he picked up some cheap fouls and let his emotions get the best of him. However, in the 2nd half he went straight “beast-mode.” The physically imposing Salazar is tough to handle on the block utilizing his strength, footwork, and bounce while on the perimeter he can take defenders off the dribble and convert at the rim. If he can improve his “sloppiness” at times, he will be a definite Division 1 target this spring and summer.
Can’t catch a break
Brandon Williams (Crespi)
2018, CG, 6-foot-2, 165 pounds
Joel’s Take: It’s becoming like clock work that every game I watch Williams he ends up getting hurt. His junior campaign was crippled by a knee injury and now his ankle is causing him issues. Nevertheless, the kid can play. He was sloppy and inefficient in the 1st half, but in the 2nd half, he was much more consistent from deep and his ball handling is as slick as it gets while breaking down the defense. At this stage he isn’t a point guard, albeit he did hand out some nifty assists. Overall though, he is a kid that you can play both guard positions, but he excels as a scorer.
Under the radar
Kyle Owens (Crespi)
2019, PF, 6-foot-5, 185 pounds
Joel’s Take: Owens is not flashy, but he at the end of each game the numbers are there to support his impact on the game. The slender lefty had hit the 3-ball or the elbow jump shot and he possesses instincts in the paint area to convert play after play. What will he be at the next level? Not sure, but he is a basketball player.
On the rise
Josh Adoh (St John Bosco)
2019, SG, 6-foot-1, 170 pounds
Joel’s Take: The more I watch Adoh the more I think of Hawaii guard Leland Green. The chiseled Adoh plays as hard as anybody in So-Cal and his skills are on the come as well. He can nail the 3-point shot or the mid-range pull-up and he is always in attack mode. Defensively, he swallows up would-be ball handlers causing turnovers and making it difficult for opposing teams to get into their offense.
Unsung Hero
Jordan Brown (St. John Bosco)
2020, 6-foot-4, 190 pounds
Joel’s Take: If you look up fearless in the dictionary (I just dated myself) there would be a picture of Brown. He affected the game in the areas of assertiveness, rebounding, and timely shots. He has good hands and he has a nose for the ball at both ends—as well as a never-ending motor.
A Tale of Two Halves
Taj Reagans (Crespi)
2018, PG, 5-foot-8, 145 pounds
Joel’s Take: Reagans was a non-factor in the 1st half, but in the 2nd half he was a catalyst in getting his team within striking distance. The cat-quick point guard was a menace on the defensive end using his superior lateral quickness and active hands to disrupt the Braves’ ball handlers. Offensively, he nailed some “big” shots to compliment Williams’ scoring.