Frank B’s Five-Point Play: Rancho Verde-Santa Margarita
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — Five observations from State Southern Regional D-I first-round game, won by Rancho Verde over “host” Santa Margarita (the game was played Thursday night at JSerra High), 57-54:
*Junior guard Jaxen Turner knocked in the game-winning, 40-footer jump shot – yes, it was a jump shot and not a heave –at the buzzer for Rancho Verde.
But everything he did in the previous 24 minutes (he missed the first quarter for “disciplinary” reasons, as did two other RV starters) were nearly as spectacular.
Turner is rated as one of the very best defensive prospects in the Western Class of 2019.
But if he zeroed in on basketball as his sport of choice, there is no doubt that he would be one of the mostly sought point guard prospects in the class, as well.
Turner scored 30 points (10 of 16 from the field, including five 3s and five of seven from the free-throw line), to go with five assists three rebounds and three steals and made solid decisions, as a shooter, ball-handler and passer, throughout.
*Santa Margarita junior Jake Kyman (PICTURED) missed his team’s final two Southern Section Open Division playoff games because of an infection in his lower back, kept his team close throughout.
The 6-foot-7 Kyman scored a team-high 21 points (seven of 12 from the floor, including two 3s, and five of five free throws) with five rebounds and three assists.
He’s one of the 10 best prospects in California’s Class of 2019.
*Two other Eagles’ juniors, 6-11 center Shenghze Li and 6-8 Max Agbonkpolo, also showed some glimpses of while they will be targeted by many D-I programs this spring, summer and fall.
Li scored seven points (two of three from the field and three of four from the FT-line) with five rebounds and blocked a couple of shots.
Agbonkpolo scored 11 points with six rebounds.
*Another very good junior, 6-3 Tory San Antonio (a member of Puerto Rico’s junior national program), struggled with his shot against Santa Margarita while scoring eight points but hitting just four of 15 shots from the field.
He’s set to play with the WCE top program this spring and summer.
*Both programs are underclassmen-dominant, with Santa Margarita also having a very good sophomore (6-2 Ryan Evans) and top freshman (6-8 Nick Davidson).
Each could be one of the best 10 squads in the Southern Section in 2018-19.