A Scout’s Take: St. John Bosco vs Rancho Christian
A Scout’s Take: St. John Bosco vs Rancho Christian
BELLFLOWER, CA—The Southern Section CIF State Playoffs pitted twin towers—Isaiah and Evan Mobley— of Rancho Christian taking on a bevy of sharp shooters—Chris James comes immediately to mind—of St. John Bosco. The Braves would come out firing led by the aforementioned James as well as the beastly Jonathan Salazar. Evan Mobley would keep the Eagles relatively close, but Bosco’s moxie would be the difference at both ends as the Braves prevailed 71-54.
MVP (Pictured)
Jonathan Salazar (St. John Bosco)
2019, PF, 6-foot-6, 220 pounds
Joel’s Take: Salazar, who will run with Dream Vision in the spring, tossed in 19-points in a variety of ways. The combination of his strength and athleticism was too much for the Mobley twins to handle. Salazar can finish through contact, but also has the bounce to convert buckets over length. Defensively, he had one of the better blocks I’ve seen as he denied Evan Mobley at the rim late in the 2nd half.
The Catalyst
Chris James (St. John Bosco)
2019, SG, 6-foot-3, 165 pounds
Joel’s Take: James came out firing on all cylinders—at both ends of the floor. The wiry wing-type knocked in deep jump shots and slashed his way to the rim. Defensively, he slides his feet well and utilizes his length to get deflections. Overall though, it was his moxie and assertiveness that sparked his team to a victory.
Mr. Upside
Evan Mobley (Rancho Christian)
2020, PF, 6-foot-10, 210 pounds
Joel’s Take: Mobley dropped in 20-points and he did it in a variety of ways. He has a smooth shooting touch out to 22-feet and his post-up game is improving. He can face-up defender and either attack the rim or deliver a nifty assist with either hand. Defensively, he had one of the better blocks of the winter. It’s all there for Mr. Mobley.
Frustrating Night
Isaiah Mobley (Rancho Christian)
2019, PF, 6-foot-8, 230 pounds
Joel’s Take: It was just one of those nights for Mobley. Battling foul trouble and a pesky undersized defense by the Braves, gave Mobley fits. He displayed his impressive ball skills, shooting touch (11-points), and overall feel for the game, but the quickness of Bosco bothered his overall game as he appeared to be a step-slow at both ends of the floor.
Mr. Relentless
Josh Adoh (St. John Bosco)
2019, SG, 6-foot-1, 165 pounds
Joel’s Take: Adoh tossed in 14-points, but most of which was done in the 2nd half. Although he didn’t put up big numbers in the 1st half, it was his attention to detail in the areas of defense and a high octane motor that helped his team get in control of the game. He has the strength, athleticism, evolving skill set, and a hard-nosed mindset to play somewhere at the next level.