All NorCal Games: Stars from Bay Area vs Sacramento
The rivalry between the Bay Area and Sacramento has been going on for decades and this game was no different. While this game was considered to be an all star event, make no mistake that these kids were playing to win and treated this game with the utmost intensity. Lets take a look at some of the standouts that added to the electric atmosphere.
James Akinjo, 5’10, Salesian
The personification of the phrase Killer Instinct, this guy tries to put the game away from the start. A physical guard who plays better as the intensity of the game rises as shown by his game tying three with a hand in his face. Able to score or pass at will, his powerful ballhandling skills were on display throughout the night as he was able to get to the free throw line frequently.
Mason Forbes, 6’8, Folsom, Committed to Harvard
Chances are, the rims at Las Positas College were replaced after the event. Mason spent most of the night dunking just about every other possession. Great instincts as a cutter allow him to find holes in the defense when his teammates are driving to the basket as well when he looks to track down offensive rebounds. Along the low post and elbows, he is a tough cover who displays solid footwork and pivoting skills to help him convert a variety of layups.
Darrion Trammell, 5’10, Saint Ignatius
The Little Monster was at it again as he had as many deflections and steals as you’ll see any one player get. He lead the fast break often by using his excellent dribbling and change of speed to make the defense appear in slow motion. When he wasn’t dishing to teammates for easy buckets, he was converting at the rim.
Junior Toure, 6’6, Prolific Prep, Committed to UC Santa Barbara
A very fluid athlete with an elusive ability to get through the lane and score. His length and motor were a problem all game as he leveraged his talents for passing lane steals and tough defense.
Elijah Hardy, 6’2, Bishop O’Dowd, Committed to Washington
With a style of play similar to james harden, the lefty showed his ability to score at all three levels. His threat to pass prevented the defense from helping to much off of their matchups. He was able to convert a game winning layup as time expired.
Christopher Cagle, 6’7, Woodcreek
There are a lot of players that are scoring machines. And then there are guys like Christopher who take filling up the box score to another level. A player who scores as easily as he breathes, he took advantage of his size by easily shooting over defenders as he clearly isnt bothered by tight defensive pressure.
Nathan Robinson, 6’4, Las Lomas
The deceptively athletic sniper rained eight three pointers from the perimeter with relative ease. Never one to rush, he patiently allowed the game to come to him which allowed him to have such a great shooting night. That ability to shoot allowed him to showcase his ability to finish well above the rim.
Chris Simpson, 6’5, Jesuit
Not only did chris connect on eight threes of his own, it seemed like his makes barely touched the net! With his height and deep range, it seemed like he could have shot blinded folded and allowed his textbook mechanics to do the rest. After hitting his first five in a row, he continued to let it fly as he simply shot from further back when the defense crowded him.