Battle of the West Coast – Most improved prospects
Most improved prospects
Bishop’s Junior forward Christian Rose made some eye-opening plays this weekend at the Battle of the West CoastChristian Rose, 6-6 2019 F, Gamepoint 17u Elite
Rose, long known for his prowess on the defensive end, has come a long way in terms of his fluidity on both ends of the court. One sequence that sums up his improvement was in a game against Team Future, where Rose swept to his left hand and threw down a two-handed dunk off of one dribble. He also showed the ability to consistently step out and hit shots from 15-20 feet, a facet of his game that has steadily improved over the years. This was a breakout weekend for Rose. If he can sustain the momentum through the live periods, he’ll emerge as one of the sleeper D1 prospects on the West Coast.
Travis Snider, 6-6 2019 F, Gamepoint 17u Select
Snider is coming off of a productive season at San Dieguito Academy, and he continued that strong play this weekend. Snider has made a big leap in his decision making, becoming a more willing passer out of the post and when double teamed off the dribble. Additionally, he is noticeably more mobile off the bounce than in previous viewings, which has allowed him to be a threat from the short corners and mid post, not just on the block. Top Division 3 programs would be wise to recruit Snider, who is a high-academic student.
Elijah Randall, 6-4 2020 G/F, Coastal Elite Slayers 16u
Randall spent much of the season recovering from a broken foot, and had a very inconsistent season as a result. This weekend, Randall looked closer to the all-league player he was as a freshman, scoring off the dribble and carving up opponents in high-low action with Chris Howell. Randall is a strong rebounder, and can push the ball in transition and more often than not makes the right decision in score/pass situations. He still needs to be more consistent shooting the ball outside of 15 feet, but it was nice to see Randall put together a strong weekend.
Philix Kilbourne, 6-0 2020 PG, San Ysidro Cougars
Kilbourne, much like Randall, spent most of his second high school season working himself back into shape after a foot and ankle injury. So it was nice to see Kilbourne healthy and show flashes of the play that landed him on the early recruiting radar. The pass-first point guard has a quick first step, and once he gets into the paint makes excellent passes. His passing IQ and vision was higher than many of his teammates this weekend, which resulted in a few turnovers that might have been assists in other settings. Kilbourne needs to improve his finishing with his right hand, as well as through contact off the drive, but he’s well on his way back to form if this weekend is any indication.