Session 1 Los Angeles Day 2: 15U Top Performers Part 1
On day 2, the 15U prospects took the floor at Ventura College. The LA Orangemen were by far the most impressive 15U team that I observed over the weekend. Against The Truth, they started the game up 34-0. They showed an array of defenses that went well with their versatile long and athletic team. This group has a lot of potential. In addition to the Orangemen, here are the other top performers from day 1.
Session 1 Los Angeles: Day 2 15U Top Performers Part 1
Jaden Charles 6’2 SG 2020 Dorsey (LA Orangemen)
Charles was the most physically strong out of all of the stellar guards on the LA Orangemen. Like his teammates, Dixon and Carter, Charles; he is athletic and skilled. Moreover, he attacks the rim well and has good length. While he is shifty, he primarily makes one strong move and attacks the rim using his strength to get to his spots.
Reese Dixon 6’3 PG 2021 Dorsey (LA Orangemen)
Dixon had the most impressive performances at Ventura College. While he settled for contested shots on a couple of possessions against an overly aggressive Wolfpack team, Dixon has a built that makes me think he is far from done growing. Moreover, he is a good athlete who is strong and moves well laterally. This assists him in getting to the rim virtually at will. It is also worth noting that he is smooth and possesses a nice euro step and pro hop that helps him avoid help side defenders.
Damion McDowell 6’5 PF/C 2021 Dorsey (LA Orangemen)
McDowell is long and impressive. He is solid on the block and competes for position. In addition, he is a capable mid-range shooter with an improving shot. The scariest part about him is that he looks far from done in terms of skill and physical development. While he will need to continue to work on his ability to hit mid-range jumpers, he is well on his way to being a monster who plays after high school is over.
Jaylen Carter 6’3 SG 2021 Dorsey (LA Orangemen)
Carter shot the basketball well from deep and got into the paint at will. While he is capable of creating for himself, he did a good job of letting the game come to him. This group is extremely talented; thus it is easy for players to start playing with their own agenda. Carter did not do that. He was patient and picked his spots to attack strategically.
Jaylen Shores 5’7 PG 2021 Bishop Montgomery (Double Pump)
Shores has elite level speed and can go from 0 to 100 in a matter of seconds. In addition, he has a solid handle that enables him to freeze the defender then use his speed to create separation. He had one of the nicest moves of the day as he froze the defender with an in and out then finished among the big boys in the paint. Shores also has a good feel for the game and makes his teammates better.
Brandon Perez 6’2 SG 2022 Notre Dame (Double Pump)
Perez was one of the primary scoring threats for Double Pump. He is a capable shooter who has good shot selection. In addition to hitting from deep, he demonstrated that he is capable of taking the opposing defender off of the dribble and creating for himself. Defensively, he was solid on the ball and he moved his feet extremely well.
Nathan Perez 6’2 SF 2022 (Double Pump)
The other Perez on Double Pump was an absolute handful in the games that I observed. He is extremely versatile due to his size and skill set. He is big and strong enough to take opposing guards on the block while skilled enough to take opposing bigs off of the dribble on the perimeter. In addition, he moved his feet extremely well defensively and was able to guard 2-5.