DeMar DeRozan Tournament: Biggest Standouts
DeMar DeRozan Tournament: Biggest Standouts
COMPTON, CA—St John Bosco continued it’s onslaught in the DeMar DeRozan tournament as they coasted to victory with little resistance over a talented Compton High School squad. The tournament had a number of talented squads including Bishop Montgomery, Long Beach Poly and St. Anthony of Long Beach. At the end of the day it would be Bosco’s depth that would be the difference in claiming the championship.
Chris James (St. John Bosco)
2019, 6-foot-2, 170 pounds
Joel’s Take: Throughout the Braves run to the title, James has been the catalyst. The gifted combo-guard has a high basketball IQ, solid pull-up game, and he plays both ends of the floor with aplomb.
Jabari Steward (Compton)
2020, 6-foot-7, 220 pounds
Joel’s Take: Steward has good length, solid bounce, and soft hands. He keeps the ball high on the block and shows a nice touch out to the elbow. To take his game to another level, he must show more urgency at both ends on a consistent basis.
Giordan Williams (Long Beach Poly)
2019, SG, 6-foot-2, 165 pounds
Joel’s Take: One of the more improved players in Southern California is Williams. Like with most Poly players, they tend to improve over time—and that is the case with Williams. His jump shot has become automatic and his range extends out to 23-feet. He can explode to the rim and finish, but he needs to continue to hone his ball handling when attacking pressure.
Brandon Whitney (Alemany)
2020, PG, 6-foot, 160 pounds
Joel’s Take: Whitney is a talent when attacking off the dribble. He gets into the seams of the defense utilizing his strength and tight handle. He can finish in the lane with either hand or drop off the nifty dime. Going forward he needs to improve his jump shot and middle game to keep defenders honest.
Frank Staine (Long Beach St. Anthony)
2019, WF, 6-foot-5, 175 pounds
Joel’s Take: Staine is the most versatile prospect on the Saints roster. He can play all over the perimeter due to his skill set. He has a triple threat game, can knock in the open 3-point shot, and he can create off the dribble. The skills as well as the assertiveness are evident—it now comes down to consistent production.
Amound Anderson (Leuzinger)
2020, CG, 6-foot-3, 165 pounds
Joel’s Take: The crafty lefty has continued to expand his game. He shows the ability to break defenders off the dribble and his 3-point shot is solid. He can create offense from the high post and his passing acumen is impressive. As he continues to get stronger his ability to finish through contact will improve.
Isaiah Johnson (Bishop Montgomery)
2020, PF, 6-foot-6, 215 pounds
Joel’s Take: Johnson has improved immensely during his sophomore campaign and it has carried over into the summer. The multi-dimensional forward plays with a hot motor at both ends of the floor as he impacts the game in the areas of rebounding, rim protection, and finishing in transition. His perimeter skills are on the come, but he definitely needs to improve his ball handling versus pressure.
Josh Vasquez (Bishop Montgomery)
2019, CG, 6-foot-2, 160 pounds
Joel’s Take: The recent Montana commit has the ability to play both guard positions. Vasquez has been marinating in moxie as he is one of the better competitors in Southern California. He is a deadly shooter off the catch or off the dribble. With Gianni Hunt at the NBAPA Camp, Vasquez did a serviceable job running the team.