Five Takeaways: DeMar DeRozan Summer Tournament
Compton, Ca. — The annual DeMar DeRozan summer tournament commenced last week with many of SoCal’s top teams in attendance, including Bishop Montgomery, St. John Bosco, Long Beach Poly and St. Anthony. Bosco defeated the host Tarbabes, 57-36, in the championship game behind an impressive team effort.
Here are five takeaways from Saturday’s action:
Five Takeaways
Isaiah Johnson is the perfect fit for Bishop Montgomery
Bishop Montgomery, one of the most consistent winning programs in all of the Southland, added Crean Lutheran transfer Isaiah Johnson, whom will certainly be a seamless fit. The 6-foot-6 forward is a no-nonsense type of player who will run through a wall if you tell him to. He’s a skilled finisher around the basket with either hand, brings toughness and energy to the floor and can guard multiple positions on the floor.
Chris James’ evolution continues
Chris James, the 6-foot-2 Bosco point guard, is just a flat out winner. He makes all the right reads and decisions with the ball in his hands, doesn’t over-handle the basketball, gets off of it and knows how to play without the ball. Best of all, James continues to improve his 3-point shooting, especially from either short corner. The rising senior should have multiple Division I options come the time for his commitment.
St. John Bosco point guard Chris James is the unquestioned leader of the Braves heading into next season.Brandon Whitney continued to show why he’s a top PG in his class
Alemany’s Brandon Whitney is one of the best at his craft in the class of 2020 because of his ability to balance scoring and distributing. The 6-footer is smooth on attack, has his head on a swivel, and utilizes old-school footwork in the paint with two-footed jump-stops and step-throughs to get paint buckets. Whitney plays with some of the best pace in his class and is an adept scorer around the basket, but needs to become a more consistent 3-point shooter to keep defenses honest.
Malik Salahuddin is Poly’s unsung hero
Much of the talk surrounding Long Beach Poly’s backcourt this season will center around Giordan Williams and Justin Rene, but the contributions of Malik Salahuddin could catapult the Jackrabbits into the Open Division playoff talk. The 6-foot-1 senior combo guard is an absolute menace on the defensive end, rebounds well for his position, and is blossoming into a guy who can control the pace of the game and initiate offense as the primary ball handler.
Fountain Valley wing Jeremiah Davis is one of the highest upside guys in OC
The Barons of Fountain Valley High don’t get too much ink when it comes to the basketball program, but second-year coach D’Cean Bryant is building an intriguing roster of young talent. Perhaps the most talented prospect on that team is 6-foot-4 wing Jeremiah Davis. The rising sophomore has all the measureables with his size and length, but it’s his attacking mindset and ability to stretch the floor to the 3-point line that stood out the most on Saturday.