Ron Massey Fall Hoops Classic: Final Five
Norwalk, Calif. — The 2018 edition of the Ron Massey Fall Hoops Classic further cemented the event as the must-attend basketball fall tournament in Southern California.
The Dinos Trigonis-led event drew many of the Southland’s top high school programs, along with two of the best teams in the state of Nevada, for a two-day event at Cerritos College featuring an eight-team Challenge of Champions tournament along with showcase games with plenty more high-level teams and players.
Bishop Gorman out of Las Vegas defeated Torrance Bishop Montgomery, 59-57, in Sunday’s tightly contested championship game. Gaels junior shooting guard Noah Taitz scored 18 of his game-high 21 points in the first half and earned tournament MVP honors in the process.
Here is the “Final Five” lineup from the weekend:
Paris Dawson, PG, Corona Centennial
Dawson does all of the little things that don’t show up on the stat sheet, but help you win basketball games. The 6-foot point guard defends the opponents best guard, sits down in a defensive stance and uses his lateral speed to contain and quick hands to disrupt passing lanes. The junior is a fearless when attacking the basket and hits timely shots.
Mater Dei wing Aidan Prukop continues to develop his all-around skill set, thanks in large part to his improved ball-handling ability.Will McClendon, SG, Bishop Gorman
McClendon was a key cog in Gorman’s championship run with his timely 3-point shooting. The 6-foot-1 sophomore shooting guard has an unorthodox release that he pulls from his right hip to his right shoulder before letting fly, but he’s a consistent threat from deep, especially from the short corners.
Ryan Evans, SG, Mater Dei
Evans is another knock down shooter to add to this list. He had six 3-pointers in Mater Dei’ win over Corona Centennial Saturday and a handful more in the semifinals vs. Bishop Montgomery. But what stood out most about Evans on the weekend was his improved man-to-man defense and lateral speed while in a defensive stance.
Aidan Prukop, SF, Mater Dei
Prukop continued to show his multi-positional ability at this event. The 6-foot-4 wing is long, smart and smooth with the basketball in his hands. The junior has enhanced his ball handling which has opened up other aspects of his game that we hadn’t seen much of in his first two seasons with the Monarchs. Prukop is getting into the paint now where he can create for teammates with his vision or pull-up and hit a mid-range jumper.
Nick Schrader, F, Bishop Montgomery
Schrader is a player who just makes things happen. He won’t draw any mixtape camera lenses with his athleticism or ball handling, but he’s one of the more fundamental and versatile players you’ll come across. The 6-foot-5 forward is an active and productive offensive and defensive rebounder, he can knock down face-up 15 footers, has dexterity in his scoring ability around the basket and has a handful of back-to-the-basket moves in his arsenal.