SoCal Top 250 Expo: Top Prospects (Part I)
Seal Beach, Ca. — The annual Prep Hoops SoCal Top 250 Expo was held Sunday at AIM Sportsplex and featured a strong mix of the Southland’s best hoops prospects and those looking to make a name for themselves.
Here is the first set of top prospects from the one-day event.
Jarred Hyder, Damien
Hyder is one of the area’s top scoring guards and Sunday proved no different. The 6-foot-3 senior had his patented pull-up 3-point shot falling with regularity and there was no one who could stop him. Hyder has the impressive ability to create space from defenders with footwork on the perimeter and is a consistent shooter off-the-bounce and doesn’t need to be on balance to be effective.
Damien guard Jarred Hyder is one of Southern California’s top scorers.Braelee Albert, Brentwood
Albert showed that he’s close to 100 percent healthy after battling an ankle injury over the summer. The 6-foot-6 forward had some of his bounce back, skying for offensive and defensive rebounds at the rim and finishing off transition buckets with one and two-handed dunks. The Brentwood senior is one of the more versatile players in SoCal and also brings great leadership qualities to the floor.
Elijah Carter, Independence
Carter doesn’t get many eyes on him up in Bakersfield, but the showcase atmosphere continues to be kind to him. The 6-foot-4 wing is long, athletic and a quick leaper off the floor, allowing him to finish above length in both the transition and half-court settings. Carter, a senior, has the ball skills and perimeter feel to initiate offense and lead the break with rebound and push opportunities.
Anthony Holland, Riverside Notre Dame
Holland has great size and shooting ability at 6-feet-5 and 205 pounds. The senior used the summer and fall showcase opportunities to prove that yet again, but is also starting to put the ball on the deck and create shots for himself and his teammates with drive-and-kick passes.
Justin Rene, Long Beach Poly
Rene is one of the best scorers in Southern California and he was doing just that Sunday. The 6-foot-3 senior shooting guard is one of the top isolation bucket getters around, using elusive hesitations and a good first step to get into the paint where he can finish with craftiness and finesse layups.
John Clausell, Leuzinger
Clausell is one SoCal’s most poised signal callers. The 5-foot-6 point guard plays with impressive pace, basketball IQ and vision in both the half-court and transition settings. The senior knows where his teammates are best suited to operate and gets them the ball in those spots and on time. Clausell is nearly impossible to keep out of the painted area, which is one of the biggest reasons why he’s so effective.