A Scout’s Take: San Diego Showcase (On the Rise)
A Scout’s Take: San Diego Showcase (On the Rise)
SAN DIEGO, Ca.— Two of the most well-known basketball gurus in San Diego—Charlie Mercado (Gamepoint) and Anthony Boltan (Vista HS) put on a terrific event (San Diego HS Showcase) that left a plethora of fine memories. First and foremost, when you add a Southern Section powerhouse (Rancho Christian) as well LA City Section favorite Fairfax to the mix, chances are you’re going to attract a nice crowd—and it did in droves.
Kailen Rains (San Ysidro)
2020, SG, 6-foot-3, 170 pounds
Joel’s Take: Rains can “rain” jump shots, but he dominated his opponents with his athleticism and size at this event. He gets good lift on his jump shot and has a smooth release on his shot. In the open court he can slash his way to the rim, finish through contact, and he has a great burst to the rim.
Beon Ja Riley (Cathedral Catholic)
2020, PF/WF, 6-foot-4, 210 pounds
Joel’s Take: Riley transferred from Mater Dei (San Diego), and he has “glue-guy” written all over him. He plays like a Draymond Green Type who affects the game with his moxie at both ends, rebounds in traffic, and can lead the break in transition. He’s a bit of a tweener (positionless), but his impact on the game is impressive.
DJ Dudley (San Ysidro)
2022, SG, 6-foot-2, 160 pounds
Joel’s Take: “Fearless” is one of the first words that come to mind when it comes to Dudley. His shot needs to get more consistent, but man-oh-man this kid is an athlete. He plays as if he was shot out of a cannon. His burst is tremendous, can finish over length, and his motor runs hot all the time at both ends.
Derrien Carter-Hollinger (Foothills Christian)
2021, SG, 6-foot-3, 165 pounds
Joel’s Take: The younger Carter-Hollinger has an all-around skill set that is different from his older sibling (Derrick). He can affect the game in the areas of scoring and faciliating. He has a nice burst off the dribble, can navigate his way to the rim, and can score in the paint area. He can knock in the 3-point shot as well, but it was his passing prowess that impressed us. However, to take his game to a new level he needs to handle adversity a bit better as his emotions affected his productioin more often than not.
Chris Howell (San Marcos)
2021, PG, 6-foot-6, 170 pounds
Joel’s Take: Howell has been a household name since the 8th grade due to his passng acumen. The rangy point guard has impeccable vision, can see over the defense with his length, and his ball skills are solid against pressure. His jump shot looks to be improved, but it will need to evolve with each and every season. Defensively, however, he showed some serious moxie as a rim protector and defensive rebounder.