A Scout’s Take: Torrey Pines Holiday Classic Standouts (Part 2)
A Scout’s Take: Torrey Pines Holiday Classic Standouts (Part 2)
SAN DIEGO, CA—John Olive and his Torrey Pines Holiday Classic staff have been the architects of one of the best post-Christmas events since 1991—and their hospitality was spot on as well—other than sitting on bleachers for 12 hours (smiling Emoji). Each year they gather some of the best from Southern California as well outside of the region in Seattle O’Dea and Shadow Mountain in Phoenix. What we learned was 2020 Jalen Green is much-improved and Shadow Mountain has a dynamic back court in Arizona State signee Jaelen House and Grand Canyon signee Jovan Blacksher.
Jovan Blacksher (Phoenix/Shadow Mountain)
2019, PG, 6-foot, 155 pounds
Joel’s Take: Blacksher is the calming force behind the maniacal play of Shadow Mountain. While his teammate Jaelen House is the catalyst to this relentless style, Blacksher picks his spots to dominate. He was sneaky good throughout the game against Foothills Christian with slithering drives, crafty ball handling, and timely shooting.
Makur Maker (Orange Lutheran)
2019, PF, 6-foot-11, 220 pounds
Joel’s Take: When Maker decides it’s time to win a game, he is tough to stop. Much of the game he floats around the perimeter and displays his gifted shooting touch behind the arc. However, due to his size, athleticism, and skill, he could really dominate a game if he decided to dominate the paint more often than not.
Chibuzo Agbo (St. Augustine)
2020, WF/PF, 6-foot-6, 215 pounds
Joel’s Take: Agbo is versatile prospect who can play the 4 and the 3. He has the strength to convert inside and the touch to drop in the 3-ball. In today’s game he projects well to the mid-major level as a small-ball 4-man.
Yassine Graham (Foothills Christian)
2020, PG, 6-foot-1, 155 pounds
Joel’s Take: “Moxie” would be the best way to describe this up-and-coming point guard. His competitive spirit is contagious and he kept his composure quite well considering the suffocating pressure of Shadow Mountain. He is equally effective as a playmaker as he is a defender. His active hands, lateral quickness, and instincts cause havoc on the defensive end while on offense his fast-paced style creates plays for he and his teammates.
Bryce Pope (Torrey Pines)
2019, SG, 6-foot-4, 190 pounds
Joel’s Take: Pope is an “old school” scorer as he likes to dominate in his defenders in the mid-range area. He can score from beyond the arc (slow release), but he is tough to deal with 15-feet and in due to his solid 1st step, body control, and scoring savvy.
Jaelen House (Phoenix/Shadow Mountain)
2019, SG, 6-foot-1, 155 pounds
Joel’s Take: First and foremost, House is a gamer. Despite the on-court antics, he competes at both ends of the floor. Superior quickness and speed in the open court and a knack for getting to the rim. His jump shot is erratic, but he never loses confidence. Defensively, he slides his feet well and has active hands.
Derrick Carter-Hollinger (Foothills Christian)
2019, SG, 6-foot-4, 195 pounds
Joel’s Take: Carter-Hollinger showed his importance to his team’s success when he fouled out and his team was still in it against Shadow Mountain. He was relentless on the boards and scoring in the mid-range area. His 1st step is impressive and he’s an excellent rebounder for his size. Montana got a good one in this long-armed gifted scorer.