San Diego Sophomore Sleepers
Not every high school player plays varsity as a freshman. This means that every fall, there are sophomores who hovered well below the radar who emerge in their first season on the upper team. This year is no different. Here…
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Continue ReadingNot every high school player plays varsity as a freshman. This means that every fall, there are sophomores who hovered well below the radar who emerge in their first season on the upper team. This year is no different. Here are some of the better sophomores that you should get to know based on their early season performances. And the list includes a sophomore who made an impression on the JV level.
San Diego Sophomore Sleepers
Joey Cleaves, 5-8 PG, Steele Canyon
Cleaves will pass no one’s eye test, but he is fun to watch. The crafty floor general has tight handle, deceptive quickness and pretty high-level feel with the ball. A reluctant scorer, Cleaves needs to continue to extend his range on his jumpshot, and finish at the basket through contact. But he’s one of the better passers I’ve seen to begin the season.
Ryan Luo, 5-10 G, Del Norte
Luo is a dynamic scorer who uses his potent jump shot to open up his scoring from other levels. He uses pump fakes to open up drives, and can knock down both the mid-range pull up and finish around the basket. Physically, he’s slight of frame, and wears down at the end of games. Improving strength and conditioning will help him with that moving forward.
Jon Pearson, 6-3 F, Canyon Crest
Conversely, Pearson, known as “JJ” to his teammates, is built like a linebacker. But he’s far from a brute. Sure, he’s an excellent rebounder and has a great motor and nose for loose balls. But he also showed nice driving ability and the ability to use jump stops to come on balance and finish with nice touch around the basket. Pearson also knocked down an open three, but he needs to hit that shot with greater consistency.
Joe DiPaolo, 6-5 F, St. Augustine
DiPaolo showed flashes of solid post play while spelling Luke Haupt and Chibuzo Agbo in brief spurts during the San Diego Tip-Off Tournament. He probably won’t play big minutes this year, but I like his combination of size, decent length and an improved offensive repertoire, including a nice righty jump hook. He’s come a long way in a very short time.
Isaiah Brickner, 6-1 G, St. Augustine
Brickner looks to be the future for Saints at the point guard position. The smooth lead guard almost seems to glide with the ball in his hands, and deceptively changes speeds to attack the basket. His best offensive attribute right now is his catch-and-shoot ability. He has excellent mechanics and a quick release. He’s got a ton of upside.
Zach Fuggmann, 5-8 PG, Westview
I had a chance to catch a JV game this year, and Westview has a number of sophomores and juniors playing on the lower team. But Fuggmann was the most impressive. Despite being the smallest player on the court, he controlled the game with his high-level feel and shooting. Fuggmann is excellent in pick-and-roll, and makes the right read almost all of the time. He should get a chance to contribute to the varsity level sooner than later.
Hayden Gray, 6-1 PG, Santa Fe Christian
Gray has been one of the more cerebral point guards in the class for a while. But a recent growth spurt has pushed him above 6 feet, and he’s playing with more confidence as a result. He uses hesitation and changes of speed as good as any point guard in the class to get into the paint and deal to open teammates either on the perimeter or cutting to the basket. He can hit open shots from deep (set shot), but his release needs to get faster to be more effective in that area.
Keatten Smith, 6-1 SG, Santa Fe Christian
Smith, the cousin of former LCC star and Brown player Travis Fuller, is a nice prospect in his own right. The sharpshooter is automatic when his feet are set, and does a great job moving with out the basketball to create space to get off his shot. In the early going he’s shown the ability to get to the basket with either hand and finishes with both hands. A priority moving forward will be getting stronger, which will allow him to finish through contact at the basket.