Classic at Damien: First Five All-Tournament Team
The 3rd annual Classic at Damien boys’ basketball tournament again proved why it’s the premier post-holiday high school event on the west coast. Rancho Christian, led by forwards and brother duo Isaiah and Evan Mobley, took home the tourney crown…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe 3rd annual Classic at Damien boys’ basketball tournament again proved why it’s the premier post-holiday high school event on the west coast.
Rancho Christian, led by forwards and brother duo Isaiah and Evan Mobley, took home the tourney crown with a 77-69 victory over Corona Centennial.
Evan Mobley just missed a triple-double, recording 16 points, 10 rebounds and nine blocked shots, while his older brother Isaiah added 17 and junior guard Dominick Harris led the way with 21.
DJ Davis led Centennial with 23 points, while fellow junior Jaylen Clark added 21.
It was the second time that the Eagles defeated the Huskies in a tournament championship game, the first being earlier this season at the BattleZone.
Here are the First Five All-Tournament performers from the four-day event.
Ziaire Williams, WF, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame
Williams didn’t close out the tournament with his best effort, scoring just eight points against a great defensive team in Rancho Verde, but his production through the first three games could not be denied. The highly-regarded junior went for 30-plus point, 14-plus rebound double-double’s in each of his first three contests and single-handedly dismantled Buckeye from Arizona and Etiwanda.
Jaylen Clark, WF, Corona Centennial
Clark’s versatility is one of the biggest reasons why Centennial was able to make a championship run. the 6-foot-4, 200-pound junior scored 15 points in the Huskies semifinal win over Fairfax, but more importantly, used his strong frame and big time athleticism to match-up well with Fax’s high-level guard play. Clark finished with 21 points in the championship loss to Rancho Christian.
Isaiah Mobley, F, Rancho Christian
There’s not much more you can say about Isaiah Mobley’s game now that he’s shooting it from the perimeter with the consistency he’s shown over the course of this season. The 6-foot-9 USC-bound senior doesn’t always produce explosive scoring numbers, but he’s continuously making high IQ basketball decisions and flirting with triple-double’s night in and night out with his passing and rebounding abilities.
Evan Mobley, Rancho Christian’s 7-foot junior F/C, is a consistent triple-double threat.Evan Mobley, F/C Rancho Christian (Most Outstanding Player)
There’s little to no answer for opposing coaches when game-planning against a player the caliber of Evan Mobley. The 7-footer is one of the quickest leapers in the gym, making him a high-level shot blocker and finisher in the paint on the offensive end. The only way to stop him on the block is to apply some physicality, but then he’ll just step out and knock down a face-up 3-point shot. The younger Mobley, like his older brother, is consistently putting up near-triple-doubles.
Onyeka Okongwu, C, Chino Hills
Okongwu didn’t get to finish off The Classic on his terms as he went down in both the quarter and semifinals with injury, but the USC-signee was nothing short of dominant when healthy. In the Huskies first round win over Buckeye, Big O scored 34 points with 14 rebounds and followed that up with 34 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks in a quarterfinal win over Riverside Notre Dame.