Take Flight Challenge: Wings to keep tabs on
REDONDO BEACH, Ca. — The sixth annual Take Flight Challenge, dually hosted by Redondo Union and Culver City high schools, was a two-day, 13-game event split in to three separate sessions. The showcase featured a variety of high school programs…
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Continue ReadingREDONDO BEACH, Ca. — The sixth annual Take Flight Challenge, dually hosted by Redondo Union and Culver City high schools, was a two-day, 13-game event split in to three separate sessions.
The showcase featured a variety of high school programs hailing from multiple regions of Southern California along with Sheldon from Sacramento and Liberty from Henderson, Nevada.
Here are a handful of wings who are off the radar now, but won’t be for long:
Xavier Brown, Sheldon
Brown is of the “high motor” and “active” ilk and it shows in his game. The 6-foot-4 has a knack for the ball on the offensive glass, can bully his way into downhill drives and finishes, and has the back-to-the-basket game to score on the block. Brown finished with 17 points in the Huskies win over Bishop Montgomery.
Crossroads junior Miles Ceballos scored 20 points in the Roadrunners’ win over Culver City.Miles Ceballos, Crossroads
Ceballos is a bonafide scorer whose confidence has gone up as his role in the Roadrunners’ offense has increased. The 6-foot-2 junior has a smooth pull-up mid-range game and understands how to use a ball screen to his advantage to get an open look. He is the son of former NBA player Cedric Ceballos who starred at Compton Dominguez High and Cal State Fullerton. Miles scored 20 points in Crossroads’ win over Culver City.
Dion Porter, Los Altos
Porter is long and bouncy and has learned how to impact the game without the ball in his hands. The 6-foot-4 junior is an adept offensive rebounder, using his leaping ability and length to out-jump opponents for missed shots, resulting in second chance opportunities for his team. Porter is a smooth finisher when getting out and filling the lane in transition.
Ricky Rivas, Alemany
Rivas has one transferrable skill under his belt that not many young prospects these days have and that’s the ability to stretch the floor from 3-point range. The 6-foot-2 sophomore not only has a quick trigger on his perimeter shot, but he can also stretch it quite deep beyond the 3-point line.
Peyton Watson, Long Beach Poly
Watson has been on our radar since the summer prior to his freshman season, and while his development hasn’t been an extremely rapid process, he continues to show improvements each time out. The 6-foot-4 sophomore has a rangy, intriguing frame and is a better defender than he’s given credit for. Watson blocked a handful of shots in a win over Mission Bay and gets more confident in his game in each outing.