HustleSZNKickoff: Friday night notebook
NEWBURY PARK – I made the 99-mile – as in, one way – trek northwest on the 73 Tollway and 405 and 101 Freeways Friday for the opening of the Prep Hoops’ HustleSNZ Kickoff weekend action. Some 4…
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Continue ReadingNEWBURY PARK – I made the 99-mile – as in, one way – trek northwest on the 73 Tollway and 405 and 101 Freeways Friday for the opening of the Prep Hoops’ HustleSNZ Kickoff weekend action.
Some 4 ½ hours later – including an hour-plus in the bar of a near-by Outback Steakhouse, where I had one of those best-in-the-world baked potatoes (the salty skin was awesome as always) and well-affordable sirloin steak while watching hunks of a couple of NCAA tourney tilts – I strolled into the Mama Sports Academy.
The games I took the longest looks at were:
*A 16s division class pitting SoCal-based Fastbreak Sports and Inspire Dreams Becomes Reality from Arizona.
The Arizona squad had a strong post presence from the Class of 2021 in 6-foot-6 LeRoy Williams, who had a solid sophomore season for Buckeye Union.
Even with the departure of standout senior Otis Frazier, look for Williams and 2020 guard Tay Boothman to keep Coach Randy Bland’s program in Arizona championship contention in 2019-20.
Also impressing for IDBR were fellow juniors-to-be in guards Demetrius Johnson II (San Tan Charter) and Montez Taylor (Williams Field) – both in the 5-9ish range.
Playing well for Lionel Benjamin’s L.A. Fastbreak 16s was 2022-point guard Jayce Johnson (Wiseburn-Da Vinci.
*Some of SoCal’s top Class of 2021s were on display for The Truth 16s against Washington-based “Fuego”.
Notably among those were L.A. Dorsey’s Damion McDowell and Reese Dixon (exceptional scorer), and fast-rising, 6-4 Peyton Watson of Long Beach Poly.
Dictating the pace for the squad was another Dorsey player, 2022’s Jason Hart Jr. (pictured), one of the better point guard-prospects in his class in the west.
The biggest surprise for the squad (at least from my perspective, since I don’t recall seeing him before) was 6-5 Joshua Uphold of Bakersfield Uphold – probably the best rebounder I saw all night.
*The final game I paid closest attention to – as is staying seated in the same spot throughout the game – was the 17s clash between Arizona Powerhouse and the SoCal-based The Truth.
The Truth was led by Lynwood senior-to-be Jaren “Styx” Johnson (6-4ish), an exceptional jump shooter and very good student, as well.
In cruising to victory, Powerhouse got nice efforts out of Scottsdale Chaparral Class of 2020 guard Alem Huseinvoic, a quality jump shooter, as well as slender (very slender) 6-7 senior-to-be left hander Logan Phillips (Chandler Valley Christian).