Saturday Morning Standouts: Magic Memorial Tournament
The Magic Memorial tournament was a four-day tournament that took place at several sites. On Saturday, I was at Orange Lutheran High School and took in all the action with games ranging from 15u-17u. The following players caught my attention…
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Continue ReadingThe Magic Memorial tournament was a four-day tournament that took place at several sites. On Saturday, I was at Orange Lutheran High School and took in all the action with games ranging from 15u-17u. The following players caught my attention in the morning session (9 am- 2 pm).
Jaylen Clark ’20 (Compton Magic Elite 17u) In a very highly anticipated matchup between Compton Magic and Dream Vision in which Compton Magic won 68-48, Clark was my most outstanding player. Clark showed everyone why he is a high major prospect. Jaylen Clark showed great lateral foot speed and quick hands to get steals and fly in the open court. Clark was very disciplined on not reaching and picking up cheap fouls. I also liked how Clark was attacking the rim even though Dream Vision had a seven footer protecting the rim. Jaylen Clark used his athleticism and high IQ on defense to impact this Boost Cup championship game.
Kalib Lacount ’22 (Compton Magic- Team Thomas 15u) Sure Kalib plays alongside one of the top 2022 players in the nation Mickey Williams, but that does not take away the fact he impacts the game at a high level. On Saturday morning, I saw Kalib show great patience on the pick and roll. Kalib was able to dish out some excellent pocket passes to his forwards when rolling to the rim. On the fast break, Kalib used his quickness to finish at the basket. Kalib is one point guard to watch this high school season in the City Section.
Anthony Gamboa ’19 (Open Gym Premier Black) Gamboa had an explosive dunk on Saturday in which he split two defenders who were in a zone defense. Sure his team had a lopsided win, but Gamboa was really entertaining to watch, especially in the open court. He showed great athleticism both on defense and offense. If this two-sport athlete can fix the holes in his game he can really take his game to another level.
Ian Martinez ’20 (Southern California All-Stars) Martinez was at the top of my list in terms of must watch. Many in the basketball community feel he has risen his stock this spring and taken his game to another level. I liked what I saw from Martinez in terms of court vision. He had some great passes both in the half court and on the break. Defenders were sagging off Martinez, but he showed a great ability to knock down the three point shot especially off the dribble. I also liked how Martinez always plays in a triple threat position, especially when pushing the ball down the court, which allows him to stop on a dime. Martinez willed his team to a 64-61 victory over Uneek Ballers. Martinez was able to seal the game at the charity strike.
Richard Saramiento ‘21 (EBO 16u) One word to describe Richard’s play is fearless. He does not let one mistake get to him. On Saturday, he showed a great ability to get to the rim and finish with either hand. One part of his game that might go unnoticed is the way he puts his teammates in the right spot. He makes sure the offense is set and a true floor leader on the court. Not many teams have a guy who wants to direct traffic, but Richard is that for his team which contributed to Saturday’s win over Las Vegas Knicks 16u 50-45.
Yassine Graham ‘20 (Compton Magic Elite 17u) If I had to give out a sixth man award for the weekend it would go to Graham. In the matchup against Dream Vision, he came off the bench and started scoring from the get-go. Graham showed his ability to drive but also showed great touch around the hoop. Graham is known for his passing, but it seems he has added more to his skill set.
Andre Harris ’20 (Compton Magic Elite 17u) Dre Harris played a massive part in Compton Magic Boost title championship. Harris did a great job of playing big. Harris was a bit undersized against Dream Vision big men but he by far held his own, especially on the defensive side. On the other hand, I liked Harris finishing ability around the rim. One skillset which caught my attention was his passing. He showed the ability of finding cutters to the rim and was able to work the high-low action with Evan Mobley.