CIF Southern Section Divisional Preview: Division 3AA Teams to Watch
With the the 2019-20 boys basketball season ready to kick off next week, we’ll be rolling out some divisional previews taking a look at some of the top teams and players. In our first piece, we breakdown some teams to…
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Continue ReadingWith the the 2019-20 boys basketball season ready to kick off next week, we’ll be rolling out some divisional previews taking a look at some of the top teams and players. In our first piece, we breakdown some teams to watch in Division 3AA based on research combined with what we’ve seen in person this fall.
Division 3AA Teams to Watch
Covina
2018-19 Record/Result: 21-8 overall, 8-2 Valle Vista League, lost in Division 3A quarterfinals
Outlook: The Colts might not replicate their 21 wins from last season, but you can expect them to not only be competitive in their league and area, but also within the division. Covina will be led by talented senior guard Rudy Suarez and had a group of freshmen and sophomores on varsity last season who got some much-needed experience under their belts. The Colts’ schedule is a difficult one with games against Providence (Burbank), Corona del Mar, Bonita and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.
Gahr
2018-19 Record/Result: 16-13 overall, 5-5 San Gabriel Valley League, lost in Division 2A first round
Outlook: The Gladiators drop down a notch in the competitive equity style of playoff grouping after falling to La Mirada in overtime last year in the first round of the Division 2A postseason. Gahr was dominated by underclassmen last season and their main cog, 6-6 swingman Jalen Pitre, is back for what should be a strong junior campaign. Pitre is one of the younger prospects in his grade and the rangy lefty has continued to improve throughout the offseason.
Laguna Beach
2018-19 Record/Result: 12-16 overall, 4-2 Wave League, lost in Division 2A first round
Outlook: The kings of ball reversal and back door cuts didn’t graduate one key piece from last season’s team. 6-foot-6 wing Nolan Naess will again be the leader of this Breakers team after averaging just under 20 points per game last season. Six-foot-4 shooting guard Lucas Kravitz also returns and is likely to increase his scoring from 11 points per game a season ago. Brooks Hogenauer and Willie Rounaghi are the two other guards to watch for Laguna Beach.
Mark Keppel
2018-19 Record/Result: 22-7, 10-0 Almont League, lost in Division 3AA first round
Outlook: it’s always a good start when a team returns its two best players and both happen to be in leadership positions. Laird Anderson, Jr. is a steady ball-hander and high IQ decision-maker who can also explode for big scoring outbursts. Diego Bustillo is the inside presence on this team and is a consistent double-double threat. Bustillo has a traditional back-to-the-basket scoring arsenal and he’s difficult to stop when he establishes deep post position.
Providence (Burbank)
2018-19 Record/Result: 28-8 overall, 8-0 Prep League, lost in Division 4A championship and lost in Division 4 state regional semifinals
Outlook: The Pioneers are loaded with returners and ones that are experienced on top of it. Jordan Shelley will be the catalyst as he was last season with his 16.8 points and 5.2 rebound per game averages. Providence returns three other starters, as well, in A’Jahni Levias (13.8 points, 9.2 rebounds), Bryce Whitaker (9.9 points) and Colin Ferrel (7.6 points). The Pioneers have some good tests on their schedule, including match-ups against Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Woodland Hills Taft, Campbell Hall and Santa Clarita Christian.
Servite
2018-19 Record/Result: 15-13 overall, 0-5 Trinity League, missed playoffs
Outlook: Servite always has a difficult road to the playoffs because the league it plays in is so difficult, but the Friars have a chance to make some noise this season with Orange Lutheran and Santa Margarita not being as loaded as they have been in past years. Sophomore point guard Tajavis Miller is one of the top players in SoCal’s 2022 class and junior shooting guard Andrew Cook is primed for a breakout season. Senior guard Kunal Bagga is the steadying force for this Servite squad and, once the Friars get their handful of football guys back, they should be in good position to make a playoff push in 3AA.
Sunny Hills
2018-19 Record/Result: 18-12 overall, 6-4 Freeway League, lost in Division 3A second round
Outlook: The loss of senior Luke Hosozawa is a big one as he put up averages of 18.1 points and just under 11 rebounds per game, but the Lancers have plenty of experienced players back this season. Look for 6-2 junior guard Wilson Cal to make up the loss of scoring left by Hosozawa as he put up 12.1 points per game as a junior. Peter Park (7.6 points) and Emmanuel Seddoh (5.3 points) are back for their senior seasons as well and should take their production up another notch.
Viewpoint
2018-19 Record/Result: 9-18 overall, 1-5 Gold Coast League, missed playoffs
Outlook: The Patriots are in a similar boat to that of Servite when it comes to their league. The Gold Coast League includes two loaded squads in Sierra Canyon and Windward, along with the always-competitive Crossroads, Brentwood, Campbell Hall and Paraclete. With automatic playoff bid’s tough to come by, Viewpoint will have to rely on snagging wins in nonleague play. The Patriots are extremely young this season with seven freshmen on the roster, but if J.J. Prince can get all the youngsters on the same page early, Viewpoint could make some noise. Look for freshmen Dante Ogbu, Giovanni Goree and Osiris Nalls to be impact first-year players.