Five Takeaways: Village Christian vs San Gabriel Academy
Los Angeles, CA – The crowd at Staples Center was on hand for some basketball on Monday late afternoon. However the match up featured neither the Los Angeles Clippers nor the Lakers, but rather a high school regular season game…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingLos Angeles, CA – The crowd at Staples Center was on hand for some basketball on Monday late afternoon. However the match up featured neither the Los Angeles Clippers nor the Lakers, but rather a high school regular season game between Village Christian and San Gabriel Academy. Several players stood out among the others and caught the eyes of Prep Hoops.
Bouba Coulibaly @Boubaca79777809 had his rim protector and finishing badges on full display at Staples Center 🏅 @SGABasketball @DreamVisionBall pic.twitter.com/TrGf3VIJsz
— Slam N Jam (@TheSlamNJam) November 23, 2019
Best All Around Performance: Boubacar Coulibaly (2020, Center, San Gabriel Academy) was a beast among men in his match up against Village Christian. Coulibaly used his length, athleticism, and size to constantly alter and block shots at the rim. On the offensive end, the big man exhibited much improved touch and footwork. Several times Coulibaly found himself with the ball 15-20 ft from the basket and was able to attack the rim with spins and up and under moves which he converted on. Boubacar finished the game with 27 points 11 rebounds, and 5 blocks.
Best Shooter: Ian McCloskey (2020, Guard, San Gabriel Academy) did a great job showing off his range with the bigger court on the Staples Center floor. McCloskey has the ability to catch and shoot, and can also pull up off the dribble for the three ball. McCloskey finished with 13 points and also set up his teammates with 6 assists.
Most Athletic: JT Langston (2020, Wing, San Gabriel Academy) made his debut as an Eagle at Staples Center and immediately showed the local crowd why he was so exciting to watch back in Indiana. The transfer wing had several highlight plays at the rim where he showed off his jumping ability. Langston has springs in his legs and utilizes them to throw down dunks for the Eagles, and also on defense where he can help and alter shots weak side, or chase down players on fast breaks with a block.off the backboard.
Most Intriguing Prospect: Immanuel Taylor (2024, Guard, Village Christian) is full of potential. The 5’9″ freshman was a sparkplug and found himself all over the court. Although most of the time he was the smallest player on the court, he was able to use his tenacity and hustle to play passing lanes and come up with timely steals, and also was able to get into the lane to create for his teammates. Taylor was able to utilize his quickness to also create space for shots off the dribble. Taylor finished with 11 pts. Basketball is in his genes as his older brother is former Fresno St. guard Jahmel Taylor. Keep an eye on Taylor as he will grow into a special player.
Most Underrated: Matt Lee (2020, Guard, Village Christian) is not found on the rankings and is a diamond in the rough. The underrated 5’11” combo guard is fearless. He attacked the rim several times and was not afraid to go up against the height of the San Gabriel Academy team inside. At times he is very unselfish and will pass up his own looks to get better ones for his teammates. He can score as he possesses a smooth jumper which he can get off the dribble and also can spot up. Lee finished with a team high of 15 points for the Crusaders. Currently he is in a lineup with two other ball dominant guards and at time has to play off ball but should be a promising combo guard at the next level.