BSN Showcase Game 2 – Riverside Hillcrest 74, Bonita Vista 49
San Diego teams got their chance to prove their mettle against some of the top teams in Southern California Dec. 14 at the BSN Sports Showcase. Carlsbad High played host to eight games, beginning with the 9:30 a.m. tilt between…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingSan Diego teams got their chance to prove their mettle against some of the top teams in Southern California Dec. 14 at the BSN Sports Showcase.
Carlsbad High played host to eight games, beginning with the 9:30 a.m. tilt between San Diego and Brea Olinda and culminating with an instant classic between Capistrano Valley and Poway, which needed a 50-foot buzzer beater to decide the outcome.
Next up in our analysis is Riverside Hillcrest’s dominant victory over Bonita Vista
Riverside Hillcrest 74, Bonita Vista 49
Hillcrest impresses with its depth
The Trojans came out the gate firing from all three levels and overwhelmed the shorthanded Barons. But what immediately stood out was how confident Coach Jackson Wood was in going to his bench. Mason Owens, a 1,000-point scorer who transferred his senior year from Citrus Hill, is a sixth man who would start for 90 percent of other programs. Backup point guard Devan Billedo is sure with the ball and sophomore Jeremiah Cameron adds depth. It also doesn’t hurt that every member of the starting five is a major contributor.
San Jose State gets an underrated talent – Sebastian Mendoza
San Jose State hasn’t posted a winning record in 10 years, and likely will finish under .500 this season. But their recruitment has picked up in recent years with prep sleepers and juco standouts. But Hillcrest senior G Sebastian Mendoza has a chance to be one of the best prep recruits they have snagged in a while.
The athletic scoring guard is very efficient on the floor and got to his spots at will against the Barons, hitting shots from every level, and showing off some underrated passing and playmaking. Developing his off hand will make him that much more effective when he’s at the next level.
Dennis Evans has a chance to be elite
As impressive as Mendoza was, 14-year-old freshman C Dennis Evans Jr. was the best long-term prospect on the floor. He’s rapidly improved his mobility and athleticism, and while he has a ways to go, showed off improved offensive repertoire, rebounding and rim protection. He opened the game finishing a lob with a two-handed slam and finished with 13 points, 15 rebounds and 5 blocks.
DJ Sanders rounding into a solid prospect
Bonita Vista’s struggles on the day overshadowed a very solid game from 2021 G DJ Sanders, who scored a game-high 25 points. The lefty almost exclusively scores with his left, but gets wherever he wants on the floor and is an excellent finisher through contact. He has tremendous length and is very strong for a 5-11 guard. Defensively, he has active hands, impressive instincts and elite lateral quickness. My colleague Devin Ugland has compared him to former Foothill/UC Davis PG TJ Shorts. I think as he continues to develop his playmaking off the bounce, the comparison will be complete.
Hillcrest support players impressive
We’ve talked about Mendoza and Evans, but Hillcrest also got very good performances from 6-3 junior sharpshooter Jayson Wiltz and 6-3 wiry slasher Chris Anderson. Anderson has a long, rangy frame and attacks the basket and finishes through contact at a much higher clip than his frame would suggest. Academics will keep him at the JUCO level, but he has a chance to be very good in a couple years. Wiltz has a fluid stroke and is underrated off the bounce.