Francisco’s Finest: The Classic at Damien (Day 2 Observations/Part 2)

<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;color: #00ff00"><b>Francisco's Finest: The Classic at Damien (Day 2 Observations/Part 2)</b></span></p> <p>LA VERNE, CA—Each and every season The Classic at Damien continues to build it's reputation and as it stands now, it's the “must-see” tournament on the West Coast. With an eighty team field broken up into five divisions, quality and quantity are at your doorstep. With that being said here is the breakdown of our observations throughout the first day at the top two divisions: Platinum and Gold.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p><span style="color: #0000ff"><b><i>Camren Pierce (Etiwanda)</i></b></span></p> <p><span style="color: #0000ff"><b><i>2020, PG, 6-foot, 165 pounds</i></b></span></p> [caption id="attachment_904724" align="alignleft" width="300"] <span style="color: #ff0000"><em><strong>Pierce is the glue to Etiwanda's success</strong></em></span>[/caption] <p><strong>Joel's Take:</strong> Etiwanda has a plethora of talent at every positon, however, Pierce is their catalyst. The hard-nosed point guard who is headed to Cal Poly is the glue for Head Coach Dave Kleckner's team. He possesses a nice burst off the dribble, can drop off nifty passes in the paint area, and he's a reliable pull-up jump shooter. Did I mention he is a hard-nosed defender?</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="color: #0000ff"><b><i>Ty Harper (Santa Clarita Christian)</i></b></span></p> <p><span style="color: #0000ff"><b><i>2021, SG, 6-foot-3, 160 pounds</i></b></span></p> <p><b><i>Joel's Take: </i></b>Harper is known for his acrobatic drives to the basket as well as his electrifying dunks in transition. However, his uncanny ability to hit big shots is noted. He has that rangy frame with good length and the burst to go along with it. He needs to learn how to play with more pace, but this lefty's stock is on the rise.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p><span style="color: #0000ff"><b><i>David Elliott (Birmingham)</i></b></span></p> <p><span style="color: #0000ff"><b><i>2021, CG, 6-foot-3, 175 pounds</i></b></span></p> <p><b>Joel's Take:</b> Elliott fits that mold today as a scoring point guard. He is a shot-first point guard, but he deliver the nice assist as well. His pull-up game is tight and he has the strength and bounce to finish in the paint area. What really stands out in his game, however, is his fearless competitve nature as he hit one shot after another to keep his team in it against Sierra Canyon.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p><span style="color: #0000ff"><b><i>Terren Frank (Sierra Canyon)</i></b></span></p> <p><span style="color: #0000ff"><b><i>2020, PF, 6-foot-8, 220 pounds</i></b></span></p> [caption id="attachment_766676" align="alignleft" width="240"] <em><strong><span style="color: #ff0000">Frank can score inside and out due to his length and soft touch.</span></strong></em>[/caption] <p><b>Joel's Take:</b> The Trailblazers are blessed with a bevy of hype and flash. However, Frank is the one teammate that comes at you with a high dose of consistency and steadiness. He is a face-up 4-man with a soft touch from the perimeter and a knack for scoring in the paint. He has great nose for the ball, which is not surprising since his dad (Tellis) was a standout at Western Kentucky back in the day.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p><span style="color: #0000ff"><b><i>Malik Thomas (Damien)</i></b></span></p> <p><span style="color: #0000ff"><b><i>2021, SG, 6-foot-3, 180 pounds</i></b></span></p> <p><b>Joel's Take:</b> The chiseled Thomas knows how to score. He can use his strength to get into the lane fort the finish or drop in a deep jump shot. His pull-up game is tight and he plays with a hot motor at both ends. He is playing with better pace now and his overall game has evolved since his 9th grade season.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>