Francisco’s Finest: Trevor Ariza Tip Off Classic (Surprises)
Francisco’s Finest: Trevor Ariza Tip Off Classic (Surprises) PLAYA DEL REY, CA—I’ve been to a number of Trevor Ariza Tip Off Classics, but this year’s version of it was the deepest in many years. The semi-finals were scintillating as Heritage…
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Continue ReadingFrancisco’s Finest: Trevor Ariza Tip Off Classic (Surprises)
PLAYA DEL REY, CA—I’ve been to a number of Trevor Ariza Tip Off Classics, but this year’s version of it was the deepest in many years. The semi-finals were scintillating as Heritage Christian defeated Etiwanda in overtime while St. Bernard survived the backyard tilt against neighboring Westchester. At the end of the day or Saturday night for that matter, Nick Bowden would hoist the MVP trophy as he lead St. Bernard against upstart Heritage Christian.
TJ Wainwright (Westchester)
2021, CG, 6-foot-3, 165 pounds
Wainwright can stroke the 3-pointer and he is learning to play both ends as well.Joel’s Take: With the Comets, Wainwright plays off the ball to compliment the playmaking skills of Kymani Pollard—and he’s doing quite well. The relentless combo-guard runs along the baseline and has the ability to square up and convert jump shots. The slick lefty, who is known for his quick trigger, played under control and efficient and is learning the ways of the Comet culture
Dylan Barrientos (Hart)
2020, PG, 5-foot-11, 160 pounds
Joel’s Take: Barrientos isn’t going to “wow” you with speed and quickness, but he’ll grind you at both ends of the floor. He changes speeds very well and his head is always up. He can get into his defender, stay low, and snap passes to open teammates. He is a leader on the court and his moxie is demonstrated at both ends of the floor.
Anthony Robinson (Long Beach Poly)
2021, PG, 5-foot-10, 140 pounds
Joel’s Take: Robinson is an ultra-quick point guard who is relentless at both ends of the floor. He is a slick ball handler who blitzes by defenders and he has a nice runner to his game. Defensively, he slides his feet very well, has active hands, and his instincts are high-level. Peyton Watson gets most of the attention and rightfully so, but Robinson has been the catalyst for sparking some of the Jackrabbits’ victories.
Evans Kipkemoi (Renaissance Academy)
2020, C, 6-foot-8, 220 pounds
Joel’s Take: Kipkemoi has extraordinarily long arms and broad shoulders. The blue collar 5-man has limited offense other than an occasional tip-in or power dunk. However, as a rim-protecting 5-man who can rebound in and out of his area, he is quite potent.
Tyree Campbell (Etiwanda)
2020, WF, 6-foot-5, 175 pounds
Joel’s Take: Etiwanda has a plethora of wing-types and Campbell is the sleeper of the bunch. He has that prototypical frame with long arms and he impacts the game in a number of ways. He can defend multiple positions and he plays hard. His jump shot needs to tighten up, but his ball skills and decison-making has improved.