So Cal – LV Showdown Preview: Top Players
The first annual So – Cal – Las Vegas showdown takes place this week in Pasadena, California. Hosted by recruiting legend Gerry Freitas this event brings together some of the best programs from Southern California to face off against some…
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Continue ReadingThe first annual So – Cal – Las Vegas showdown takes place this week in Pasadena, California. Hosted by recruiting legend Gerry Freitas this event brings together some of the best programs from Southern California to face off against some of the best programs from Las Vegas. There will be plenty of star power on display. In this article, PH takes a look at some of the top players participating in the event.
Mason Hooks 6’10 F Harvard – Westlake 2020 (#14PHSC 2020) – The Princeton commit is a high IQ player and cerebral big man. Hooks possess tremendous passing skills and has the ability to finish around the rim with either hand.
Brase Dottin 6’6 SF Harvard – Westlake 2020 (#65PHSC 2020) – Dottin has a ratchet. The 6’6 wing is tremendous shooting the ball off the bounce. He has a refined mid-range game and is also dangerous from 3. He currently holds an offer from Loyola Marymount.
Anthony Hunter 5’11 PG Durango 2020 (#7PHN 2020) – “Tone” Hunter is an above-average athlete with the ability to finish at the rim over size. Hunter is one of the best two-way players in the state, a big-time scorer that doubles as a lockdown perimeter defender.
Keshon Gilbert 6’2 PG Durango 2021 (#7PHN 2021) – Elite competitor, with the ability to will his team to victory. The UNLV commit is a pure PG that will protect the ball and set up teammates.
Marcus Reedy 6’6 SF Ribet Academy 2020 (#73PHSC 2020) – My search to watch Marcus Reedy play live, makes its next stop in Pasadena. Reddy is an athletic wing that can finish at the basket as well as knock down 3’s.
Dominque Ford 6’2 SG Desert Oasis 2020 (#8PHN 2020) (featured image) – Ok, Dom Ford, the floor is yours. Ford has been off to a tremendous start to the season. He’s done it against good competition as well, combining for 58 against undefeated Durango and National power Wasatch. Great opportunity for him to put his name on the regional map with a big game in this showcase.
Jaylen Clark 6’5 SG Etiwanda 2020 (#10PHSC 2020) – This showcase provides me with another opportunity to see Jaylen Clark live. Elite run and jump athlete that can be counted on for at least one highlight play per game. Clark is a special competitor willing to do anything to help his team win.
Jahmai Mashack 6’3 SG Etiwanda 2020 (#3PHSC 2020) – Mashack is one of the top players in the C/O 2021. A versatile defender, with an exceptionally high basketball IQ.
Anthony Swift 6’6 SF Desert Pines 2021 (#5PHN 2021) – Swift is an athletic wing, that finishes and protects the rim. Has a face-up game out to 15 feet with the ability to get to the rim off the bounce.
Milos Uzan 6’3 PG Desert Pines 2022 (#2PHN 2022) – One of the youngest players on the list may be the most important. Uzan is the machine that makes DP go. A smooth PG that understands how to keep his team at an optimal tempo. Unselfish leader, that values every possession and understands when it’s time to make a play for himself or his teammates.
Paris Dawson 6’0 SG Corona Centennial 2020 (#25PHSC 2020) – The Portland St recruit is the prototypical combo guard. Dawson has the ability to beat you with his shooting, other times with his playmaking skills.
Jaden Hardy 6’4 PG Coronado 2021 (#1PHN 2021) – Hardy is one of the top players in the C/O 2021. An electrifying playmaker that possesses several elite skills. Hardy can beat you off the bounce, and with quick pull up ability. When he activates his PG, he has the ability to deliver on time and on target passes to teammates.
Boubacar Coulibaly 6’10 C San Gabriel Academy 2020 – Please tell me he’s playing. Coulibaly is a fluid 5 that sprints the floor and attacks the rim. He has a terrific combination of size, athleticism, and agility that allows him to protect the rim and grab out of area rebounds.
M’Wani Wilkinson 6’6 SF Bishop Gorman 2020 (#4PHN 2020) – The walking highlight reel known as M’Wani Wilkinson will make his next stop in Pasadena. Wilkinson is one of the elite run and jump athletes in the nation. I expect his defensive versatility and athleticism to impact the game in a variety of ways.
Noah Taitz 6’3 SG Bishop Gorman 2020 (#3PHN 2020) – By now these types of games are old hat for Taitz. One of the most decorated players in the state, Taitz has a history of making shots in big games. A knockdown shooter with above the rim finishing ability, Saturday provides one more opportunity to see him display his craft at the prep level.
Evan Mobley 7’0 C Rancho Christian 2020 (#1PHSC 2020) – The #1 player will be on display in the nightcap of the showcase. Mobley is a generational big man, that mixes throwback toughness with a modern-day skill set. Think Prep version of Anthony Davis.
Jullian Strawther 6’6 SF Liberty 2020 (#2PHN 2020) – If we’re keeping it 100, Julian Strawther has made this look easy. At a certain point, elite player’s skills simply surpass the prep level and it looks like that for Strawther. He’s making 50 point games look routine, and no one has figured out how to defend him. If he goes nuts against Rancho, is it too early to pencil him in as a McDonald’s AA?