Francisco’s Finest: RHP State Preview (Standouts)

Joel Francisco

January 28, 2020 @ 07:17 PM

Francisco's Finest: RHP State Preview (Standouts) WILMINGTON, CA—The NO. 1 junior in the West Peyton Watson of Long Beach Poly didn't waste any time exhibiting the skills and bounce to warrant that claim. He showcased his talent in a number of ways including knocking in a number of deep 3s as well dishing out some nifty assists. While Watson was the top individual performer, there were a few fine performances from some under-the-radar prospects in 2022 Daniel Jackson (Santa Monica) and 2020 Marland Harris (Westchester) that caught our eye. Peyton Watson (Long Beach Poly) 2021, WF, 6-foot-6, 175 pounds [caption id="attachment_716115" align="alignleft" width="150"] Watson had his A game going against Taft as he impacted the game at both ends.[/caption] Joel's Take: Watson didn't take anytime demonstrating why he is the best prospect out West in his class. The wiry wing can score and facilitate with aplomb. His burst off the dribble is quick and he has the ability to pull-up on a dime and nail the jump shot or snap a dime to an open teammate. Defensively, his timing is uncanny as a weakside rim protector. Overall, his first half performance was scintillating when he nailed six contested 3s while in the 2nd half he had a couple of rim-rattling dunks. Paris Dawson (Corona Centennial) 2020, CG, 6-foot-1, 160 pounds Joel's Take: If there is a frontrunner for Open Division POY, it should be Dawson. Based on consistent production, he should be the pick. The Portland State-bound combo-guard plays with a Kobe-like mindset on every possession. He has a flawless jump shot coming off a pin-down screen and he squares up nicely with a quick release. His man-to-man defense is stifling and he slides his feet well without reaching. Josh Christopher (Mayfair) 2020, SG, 6-foot-5, 200 pounds [caption id="attachment_733155" align="alignleft" width="150"] Christopher is a scoring machine[/caption] Joel's Take: At the high school level there are not too many prospects with finishing ability of Christopher. His explosiveness and strength to finish through contact is peerless. He can knock in the deep 3-ball with his high-arching shot and he draws perimeter fouls with the best of them. He can deliver the nifty assist as well and overall his court vision is high-level. He lets his emotions get the best of him at times, but this McDonald's AA is a major talent.   David Elliot (Birmingham) 2021, PG, 6-foot-2, 175 pounds Joel's Take: The game against Mayfair was a frenetic affair, but Elliot appeared to be the calming force in leading his Birmingham teammates to victory. He has a smooth jump shot, one in which was the clutch game winner. He is a scorer first and foremost, but he can facilate the offense and his overall game is on the rise. An area that needs attention—as it does with most young players—is the concept of time and score. With his team up and less than a minute to go, instead of running clock he forced a shot early on in the shot clock, which led to a Mayfair basket. Dior Johnson (Mayfair) 2022, PG, 6-foot-1, 160 pounds Joel's Take: There are two superlatives that standout with Johnson—rebounding and scoring in traffic. He has a crafty handle, changes speeds well, and once he gets in the lane he has an array of shots that he converts with consistency. He has a capable pull-up game as well, but he needs to learn about game management as his assist-to-turnover ratio was glaring (7 TOs to 0 assists).