Francisco Awards: Bucket Getters (Class of 2020)

<p><span style="font-size: 14pt"><b>Francisco Awards: Bucket Getters (Class of 2020)</b></span></p> <p>LONG BEACH, CA—What do you do when you're taken out of the classroom and in the midst of a virus quarantine? You bust out “the best of the best” from the 2019-20 high school basketball season—So Cal Style. Beginning with the immensely talented Sierra Canyon squad, who exhibited the type of fanfare demonstrated by the Lonzo Ball-led Chino Hills squad of years past. <b>Brandon Boston Jr </b>was the MVP for the Trailblazers, but surprisingly the Kentucky signee was not the best player on his team as that label belonged to the multi-skilled <b>Ziaire Williams.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></p> <p>USC-bound <b>Evan Mobley</b> is still considered the “best prospect”, but he needs to assert himself more going forward to reach his vast potential. <b>Josh Christopher</b> (Mayfair) put up huge numbers and Utah-bound <b>Ian Martinez</b> rattled many rims with his bounce, but also showed off a much-improved jump shot. In the following blogs, we will break down the season and also project what the Class of 2020 has to offer going forward as they put their finger prints on the college basketball scene. However, that is only going to happen if this Corona Virus disappears into the thin air.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;font-size: 14pt"><b>Best Scorers</b></span></p> <p><b><i>Josh Christopher (Mayfair)</i></b></p> <p><b><i>SG, 6-foot-5, 210 pounds</i></b></p> <p><b>Joel's Take:</b> Christopher has been on the radar since middle school and he continues to impress with his all-around scoring package. He is blessed with “beastly legs” that allows him to carry defenders on his hip and finish through contact. The most underrated aspect of his game is his passing acumen and rebounding in and out of his area. On the other hand, his jump shot can be streaky and will have to get more consistent going forward as the competition increases exponentially.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p><b><i>Amound Anderson (Leuzinger)</i></b></p> <p><b><i>SG, 6-foot-3, 170 pounds</i></b></p> [caption id="attachment_905753" align="alignleft" width="150"] <em><strong>Anderson is one of the best available prospects in So-Cal.</strong></em>[/caption] <p><b>Joel's Take:</b> This slick lefty can score inside-and-out. He can knock in the 3-point shot or slash his way to the rim and his mid-range skills are evident as well—as evidenced by his multiple 30-point games. He has the length and ball skills as well to be a Division 1 player. To take his game to another level, he needs to get more efficient attacking with his right hand, improve his burst off the dribble, and develop a more consistent jump shot from the arc.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p><b><i>Nick Bowden Jr (St. Bernard)</i></b></p> <p><b><i>SG, 6-foot, 160 pounds</i></b></p> <p><b>Joel's Take: </b>There are not too many prospects that possess the competitive fire of Bowden. He led a youthful Viking squad at both ends of the floor as well as the locker room. He is clutch shooter with range and his burst of the dribble is solid as well. Whether it's tossing in a floater, knocking in a deep jump shot, or finishing through contact, Bowden can do it all.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p><b><i>Clark Slajchert (Oak Park)</i></b></p> <p><b><i>CG, 6-foot-1, 160 pounds</i></b></p> [caption id="attachment_287753" align="alignleft" width="150"] <strong>Oak Park guard Clark Slajchert credits his crafty scoring ability to playing against his two older brothers growing up.</strong>[/caption] <p><b>Joel's Take</b>: “Cold” is the first attribute that comes to mind when describing this sniper. Ever since his freshman season, Slajchert was fearless. He can score from all three levels and his mechanics are tight. His versatility allows him to play both guard positions as he is equally adept at scoring as he is facilitating.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p><b><i>Dominick Harris (Rancho Christian)</i></b></p> <p><b><i>SG, 6-foot-2, 175 pounds</i></b></p> <p><b>Joel's Take</b>: Harris grew on me as each season passed. The Gonzaga signee still makes decisions that have me question his overall feel for the game, but as a whole, this kid can score. He has the physical tools to be a high-level scorer at the next level. His jump shot is tight to the stripe and he has the frame, length, and bounce to convert plays versus the “bigs” in the paint.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>