Francisco Awards: Division II and Beyond (Class of 2020)
Francisco Awards: Division II and Beyond (Class of 2020) 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…
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Continue ReadingFrancisco Awards: Division II and Beyond (Class of 2020)
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. Brandon Boston Jr 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 Ziaire Williams.
USC-bound Evan Mobley is still considered the “best prospect”, but he needs to assert himself more going forward to reach his vast potential. Josh Christopher (Mayfair) put up huge numbers and Utah-bound Ian Martinez 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.
Darryl Jackson (Etiwanda)
CG, 6-foot, 155 pounds
Jackson in many ways was the most consistent performer on a loaded Etiwanda team.Joel’s Take: Cal Poly Pomona got a good one yesterday when they snagged the ultra-competitive Jackson. This relentless combo-guard plays both ends of the floor with his tenacious defensive prowess (active hands/quick feet). He can get out in transition and finish through contact or step out and convert deep jump shots.
Ethan Berks (Santa Monica)
PF, 6-foot-7, 215 pounds
Joel’s Take: Berks is a bouncy 4-man who has that prototypical DII frame and game. He isn’t skilled enough to play D1, but he plays with a great motor, has good hands and feet, and he runs well in transition. Rebounding, filling the lane, and getting putbacks are his main attributes, and he does them quite well.
Fidelis Okereke (King Drew)
PF, 6-foot-6, 220 pounds
Joel’s Take: “Manchild” is the first word that comes to mind when describing Okereke. He has a chiseled frame with big hands, broad shoulders, and is well put together. He is a rebounding machine, solid post defender, and is quick off the floor. His offensive game is still in it’s rudimentary stages as he is pretty limited outside of 5-feet, but he is a beast.
Adrian McIntyre (Saugus)
SG, 6-foot-4, 180 pounds
McIntyre is a consistent scorer from all three levels.Joel’s Take: McIntyre is a scoring machine. He can score from all three levels and is potent in all three levels. He excels in transition where he attacks the basket with passion, yet can stop on a dime and hit the jump shot. He isn’t an overly quick or an explosive athlete, but he is strong and a great competitor.
Jordan Shelley (Providence)
CG, 6-foot-4, 175 pounds
Joel’s Take: Shelley is one of the more versatile unsigned prospects in So-Cal. He can play inside and out due to his bounce and quickness. He has solid ball skills, can score in the paint as well as out on the perimeter, and he plays with a high motor—not too mention he affects the game in a number of areas at both ends of the floor.