SoCal’s Sleepers in 2021 (Pt. 2)
It seems like class of 2021 players across the country are pulling the trigger on commitments early than they would in a normal year. As we all know this certainly isn’t a normal year as the COVID-19 pandemic has limited…
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Continue ReadingIt seems like class of 2021 players across the country are pulling the trigger on commitments early than they would in a normal year. As we all know this certainly isn’t a normal year as the COVID-19 pandemic has limited the number of events and participants across the country.
In the Southern California recruiting landscape, many of the top 2021 prospects have pledged to Division I programs as the CIF Southern Section has decided to delay its season until March 12th at the earliest. With the altered season, rising seniors have even less time to be evaluated live by college coaches and we wanted to highlight some of the sleeper prospects within the region who should be on the radar of college coaches.
Kai Johnson Kai Johnson 6'1" | SG Highland | 2022 State CA-S , Oxnard – The wiry 6-foot-3 combo guard is an explosive athlete who has an aggressive attacking mentality and uses his speed to blow by defenders and put pressure on the rim. Johnson does a nice job of getting paint touches in both transition and half-court settings and can knock down jumpers on the move with regularity.
Jake Blazona Jake Blazona 5'11" | PG Santa Margarita | 2021 State CA-S , Santa Margarita – If you’re a college program looking for a reliable ball handler, decision-maker and all-around great leader, look no further than Blazona. The 6-foot point guard is a coach’s dream due to his high IQ, command for the position and just being a team-first guy. Blazona is a surefire Division III or NAIA point guard with a great academic resume.
Andrew Cook Andrew Cook 6'2" | SG Servite | 2021 State CA-S , Servite – Cook is a crafty scorer in the paint and at the mid-range level. The 6-foot-2 shooting guard is elusive off the bounce, understands how to attack angles and uses his body to shield off shot blockers and score around the basket. One of the more intriguing parts of Cook’s game is his ability to get to his spots at the mid-range level and rise up and shoot over defenders.
Chris Nickelberry Chris Nickelberry 5'10" | PG Damien | 2021 State CA-S , Damien – Nickelberry is similar to Blazona above as a guy who can control tempo and pace while getting teammates involved and setting them up in the spots they are most successful at. Scoring-wise, the 5-foot-11 point guard is definitely a pass-first guy, but he can stop and pop for a mid-range jumper with smoothness and balance on his release.