July Event Notebook: Cali-Live Players to Watch (Pt. 5)
We wanted to take some time to highlight even more prospects from the July live period coverage that has already been published. In this piece we dig deeper in to our notes to recognize some intriguing prospects who didn’t get…
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Continue ReadingWe wanted to take some time to highlight even more prospects from the July live period coverage that has already been published. In this piece we dig deeper in to our notes to recognize some intriguing prospects who didn’t get mentioned in our initial coverage of the Cali-Live period event in Irvine.
Zion Sensley, 2024, Oakland Soldiers 16u EYBL – Sensley showed why he’s one of the highest regarded rising sophomore’s in Southern California. His rangy 6-foot-7 frame is accompanied by a blossoming skill-set complete with a smooth shooting stroke and the ball skills and wiggle to take defenders off the bounce and to the rim where he extends to the rim for finishes. The former Archbishop Riordan product will suit up for Prolific Prep in Napa (CA) next season.
Jackson Shelstad, 2023, Oakland Soldiers 16u EYBL – Any west coast high school and Pac-12 basketball fans immediate think of Payton Pritchard when they think of West Linn high school and Shelstad could add his name to that short list. The 6-foot, 170-pounder is both strong, quick and shifty, but also knows how to change speeds and direction to keep defenders off-balance. He can knock down the stop and pop three-pointer, has an effective mid-range jumper and uses his body to shield shot blockers to finish strong at the rim. Shelstad’s best qualities are his passing IQ and ability to control the pace of a game.
Dylan Skaife, 2024, Eastern Washington Elite 15u Flight – I’d describe Skaife simply as a gamer. He’s the type of guy who will do whatever it takes to win – from diving on the floor for a loose ball to making the extra pass to finding a way to score himself – to play is too small for this 6-foot-2 guard. The Ferris (WA) high school product connects on open catch and shoot three’s and can also create his own shot off the bounce. The best thing about his offensive arsenal is he doesn’t force the issue.
Kaleb Smith, 2022, Prodigy 17 Elite – We didn’t get to see a lot of Smith last season in SoCal because his transfer from Los Osos back to Damien forced him to sit the year due to CIF transfer rules. Seeing his improvements makes us think that the Spartans will be tough to beat next season. Smith grew to 6-feet-8 and still boasts his smooth shooting stroke when facing up at the mid-range level and extending it out to three-point range. Smith showed improved mobility and better foot speed when defending on perimeter.
Will Smith III, 2023, Real Run 16u – Smith has a bully-like approach the game where he uses his exceptional physical tools, combined with his speed and athleticism to overpower smaller defenders and finish through contact from rim protectors in the painted area. The Bishop Montgomery high school product can guard 1-3 on the high school level due to his strength and willingness to play physically.