Westside Tip-Off Classic Day 2 11/16
The regular season finally tipped off this week for high school basketball on a regular schedule after last season was delayed all the way until late spring. The St Monica High School tournament has always been a marker of the…
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Continue ReadingThe regular season finally tipped off this week for high school basketball on a regular schedule after last season was delayed all the way until late spring. The St Monica High School tournament has always been a marker of the beginning of the season and under new head coach Roy Walker Jr., that tradition continued.
I was able to attend the event on Nov. 16, the second day of the tournament. The second featured the following matchups: Compton/Cleveland, St Anthony/St Monica, and St Bernard/Venice. Here’s a look at some of the top standouts that I saw.
1. Justin Pham – Cleveland 2023
Pham stood out for his defensive play. He has quick hands and feet and does a good job staying in front of the ball-handler. He can get around screens well and recover. He knows how to place his body and stop the ball-handler by taking away angles for a drive or pass. Came up with a couple of steals by reading the play. He’s also a good catch and shoot player. Consistent range from three-point line and he moves well without the ball.
2. Brandon Releford – Compton 2022
Releford is a player I’ve watched a couple of times now. He is a solid point guard who knows how to run the offense. He swings the ball from side to side and is able to find open teammates, especially trailers in transition spotting up at the three-point line. He has great vision and is always looking to make the right/extra pass. Aggressive offensively in getting to the rim. He showed off a very good three-point shot. Defensively, he does a good job playing the passing lanes.
3. Jayden Bush Jayden Bush 6'0" | PG St. Anthony | 2022 CA-S – St Anthony 2022
Bush is certainly one of the better point guard prospects in the LA area. He’s a great playmaker, especially in transition. He looks up on the break and finds teammates getting out ahead. He’s a very good ball-handler; he keeps the ball on a string and can get into the paint off dribble penetration. Draws fouls and can get to the free-throw line. He has good body control and he can finish through contact as well to get the continuation. Overall great floor leader.
4. Rayniel Wright – St Bernard 2022
Wright is another solid point guard prospect. He has a past first mentality and sees the court very well. He is particularly good at finding cutters along the baseline. Great playmaker in the halfcourt. On a team that has no shortage of scorers, he plays his role well. His job is to handle the ball and create easy buckets for his teammates and he does just that; he keeps the ball moving. He has a solid three-point shot too.