The Holiday Classic: Day 2 and 3 standouts, Part 2
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Days 2 and 3 continued by tour of a few of the lower divisions at The Holiday Classic, where several players opened our eyes with their play, beginning with the dominant effort by Theo McMillan Theo McMillan 6'2" | PG…
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Continue ReadingDays 2 and 3 continued by tour of a few of the lower divisions at The Holiday Classic, where several players opened our eyes with their play, beginning with the dominant effort by Theo McMillan Theo McMillan 6'2" | PG Camas | 2023 State WA in Camas’ 72-59 win over Mission Bay. With the championship of each division a day away, you could see the intensity start to ramp up in the semifinal games. Here are some of the players who stood out.
The Holiday Classic: Day 2 and 3 standouts, Part 2
Theo McMillan Theo McMillan 6'2" | PG Camas | 2023 State WA , 6-2 PG, Camas (WA)
McMillan stole the show in the matchup with highly touted point guard Angelo Gil Angelo Gil 6'1" | PG Mission Bay | 2023 State CA-S , and did it with his eye-popping motor and his court vision. A relentless penetrator on offense, McMillan got into the paint at will and served his teammates up with impressive dimes. Defensively, he was literally everywhere. Crashing the glass, picking up players full court and racking up steals, which he converted into easy scores of his own, and diving after every 50/50 fall. While offensively his scoring comes from tough finishes through contact and transition layups, the next step for him will be to improve his perimeter shooting, which will open up more driving lanes. His energy will serve a college program well.
Joe Angel Cruz, 5-7 2025 PG, Madison
Cruz is an absolute blur with the ball, and his speed and court vision make it tough on defenses to cover him. San Diego went box-and-1 for several possessions to keep him from getting into the paint, and he made them pay with some high-level reads that led to easy scores. Defensively, he’s got very quick and active hands, and collects steals in bulk. The next area for him to improve will be playing with greater balance, as he has a tendency to drift and fade on pull-up jump shots from three and midrange because of his forward or lateral momentum.
Jayden Wade, 6-5 2025 F, San Diego
Wade is one of the more versatile players in San Diego’s 2025 class, and he had is versatility on display in the win over Madison. Kind of a tweener at this stage, the wing forward can hit spot up triples and finish straight line drives through contact. He has an excellent nose for the ball, especially on the offensive glass, which allows him to score on put-backs or get to the foul line with regularity. Defensively, he gives a solid effort sliding his feet against perimeter players and bodying up against bigs. If he can shore up his handle, he’s a full-time wing – and a good one – for sure.
Aaron Velasco, 6-0 2022 G, Grossmont
Velasco carried his team across the finish line in regulation and overtime before his teammate Jonny Townes delivered the knockout blows in the Foothillers double OT triumph against the shorthanded Saints. But Velasco was the standout here, as he peppered the Saints with threes off the catch, used excellent change of pace to get to his spots where he made several floaters and runners off the right side, and finished a couple of drives through contact. He’s a gamer on both ends.
Derrius Carter-Hollinger Derrius Carter-Hollinger 6'5" | SF St. Augustine | 2023 State CA-S , 6-5 2023 W, St. Augustine
In just his second game of the season (he sat out 30 days after transferring from Foothills Christian), the youngest of the Carter-Hollinger brothers put together an excellent second half en route to 27 points in the morning loss. He is a “point forward” who can attack the basket off the bounce from the top of the key and off the wings. What makes him a tough cover is his court vision. He makes solid reads when he attracts double teams, which lead to easy scoring opportunities for his teammates. When Saints gets its guys back (missing 4 starters due to COVID-19 protocols), his addition makes them even more dangerous.
Jack Jillson, 5-10 2024 G, Mission Hills
With the Grizzlies losing starting guard Caleb Hofmeister to an injury to start the tournament, Jillson has stepped up in a big way for his team. His fourth-quarter heroics sealed the comeback win over a Curtis team that has two Division 1 prospects. He scored 8 of his 15 points during the decisive stretch where he hit two threes and scored another bucket to fend off a late Curtis run. His shooting and his game management (handled pressure deftly down the stretch) as well as his rebounding (8 rebounds) all were critical to the win. He’s a 2024 guard prospect to watch.