SDSU Team Camp: Second Five
The June high school team camp season opened up this weekend on the campus of SDSU with the first session of the Aztec Team Camp. The three-day tournament finished Sunday with the crowning of two divisional champions: Balboa won the…
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Continue ReadingThe June high school team camp season opened up this weekend on the campus of SDSU with the first session of the Aztec Team Camp. The three-day tournament finished Sunday with the crowning of two divisional champions: Balboa won the upper-division “Black” title and Otay Ranch won the lower-division “Red” title.
We’ll discuss the standouts from the weekend’s camp in a series of reports. The next report, our Second Five, highlights a player who was the surprise of the field, a newcomer to a local prep school and one of the region’s most improved players.
SDSU Team Camp: Second Five
Ahmad Cidi-Jalloh, 5-9 2023 PG, Balboa School
A recent transfer from Florida, Cidi-Jalloh was huge for the Bengals in their championship win, knocking down three threes in the second half and scoring a critical and-1 through contact in OT to give his team the lead for good. The athletic and cat quick lead guard used his burst to blow by defenders all weekend, finishing tough buckets in the paint while also knocking down jumpers from the college three to keep the defense honest. Another area where he stood out was his motor: he rebounds it really well for a guard his size and his activity level on defense can be described as intense.
Loren Daniel, 6-2 2023 G, Balboa School
Daniel likely would have been a first teamer if not for an injury that kept him out of the championship game. Up until that point, the hot-shooting Daniel was keying the Bengals offense, knocking down jumpers from three out of pick and roll and getting to his spots for his very good midrange pull-up. Like the rest of the Balboa team, his commitment to the defensive side of the ball makes him a solid two-way prospect.
Bruck Kifleyesus, 6-1 2023 G, Helix
There was a buzz on the floor whenever Kifleyesus (featured picture) played, and for good reason. A relative unknown outside of East County, Kifleyesus stole the show with his electric scoring repertoire. Whether it was attacking off the dribble with his good burst and crafty handle, getting paint touches and finishing with floaters, runners or drives through contact, or stopping on a dime and hitting from midrange, the late-blooming senior is the definition of a “walking bucket.” A growth spurt over the past two years has pushed him from about 5-7 his sophomore year at Preuss to a solid 6-1, and his game has become that much more impactful as a result. Kifleyesus can stand to make better decisions with the pass and needs to shore up his consistency on defense, but his ability to score the ball and his upside make him a prospect to watch in the upcoming season.
Trevor Ladd, 6-3 2024 WF, La Costa Canyon
Ladd continues his strong play this offseason and does it with his motor and effort. An excellent rebounder, screen setter and general glue guy, Ladd’s impact on the game belies his statistical output, which isn’t bad: he probably averaged close to a double double. But when LCC needed a critical rebound or a bucket around the basket out of a set play, Ladd was often the recipient. At 6-3, Ladd plays the game like he’s 6-8
Anthony Aruffo, 6-1 2023 G, La Jolla Country Day
Establishing himself as one of the region’s most improved guards was Aruffo, who torched Helix and had a strong outing against LCC in Sunday action. In the span of just two short years, Aruffo has transformed himself from a right-hand dominant slasher into a complete scoring prospect, with a jump shot that bordered on automatic for long stretches of the weekend, from both levels. He still can get into the paint with improved handle and now finishes with either hands. Coming off on an all-league campaign, Aruffo is a senior guard that Division 3 schools should be paying close attention to during the summer.