A Scout’s Take: San Marcos vs Riverside Poly
A Scout’s Take: San Marcos vs Riverside Poly
AZUZA, CA—Redemption immediately comes to mind when describing San Marcos’ memorable run through the 2A Division bracket. This was the team that had to endure the horrific fires that scorched the Santa Barbara County in December which affected the San Marcos basketball team in a variety of ways.
Despite losing practice time for a few weeks and making the two-hour trek up to San Luis Obispo to get in a practice or two, the team stuck together and persevered. Teammates were evacuated and stayed with fellow players on the team. These types of ordeals can create a strong bond and obviously brought the team closer together as they marched to a championship.
As the school raises that “second banner”—the girl’s water polo team captured the Open Division Championship over rival Dos Pueblos a week earlier—you cannot help but feel that these kids are experiencing redemption, considering the challenges they faced throughout their season.
MVP
Jackson Stormo (San Marcos)
2018, C, 6-foot-9, 250 pounds
Joel’s Take: While teammate Stefan Korfas was the catalyst for the Royals out on the perimeter, Stormo was the one who controlled the paint area—and he did it with assertiveness and strength. The burly 5-man who should bag a D 1 offer in the near future, has magnetic hands, outlets the ball with quickness and efficiency, and knows how to carve out space in the paint. His motor runs hot at both ends and despite his size does a nice job hedging out on screens.
Diamond in the rough
Lamont Butler (Riverside Poly)
2020, PG, 6-foot, 155 pounds
Joel’s Take: Butler struggled from the field, but the sophomore has a bright future in this game. He has the length and skill to be a Division 1 point guard down the road. He needs to learn how to change speeds and get stronger while finishing through contact. However, he dropped off a number of high-level passes in tight spaces that displayed his savvy for the game. Due to his mental make-up and physical tools, he projects to being one of the elite point guards in the West heading forward.
Moxie Madness
Stefan Korfas (San Marcos)
2018, PG, 5-foot-11, 155 pounds
Joel’s Take: Stefan Korfas, whose father Jon was a standout for San Marcos back in the day, was the glue in guiding his team to a memorable CIFSS crown. The lead guard who oozes moxie out of his pores was always in attack mode and exhibited his leadership and fearless mentality at both ends of the floor. He put defenders on their heels in transition, delivered timely assists, and knocked jump shots when the opportunity presented itself.