Lonzo Ball is SoCal’s BurlisonOnBasketball Top Junior

• Tweet

• Tweet

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – Southern California’s boys’ high school hoops Class of 2016 is shaping up as something special.

And a significant reason is the presence of Lonzo Ball in the class.

Even with the presence of San Diego’s Player of the Year – T.J. Leaf, that area’s top prospect in a long while – and a couple of players who let their teams to state title games (Michael Cage Jr. of Santa Ana Mater Dei and De’Anthony Melton of Encino Crespi), Ball is the clear choice as the BurlisonOnBasketball 2014-15 Most Outstanding Player in the Southern California junior class.

Ball, a point guard on the same level as a prospect as were Jason Kidd (Alameda St. Joseph-Notre Dame/Class of 1992) and Baron Davis (Santa Monica Crossroads/Class of 1997) at the same stage of their California prep careers, led his team to California Division I championship game.

The Huskies fell in overtime to San Ramon Valley, largely because Ball fouled out (with 30 points) with three minutes to go in regulation.

Ball, who committed to UCLA more than a year ago, averaged 24.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 9.1 assists, 4.5 steals and 3.5 blocked shots per game.

Players from the CIF Southern, L.A. City and San Diego sections were eligible to be selected to the BurlisonOnBasketball All-Juniors team. Only players I watched play in person during the season were eligible.

The players were chosen based upon their first-season accomplishments and not necessarily how extensively they are being recruited – or will be recruited – for their on-court potential in college.

The first- and second-team, 12-player selections, including Ball (listed alphabetically):

 

First Team

Milan Acquaah (6-2/PG/L.A. Cathedral)

Lonzo Ball (6-5+/PG/Chino Hills)/MOP

Michael Cage Jr. (6-9+/C/Santa Ana Mater Dei)

Shacquille Dawkins (5-8/PG/Mission Hills Alemany)

Keith Fisher (6-7/C/L.A. Westchester)

Leland Green (6-2/SG/Redondo Beach Redondo)

Jordan Griffin (6-2/SG/Corona Centennial)

Vance Jackson (6-7/SF/Bellflower St. John Bosco)

T.J. Leaf (6-9/C/El Cajon Foothills Christian)

Dikymbe Martin (6-2/SG/Riverside JW North)

De’Anthony Melton (6-3/SG/Encino Crespi)

Devearl Ramsey (5-10/PG/Chatsworth Sierra Canyon)

 

Second Team

Drew Buggs (6-2/SG/Long Beach Poly)

Donald Gipson (6-3/SG/L.A. Fairfax)

Tommie Groce (6-3/SF/L.A. Dorsey)

Javonntie Jackson (6-6/SF/Compton)

Evan Leonard (6-2/SG/Cerritos)

Eric Monroe (6-0/PG/San Diego St. Augustine)

Justin Moore (6-3/PG/San Diego Mission Bay)

Kobe Paras (6-5/SG/L.A. Cathedral)

Bryce Peters (6-3/SG/La Verne Damien)

Brandon Russell (6-1/PG/Woodland Hills El Camino Real)

Tommy Rutherford (6-9/C/El Cajon Grossmont)

Eyassu Worku (6-2/PG/Los Alamitos)