NorCal middle school standouts at WCE Camp

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SAN PABLO, Ca. – Saturday’s Day I of the first West Coast Elite All-Star Camp/Northern California at Contra Costa Community College showed off some of the more promising soon-to-be high school basketball players in the region.

And, in a setting in which a whole lot of eighth graders showed off considerable combinations of skill, polish and “upside”, none of those players were quite as impressive, from start to finish, as was 6-foot-4 Hunter Clarke (Joaquin Intermediate in Moraga).

Clarke, who is scheduled to attend Campolindo High in Moraga, lives close to the campus of Saint Mary’s College.

And there is a reason for that – his father, Marty Clarke, is an assistant under Saint Mary’s Coach Randy Bennett.

It was apparent Saturday that the younger Clarke has paid rapt attention to the many Gaels’ games and practices he has no doubt attended.

Clarke demonstrated both a skill-set and a feel for the game that is usually reserved for the very best of upperclassmen on the high school level.

He was both the best rebounder and passer I observed during the seven or so hours of drills and games I watched Saturday.

Clarke is likely to have immediate and significant for a Campolindo program that split its 28 games this past season while being led in scoring by one of Clarke’s three siblings, senior Austin Clarke.

Here are 10 others, alphabetically:

 

Robby Beasley (6-0/Dublin Fallon Middle School):

He’s been a standout at multiple “middle school” camps that I’ve watched over the past couple of years. Skilled as both a playmaker and scorer. His father said he will attend Dublin High.

Josh Camper (5-11/Lakewood St. Cyprian School):

Shot extremely well from deep and mid-range Saturday. He also passed better than I’ve seen him do before. He’s also a quality baseball prospect and plans to attend St. John Bosco in Bellflower.

Austin Cook (6-4/Montclair):

He’s going to Damien High in La Verne which has turned out all-state players in Bryce Peters (a Colorado signee) and Jeremy Hemsley (the MWC Frosh of the Year at San Diego State).

Kahlil Fowlkes (6-1/Brentwood Adams Middle School):

He’s the son of Tremaine Fowlkes, an all-L.A. City selection at Crenshaw who later played at Cal, Fresno State and in the NBA.

Peter Gwananji (6-5/Sacramento Will Wood Middle School):

He was the best of the “posts” I saw Saturday, at both ends of the floor.

Dishon Jackson (6-6/Oakland Montera MS):

Looks like he’s bound to be something close to 6-10 someday. Was better each time I watched him. Could be Dublin High-bound, as well.

Dallas Rider (6-1/Alameda Wood MS):

He hit four 3s in one game I watched Saturday. He might be headed to Moreau Catholic in Hayward.

Clark Slajchert (5-11/Oak Park Medea Creek MS):

A very good scorer who didn’t take a lot of shots Saturday, he’ll be a part of what could be one of SoCal’s best teams next season (Oak Park).

Dimitrios Stragalinos (6-2/Fairfield Green Valley MS):

This was the best seventh-grade prospect I watched at the event. He shot exceptionally well from deep but also got teammates involved.

Jamir Thomas (5-8/Berkeley Manor Academy):

He was neck-and-neck, IMHO, with Clarke as the best player all day Saturday. Plays well at a lot of speeds and shot it confidently and accurately, too.