NORWALK – The Fullcourt Press All-West Basketball Camp, held Saturday and Sunday at Cerritos College, served as nice “run up” to the NCAA’s “evaluation period” – in which coaches from its membership schools can watch players at camps and tournaments across the country – that is being held from this coming Thursday to Sunday.
There were approximately 150 players on hand, largely from Southern California but also from the central and north portions of the state, as well as Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Alaska, Utah, Michigan and Kansas.
The noteworthy attendees included most of the key members of the Compton Magic program – minus the No. 1 player in the Western Class of 2020, Evan Mobley (Rancho Christian), who was in Greece with the USA’s 19U squad that captured a FIBA title Sunday.
Other Magic players who stood out over the weekend included 6-foot-7 Dalen Terry (who will be a senior at Hillcrest in Phoenix), as well as juniors-to-be Isa Silva (Jesuit in Carmichael near Sacramento), Malik Thomas (Damien) and Luke Turner (Rancho Christian), along with sophomores-to-be Kijani Wright (Windward) and Quinton Webb (Loma Linda Academy), as high-profile freshman-to-be Mikey Williams (San Diego San Ysidro).
The 6-8 Wright (PICTURED) was my choice as the unofficial “Most Outstanding Player” over the weekend.
Wright, the SoCal Freshman of the Year, is a key element for a Windward squad that will challenge for a spot in the CIF Southern Section’s Open Division playoff division in February.
Two of his teammates, classmate Dylan Andrews (one of the best 2022 guards in the west) and senior-to-be forward Devin Tillis, were outstanding at the camp Saturday but didn’t play Sunday.
Other standouts who only were on hand on Saturday included guards D.J. Davis and Paris Dawson (both from Centennial in Corona); two-time all-Southern Section selection Jaylen Clark (Etiwanda); Class of 2019 forward Daylen Williams (Fairfax); 6-10 Zach Clemence (who is from the Dallas area but played at Findlay Prep in Las Vegas last season and plans to attend Sunrise Academy in Kansas in 2019-20); and Class of 2021 guard A.J. Burgin (San Diego High).
Two guys did a nifty job of showing why Fairfax will have one of the best backcourts anywhere in high school.
Left-handed Justin Gladney – who played with as much focus and purpose as anyone over the weekend – was the unofficial “Most Outstanding Player” in the Crème of the Crop Top 60 all-star game.
And fellow Class of 2020 member Keith Dinwiddie – all-L.A. City as a junior and a Pangos All-American and NBPA Top 100 camp participant last month – was as effective a jump shooter as was on display.
Another L.A. City standout, guard David Elliott (Birmingham), was one of the better “scorers” from the Class of 2021 on display.
The Bishop Montgomery High Class of 2020 post duo of Bradley Ezewiro and Isaiah Johnson mostly overpower folks inside over the weekend, as did Jabari Steward (Compton) and Jorge Ochoa (Orange Lutheran).
Class of 2020 “sleepers” – as of now – who also turned in two solid days of work were Tyrelle “Fat Daddy” Hunt (Henderson, NV, Coronado) and 6-4 Vaughn Flowers (Rolling Hills Prep).
One of the better – most under-appreciated – guards from the Class of 2022, Tajavis
Central California was well-represented by several players, notably junior-to-be Jaden Phillips (Modesto Christian) and the Fresno San Joaquin Memorial duo of 2022 swingman JoJo Hunter and 2023 point-guard A.J. Johnson (Fresno San Joaquin Memorial).
Phillips was a key member of the Bakersfield Foothill team that won the California D-V state title in Sacramento in March.
Hunter was over-shadowed last season by elite 2020 member Jalen Green (who has since moved on to Prolific Prep in Napa) at San Joaquin Memorial, and by LeBron James Jr. (and others) on the Nike EYBL “Strive for Greatness” 15s squad this spring and summer.
Johnson will prove to be the best point guard-type out of the central portion of California in a long while.
Some other non-Californians who impressed included Class of 2021 players Drew Carter (Tigard, near Portland), Hassan Herrington III (East in Anchorage) and Jayden Nunn (Ainsworth in Flint, MI).
Leave a Reply