SAN DIEGO – It, like a whole lot of things in everyone’s lives, was impacted by COVID-19, putting Aaron Burgin’s annual Crème of the County on hold for 2020.
But Burgin’s handywork bounced back in a big way in 2021, with 10 games – tipping Saturday morning at 9 at St. Augustine High – showcasing pretty much every quality player in San Diego County from the classes of 2026 to ’22.
Action began with the 2026 Crème Game, showcasing notable future high school standouts among current eighth-graders such as 6-foot-1 Ty Ingram and 5-9 Isaiah Rogers (both of which are part of the Compton Magic club program); 6-2 Jeremiah Profit and 5-8 Jeremiah Turner (both Gamepoint); 5-10 Jaden Bailes (San Diego Soldiers); 6-0 Jayden Gray (San Diego Prospects) and 6-4 Jaidyn Tanner (Roadrunners).
Wrapping up things at about 7 in the evening was the 24-player, Crème de la Crème Game, with players across the classes of ’25 to ’22.
That game’s roster was an effective illustration as to why St. Augustine is likely to go into the 2021-22 season as the top-ranked team in San Diego County.
Saints’ Coach Mike Haupt who was on hand from start to finish Saturday and got a good look at what are expected to be the key elements for his squad.
Three players from one of Southern California’s top individual classes of 2023 were standouts during both the final game of the event as well as the 2023 Crème’ contest.
Six-five Jurian Dixon (an all-San Diego Section selection as a sophomore as well as a member of the Why Not’s 16s squad that won the Nike/EYBL Peach Jam championship in July), 6-6 Derrius Carter-Hollinger (a transfer from Foothills Christian) and rapidly improving, 6-3 guard Jaden Matingou were among the top performers in the Saturday finale.
Matingou was selected as the White’s Most Outstanding Player after scoring 15 points and grabbing 12 rebounds for the winning team in the 105-91 decision, while Dixon scored 16 to grab similar honors for the Black jerseys.
Another Saturday standout in two games was 6-foot Lawrence “Lolo” Rudolph (pictured), likely the top sophomore in the county as well as one of the best, overall, from the class in all of Southern California.
Others among the multitude that impressed me included:
*Brothers K.J. (a senior) and Kristian (a junior) Gonzalez, who have returned to Mater Dei Catholic in Chula Vista after spending last season helping Mission Bay to a 17-10 record in a 2020-21 “season” that ended on June 8;
*Six-two senior Alexis Marmolejos (a two-time, all-Section player at Army-Navy in Carlsbad), who made his “debut” at this event three years ago shortly after arriving from the Dominican Republic. No one was quicker to the glass off the drive Saturday;
*Angelo Gil (Mission Bay), among all of Southern California’s best among Class of 2023 point guards;
*The Jaden LeBel (6-4, senior)-Shea Fitzgerald (6-2, junior) duo that will lead Cathedral Catholic’s section title aspirations and;
*Class of 2023 “bigs” in Jacob Bannarbie (6-9, San Diego High after attending, but not playing for, section champion Torrey Pines last season) and Martin Gumwel (6-11, a transfer to Rancho Christian in Temecula from Calvin Christian in Escondido).
Leave a Reply