LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – The Corona Centennial Huskies’ boys’ basketball team rolled to a 33-1 record and bagged State and CIF Southern Section Open championships this season.
Coach Josh Giles’ club was led by the BurlisonOnBasketball Senior “Player of the Year” in 6-foot-2, University of New Mexico-bound Donovan Dent, with another senior guard – Ramsey Huff – also playing a big part in the team’s devastating dominance while winning its final 30 games.
But the Huskies also put the strongest core of players from the Class of 2023 on the floor to go along with that 2022 duo.
And guard Jared McCain and posts Aaron McBride and Devin Williams are three notable reasons why Centennial is expected to be well-equipped to accomplish similar deeds with the trio part of next season’s senior class.
McCain (pictured), who committed last week to signing a National Letter of Intent with Duke next November, gets the slight edge over McBride and Williams – as well as several other players in the Class of 2023 – for my choice as the top underclassmen in Southern California.
During his three seasons in a Centennial uniform – as well as during his standout performance last summer for the Nike/EYBL “Why Not?” club program – McCain earned the reputation of being one of the best jump shooters anywhere on the high school scene.
But, even when he wasn’t knocking in jump shots at a high rate, he contributed to his team’s remarkable run in a multitude of fashions – notably as a facilitator (or “defensive attention grabber”) and rebounder.
The compete list of the 13 selections follow.
As a reminder, these choices were made based upon how the players performed whenever I watched them in person this season – notably during games when their teams hooked up with any of the other “elite” squads.
“Potential” (my projections on how well they are capable of playing beyond high school) wasn’t factored into these choices.
Southern California’s Top Underclassmen for the 2021-22 season
Jared McCain 6-3 Jr. Corona Centennial
Best of the Rest of SoCal’s underclassmen in 2021-22
Brayden Burries 6-4 Fr. Riverside Poly
He edged Jovani Ruff of Long Beach Poly as SoCal’s top freshman after helping team to 26-3 record.
Zack Davidson 6-7 Jr. Santa Ana Mater Dei
The Trinity League’s Player of the Year after Monarchs’ in-league sweep
Brady Dunlap 6-7 Jr. Studio City Harvard-Westlake
Established himself this season as one of the west’s best “wing” scorers in the c/o 2023.
Jazz Gardner 7-0 Jr. Hacienda Heights Los Altos
The best “big man” to come out of Hacienda Heights since UNC and NBA center Scott Williams (HH Wilson/Class of 1986).
Andrew Meadow 6-6 Jr. Valencia West Ranch
Southern California’s best rebounder in this class for a program that will challenge for Open spot in ’23.
Vyctorius Miller 6-4 So. Irvine Crean Lutheran
No sophomore played with the consistent excellence that he did from November thru March.
Jimmy Oladokun Jr. 6-8 Jr. La Verne Damien
Helped Spartans take State D I title while earning all-CIF SS Open honors.
Tyler Rolison 6-1 Jr. Playa del Rey St. Bernard
Among best PGs anywhere in the 2023 class after helping Vikings to CIF SS D-1 title/POY.
Will Smith 6-3 Jr. Torrance Bishop Montgomery
Helped the Knights lose only to Centennial (twice) in final 11 games as a both-ends-of-the-floor standout.
Dusty Stromer 6-7 Jr. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame
There wasn’t a more spectacular “finisher” in the Southern Section.
Aaron McBride 6-7 Jr. Corona Centennial
No one played harder and more “efficiently” in Southern California than did McBride.
Devin Williams 6-9 Jr. Corona Centennial
Unique combination of shot-blocking and 3-point jump shooting skill for the state’s best team.
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